Jake Harper
If your chicken is wheezing, it could be suffering from a respiratory infection. Unlike humans, chickens do not suffer from colds or flus, so respiratory symptoms usually indicate something more serious. Respiratory illnesses can be dangerous in chickens, and recovery is rare without intervention. There are many different respiratory diseases that can affect chickens, and they can be caused by either viruses or bacteria. It is important to correctly identify the disease so that you can administer the right treatment and protect the rest of your flock.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cause | Bacterial infection, viral disease, parasites, environmental factors |
| Symptoms | Coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, bubbly eyes, swollen sinuses, decreased egg production, lethargy, diarrhoea, noisy breathing, abnormal behaviour, pale face and comb, droopy wings, gasping, gurgling, head shaking, difficulty breathing, swollen face/eyes, foul-smelling discharge, discoloured comb/wattles |
| Treatment | Antibiotics, dewormers, herbal remedies, veterinary medication, vaccination, removal of infected chickens, cleaning and disinfection |
| Prevention | Coop management, preventative care, mosquito control, flock vaccination |
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What You'll Learn
Respiratory infections
Respiratory illnesses in chickens can be bacterial or viral, and it is important to know the difference between the two, as they do not have the same treatments. Antibiotics, for example, are useful for combating bacterial infections but are useless against viruses. Bacterial infections include Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD), caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum bacteria, and infectious coryza, caused by Haemophilus paragallinarum bacteria. CRD usually comes on slowly and lasts a long time, while infectious coryza can be difficult to recognize as it resembles other respiratory diseases.
Viral respiratory infections include Infectious Bronchitis, Laryngotracheitis (aka Roup), and Avian Influenza. Infectious Bronchitis is the most contagious disease in chickens, starting and spreading rapidly. Laryngotracheitis has no known treatment, but a vaccine is available. Avian Influenza can be highly pathogenic, quickly causing the death of an entire flock.
Other respiratory infections include Fowl Pox, Gapeworm, and Newcastle Disease. Fowl Pox can be either wet or dry and has no treatment, but it is slow-spreading, so vaccination can stop an outbreak. Gapeworm is a parasitic worm that attaches to the trachea and causes gasping, neck-stretching, and coughing. Newcastle Disease can be domestic or exotic, with the highly contagious and lethal form known as VVND.
Signs of respiratory infection in chickens include persistent sneezing, listlessness, lethargy, diarrhoea, noisy breathing, cyanosis, abnormal behaviour, and head shaking. A chicken breathing with an open beak is either ill or under stress. Other symptoms include coughing, wheezing, a runny nose, sticky eyes, and swollen sinuses.
If you suspect your chicken has a respiratory infection, it is important to seek the advice of a veterinarian, preferably an avian or poultry vet, as it can be easy for a layperson to incorrectly diagnose the illness.
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Chronic respiratory disease (CRD)
Wheezing in chickens is often a sign of respiratory infection. Respiratory illnesses can be dangerous and sometimes fatal to chickens, and they can spread quickly to the rest of the flock. Therefore, it is important to identify the symptoms and treat them early.
The first sign of CRD is weeping from one or both eyes, sometimes accompanied by minor swelling. This may be caused by excessive dust, draftiness, or vitamin A deficiency, so it is important to consider environmental factors when diagnosing CRD. The disease should clear up within a couple of days of treatment with erythromycin eye ointment, which requires a veterinary prescription.
CRD is often associated with coccidiosis, an infectious disease that can co-infect chicken flocks, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Early detection and proper treatment are crucial to prevent chicken mortality and limit disease transmission. Sick birds should be separated from the healthy flock and observed following treatment, and biosecurity measures should be implemented to maintain farm hygiene.
In addition to CRD, there are several other respiratory diseases that can affect chickens, including infectious bronchitis, laryngotracheitis, infectious coryza, and avian influenza. These diseases can present with various symptoms, such as coughing, sneezing, rattling sounds in the throat, nasal discharge, and breathing difficulties. Some of these diseases can be fatal, and some have no known cure, so it is important to seek veterinary advice and implement proper coop management and preventative care to reduce the risk of infection and reinfection.
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Infectious bronchitis
Wheezing in chickens can be a symptom of a respiratory infection. Respiratory illnesses can be dangerous in chickens and it is vital to treat them early, as recovery is rare without intervention. In addition, if you do not treat respiratory illnesses quickly, they may spread to the rest of the birds in your flock.
Definitive diagnosis of infectious bronchitis is generally based on virus detection and identification. Diagnostic tests include ELISA and hemagglutination inhibition testing for serum antibodies, virus detection by reverse transcription PCR and reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR, and virus isolation in embryonated eggs. Strain-specific vaccination and stringent biosecurity practices can help prevent infection. Live, attenuated and killed (inactivated) vaccines are available; however, different antigenic types of IBV do not cross-protect, complicating control efforts.
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Laryngotracheitis
The first sign of laryngotracheitis is often watery eyes, which may appear as tiny bubbles in the corner of the eyes. The eyes may become swollen, and the bird may exhibit other respiratory symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, and head-shaking. It may stretch its neck while gulping for air, and make moist respiratory sounds such as gurgling, choking, rattling, whistling, or cawing. These sounds are caused by the inflammation and mucus buildup in the trachea, leading to difficulty in breathing.
Infections involving low pathogenic strains of ILT may present with non-specific upper respiratory signs, including watery eyes, swollen eyelids, oral and nasal discharge, and inflamed sinuses, in addition to coughing. More pathogenic strains can lead to dyspnea (difficulty breathing), with birds extending their necks to facilitate air transit through the inflamed and mucus-filled trachea. This can result in loud wheezing sounds, and blood may be observed in the beak and feathers due to tracheal secretions.
It is important to note that respiratory illnesses in chickens can be dangerous and require early treatment. A timely diagnosis by a veterinarian is crucial, as many respiratory diseases have similar symptoms and require specific treatments. Proper coop management and preventative care are essential to reducing the risk of infection and reinfection.
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Avian influenza
Wheezing in chickens can be a symptom of respiratory illness. Respiratory illnesses in chickens can be caused by viruses or bacteria. Antibiotics can be used to treat bacterial infections, but they are ineffective against viruses.
The viruses that cause avian influenza can also infect other animals and humans, although this is less common. Cats and dogs may become infected if they eat sick or dead infected birds, drink unpasteurized milk from infected cows, or eat raw or undercooked meat. Human infection typically involves close or prolonged exposure to infected poultry or dairy cows. People with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk of severe disease.
To prevent avian influenza, flock owners should separate their birds from potential disease sources, including wildlife and wild birds. It is also important to keep the poultry area and equipment clean and separate new or returning birds from the flock for at least 30 days. In some cases, vaccination may be an option for preventing avian influenza in certain types of birds. However, it is important to note that not all birds can be vaccinated, and new strains of the virus may develop that are not covered by existing vaccines.
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Frequently asked questions
Wheezing in chickens is often a sign of a respiratory infection. It can be dangerous and requires early treatment as recovery is rare without intervention. It can also be a symptom of Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD), a serious bacterial infection.
CRD usually causes coughing, nasal discharge, bubbling eyes, swollen sinuses, and a decrease in egg production. It is a slow-developing disease that tends to affect flocks that are stressed, poorly fed, or living in dirty conditions.
There are many other respiratory illnesses that affect chickens, including Infectious Bronchitis, Fowl Pox, Gapeworm, and Laryngotracheitis. Some of these illnesses can be fatal, so it is important to seek veterinary advice if you notice any of these symptoms.
