If your chicken is sneezing, coughing, wheezing, having difficulty breathing, or has nasal discharge; they may have a respiratory issue. Respiratory issues can arise from viral, bacterial, fungal and environmental factors. A chicken with any of these symptoms should be isolated to protect the rest of the flock. 

 

How you treat your chicken depends on the underlying cause. If it's bacterial, an antibiotic may be necessary to treat your chicken. For other infections, managing symptoms may be the best route. In some cases, chickens may have chronic or reoccurring issues, especially if they are exposed to an environmental stressor or has a weakened immune system. 

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Treating respiratory issues should be discussed with a veterinarian experienced in poultry care. They may suggest the following depending on your chicken's root cause.

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VetRX: a natural remedy that is commonly used to help alleviate respiratory issues in chickens. The included instructions will provide specific guidance on how to use this product, but typically it's applied to the nostril, beak, and throat. 

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TiaGard 12.5%: a water-soluble antibiotic powder that contains tiamulin hydrogen fumarate. This is great to use if your chicken's condition is due to bacteria, such as Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Myocoplasma synoviae - two common causes or respiratory issues in poultry. Follow the dosage instructions provided by your veterinarian or on the product level. At The Retirement Roost Rescue, we like to direct-dose sick chickens to ensure they receive the full dose. In these cases, a vet may recommend you use 25-50mg per kg every day for five days. The taste is not pleasing to chickens, so you may need to be creative to get the chicken to consume this. **THERE MAY BE A WITHDRAWL PERIOD** 

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Durvet Duramysin 72-200 Antibiotic: another antibiotic used to treat respiratory diseases. This antibiotic may be prescribed by your vet because it has the antibiotic oxytetracycline, which is effective against a variety of bacteria that can cause respiratory issues in chickens. Your vet will let you know how to use this product orally or may have you create a schedule for injections. **THERE MAY BE A WITHDRAWL PERIOD** 

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Your vet may have you use all the products above so you have a topical, oral, and injectable method for your chicken's recovery. Your vet may suggest you apply VetRx directly to the infected bird's nostrils and beak once per day, administer 50 mg/kg of TiaGard to your sick chicken once per day for 5 days (and give TiaGard water to any birds the sick bird was in contact with), and inject your bird with Durvet Duramycin and schedule another injection 3 days later. 

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 As with any antibiotic, it's important to discuss administration with your vet to prevent the development of antibiotic resistance and ensure the health and welfare of your flock. 

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Make sure your chickens are in a clean and well-ventilated environment to keep their respiratory systems healthy. Regular health checks and good biosecurity practices can help prevent respiratory issues.