# Respiratory disease back? silky gasping for air



## mellinda (Jun 24, 2016)

I would like to ask for some advice about my own Silkie.
Fien's back ill, along with Fluffy (Fluffy is not so severe ill, only light sneezing). I wonder if her respiratory disease or her worms came back.

2 days ago, i noticed her sneezing a bit. 1 day ago, soft caughing with sneezing and nasal water fluid comming out of her nose. Today... Snotbubbles, caughing, gasping for air, she was almost choking it seemed for a couple of times. I got her inside, she did it again a couple of times until i cuddled her, then she was calm and the breathing went better (we got our flock so tame they appear at our backdoor and step inside if the door's open).

Could it be that her worms or snot from several months ago did come back? The snot bubbles are watery, no color. She eats well but smells terribly out of her beak and farts often. But stool seems normal, no visible worm eggs and nice hard, colour lells are normal and she lays every day an egg. 

We're trying to find a vet for tomorrow. But sadly not much vets want to treat her. We could go to the vet who cared for her and did treat her first when we had her, but i believe she does not now much about chickens, so it is a gamble...We injected oral some vitamins for her in a bit water.

Is there anything i can do to comfort her and make her feel better? What could it be?

Thank you on advance.


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

It's probably respiratory again. Those things are contagious. However, please check and make sure that her crop is emptying like it should. It should be empty in the morning.


----------



## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

Agree with Seminole - respiratory, I would not worry about worms too much at this point.
Is your coop damp, drafty? If so it needs to be dealt with, veterinary is the best option since respiratory usually requires antibiotics.
Good luck with them and keep us posted,


----------



## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Look inside her mouth and see if there are any necrotic scabs/tissue, or yellowish plaque. If not, it's MG or possibly coryza due to the foul odor or possibly both. Either respiratory disease will easily spread to other birds. Antibiotics will only mask symptoms and surviving birds will remain carriers for life....if in fact it's respiratory disease.


----------



## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I don't know where you live but I take my chickens to a country vet.A vet that specializes in exotics may be able to help also.I had a good rooster that kept getting respiratory infections.Took him to the vet twice and he got better but got sick again months later.The third time,I culled him.I hated to do it but two vet bills each over a hundred dollars and he got sick again.Good luck!!!


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

That's alot of money.


----------



## mellinda (Jun 24, 2016)

Sorry, it's been a while. I would like to let you know it was a viral airway infection and blood lice. They both fully seemed recovered the day after, so we cancelled the vet. But Fien fell softly ill later again. Fluffy and the others seemed fine, except for the sneezing.

Since Fien did not look very ill but odd when i left, I rather wanted to take her to a vet myself but had to wait untill today because i had to tavel to France. My mother and father were argueing wheter or not she was ill. I came home Saturday and immediatly scheduled an appointment.

I went with her to the vet today. No more waiting, wanted to have the problem solved. Scheduled a new vet. Conclusion: Respiratory infection, damage on the lung from the infection that occured almost a year ago... And nasty blood lice... She will be fine and recover, but will always be weaker. He told me i had to be always on guard with her and my dad's "Mechelse koekoek" when i told him his chicken had also respiratory dmg from earlier.

They injected Fien with something, deliced her, and we have to let her eat every day a half tablet for the respiratory infection and put every day new vitamins and a resistance booster in the water of her and the entire flock. Also anti lice: 1 droppled / 500gram weight. Promises for mom's chicken Muis (Blue de Landes) haha 

59 euros happily spent  she's happy again, that's what counts. After she got that injection and pill, she was already more active and happy. Worst thing is: poor thing wants to start breeding... So ill yet she started clucking yesterday 

Now we have to make a decision if we would let them all stay permanently in the sleeping barn or not or separate Fien from the rest.

We did have however some strange weather months for the time of the year: very wet and cold... Fluffy was always wet but Fien was smarter and stayed always dry.


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Hi. I am glad she's recovering!
I think I would wait until her resistance is full again, and the others can't give her any illness.


----------



## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Resistance is futile...with poultry respiratory diseases.


----------



## mellinda (Jun 24, 2016)

Fien is still improving, bad odor fully gone today. Still 'masses' fluid comming out of her nose but very in shape  But now goldy turned severely ill on tuesday.

Just want to warn about
some pesticides used for delicing: she became very ill. Called the vet and it seems some chickens are allergic for the pesticides, but Goldy will be fine.
We are going to change their diet also so hopefully they can enjoy life the fullest


----------



## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

mellinda said:


> Fien is still improving, bad odor fully gone today. Still 'masses' fluid comming out of her nose but very in shape  But now goldy turned severely ill on tuesday.
> 
> Just want to warn about
> some pesticides used for delicing: she became very ill. Called the vet and it seems some chickens are allergic for the pesticides, but Goldy will be fine.
> We are going to change their diet also so hopefully they can enjoy life the fullest


what pesticide did you use? many are organo-phosphates which can caus human problems too


----------



## mellinda (Jun 24, 2016)

i got no clue. Something that they also did use also for competition pidges when they are having blood lice. Vet told me that he normally had some stickers he printed and pasted on the bottle but that he did not have any more. He had a big can of 5 liters, he poured some over into a tiny flask with a pipette. We were not allowed to kiss or pet them in the neck, anywhere else was fine.


----------



## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Sounds like ivermectin pour on, or a derivative. Wouldnt surprise me, too much can be toxic to birds and has a long withdrawal period.


----------



## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I hope everybody recuperates.


----------



## mellinda (Jun 24, 2016)

Everyone seems fine now. Weird week. Today silky Fluffy are her own stool with very much taste... Almost had to vomit (was 15cm away from it with my head).That's a first for me seeing that... Fien and Goldy both digging like bobcats


----------

