Growing chickens is easy at first glance. A rare breeder achieves the full survival of the entire livestock. The bird is susceptible to various diseases. Common symptoms are coughing, wheezing, and sneezing. When they appear, it is necessary to identify the problem and conduct appropriate treatment.
Overview of Reasons
Wheezing, sneezing and coughing are a classic clinical picture for various chicken diseases. Wheezing is usually the first symptom, then the bird begins to cough and sneeze. Consider for what diseases such symptoms are characteristic.
Cold
The reason for this pathological condition in chicken lies in hypothermia. Minus temperature, cold wind, dampness, insufficiently insulated chicken coop, organized on a draft walk - there are quite a few risk factors.
If the chicken has a cold, then the following clinical picture is formed:
- the bird breathes heavily, noises are heard: wheezing, whistling, bubbling;
- sneezing and coughing;
- decreased appetite, a complete rejection of feed is possible;
- inhibited state, lethargy;
- runny nose - mucous transparent discharge from the nasal passages;
- the beak is constantly ajar;
- scallops turn pale;
- egg production decreases sharply or completely disappears;
- the bird tries to find a secluded place and hide there;
- if you do not start timely treatment, then the symptoms are aggravated.
Rhinotracheitis
Chickens from this disease began to suffer relatively recently. The following clinical picture is formed:
- swelling of the head;
- damage to the upper respiratory tract - larynx, trachea, mucous membrane of the eyes of the nasal cavity, accompanied by coughing, sneezing, wheezing, lacrimation.
Infectious laryngotracheitis
This is a viral disease. The virus primarily affects the mucous membranes of the larynx and trachea, less often the conjunctiva of the eyes, the nasal cavity. The greatest risk of such a disease exists in large poultry farms.
Infectious laryngotracheitis often affects young animals aged 2-3.5 months. In a bird, the disease is transmitted from beak to beak; after its transfer, stable immunity and lifelong carriage of the virus are formed.
The risk of morbidity is increased in spring and autumn, as these seasons are characterized by temperature changes, which leads to a weakening of the immune system and respiratory tract. The disease can be acute, subacute or chronic. In the first case, up to 80% of the livestock can be affected, half of the cases are fatal.
The following clinical picture is characteristic of the disease:
- cough;
- wheezing
- whistling breath;
- lacrimation
- secretion of mucus from the nasal passages;
- the larynx turns red and swells, hemorrhages appear pointwise, mucus or curdled masses accumulate in the lumen;
- depressed state;
- loss of appetite;
- the comb and earrings become cyanotic.
A conjunctival form of the disease is possible. She is characterized by:
- inflammation of the eyes;
- discharge from the eyes of a mucous or foamy character;
- omission of the third century on the eyeball;
- damage to the cornea - ill chickens become blind.
Infectious bronchitis
This disease is viral and one of the most dangerous and common in poultry on an industrial scale. A bird can become infected at any age.
The clinical picture includes the following manifestations of the disease:
- sneezing
- difficulty breathing with tracheal wheezing;
- cough;
- discharge from the nasal passages;
- egg production decreases, moreover, the egg white becomes watery, the eggshell is pale and soft.
The virus is transmitted by air. The radius of the lesion is approximately 1 km. The spread of infection takes 1-1.5 days.
Bronchopneumonia
Such a disease usually develops in spring or autumn. The lungs, bronchi and trachea are affected. Three forms of pathology severity are distinguished: mild, moderate and severe.
A pronounced clinical picture develops with moderate or severe illness. In the first case, the temperature rises to 38 degrees, in the second - even higher. The following symptoms are also observed:
- breathing quickens, it becomes difficult - a bird can breathe only with an open beak;
- moist rales appear;
- a sharp decrease in activity - the impossibility of independent movement, eating, drinking;
- without treatment, death on the second day.
Colibacillosis
Such a disease is characteristic of young animals at the 3-14th day of life. Pathology is acute, in the absence of treatment or its incorrectness acquires a chronic form. In the acute course of the disease, the following picture is formed:
- temperature increase by 1.5-2 degrees above normal;
- thirst - chickens drink a lot and often;
- loss of appetite;
- weight loss;
- weakness;
- diarrhea;
- intoxication causing death.
If the disease becomes chronic, then the symptoms persist. After 2 weeks, the following symptoms appear:
- cough;
- wheezing
- hard breath;
- the bird often sneezes;
- crunching and screaming are heard in the sternum;
- high risk of death.
Mycoplasmosis
Such a pathology is infectious and affects the entire population. It can even provoke minor flaws in the content of the bird. The infection is transmitted predominantly by airborne droplets; the source of the virus may also be water. The peak incidence occurs in the fall.
The disease affects the respiratory system, causing the following clinical picture:
- labored breathing;
- cough with wheezing;
- sneezing
- mucous discharge from the nasal passages;
- eyes turn red, eyelids swell;
- appetite disappears;
- general lethargy;
- diarrhea - the discharge is yellow or greenish in color;
- egg production decreases;
- unfertilized eggs make up one third of the total;
- every fourth embryo dies during hatching;
- the oviduct becomes inflamed;
- the cornea of the eyes is affected.
Mycoplasmosis develops gradually. The first stage of the disease proceeds latently; in the second stage, symptoms appear in only one of 10 birds. Severe symptoms are formed at the third stage of the disease, and at the last stage it is smoothed out - the individual becomes a carrier of the virus.
Tuberculosis
This infection is characteristic of large concentrations of birds. All livestock can become infected even due to one individual. The following clinical picture is formed:
- weight loss - the appetite remains normal;
- weakness, decreased activity;
- fever.
Symptoms worsen as the disease progresses:
- loss of appetite;
- the crest pales, wrinkles;
- diarrhea;
- internal organs are affected, including the respiratory system: coughing, wheezing, sneezing;
- paralysis of the legs.
Treatment
Regardless of the diagnosis, the diseased bird should be isolated. A separate house is best for this, but a separate cage is also allowed. The room where the sick bird was located should be treated. To do this, use a solution of Lugol, chloroskipidar, iodotriethylene glycol.
For treatment colds It is useful to give the bird herbal infusion. For it, use currant or raspberry leaf, lime color. The infusion should be weak. Eucalyptus essential oil helps well - you can use the aroma lamp in the room.
In severe colds, chickens are given antibiotics (e.g., erythromycin or tetracycline). The dosage of drugs is calculated by the weight of the bird - 40 mg of erythromycin or 5-10 mg of tetracycline are required per 1 kg. The medicine should be dissolved in water.
At infectious laryngitis take drastic measures - the elimination of the entire population with subsequent disinfection. In extreme cases, they resort to partial recovery - the most affected and weakened individuals are discarded, the rest are treated.
In treatment laryngotracheitis apply non-specific measures. They consist in ventilation and heating of the house, good feeding of the bird. Of the drugs used:
- Furazolidone - mixed with 8 g of powder per 10 kg of feed;
- Gentamicin - aerosol spraying of a solution with a sprayer;
- ASD-2 - addition to a wet mash;
- with concomitant bacterial infections, Norfloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Enrofloxacin, tetracycline drugs are used;
- lactic acid or iodotriethylene glycol - aerosol spraying, disinfection (the bird is not removed);
- vitamin complexes: Chiktonik, Nitamin, Aminivital.
If a vaccinated bird is brought in or an outbreak is observed, then mass vaccination is required.
Cure infectious bronchitis you can’t have chicken. Sick birds are isolated, and disinfection is carried out in the room where they were kept.
Upon detection infectious bronchopneumonia measures should be taken immediately. Be sure to spray ashpiseptol in the chicken coop. This solution is prepared independently from water (20 l), soda ash (350 g) and bleach (250 g). In addition to disinfection, the following agents are used:
- antibiotic: Norfloxacin, Terramycin, Penicillin;
- instead of antibiotic therapy, a mummy can be used - it is mixed with a double volume of honey, treatment is continued for at least a month;
- when the bird refuses food, it is fed with a pipette - they give pollen, adding it to a small amount of water;
- additionally give vitamins, enrich the feed with them.
Treatment colibacillosis implies antibiotic therapy. They resort to Enronit, Enronit OR, Lexoflon OR.
At mycoplasmosis treatment depends on the pathogen identified. If it is not defined, then resort to broad-spectrum antibiotics - Tetracycline, Tilodoks, Eriprim, Gilodoks, Macrodoks. The drug must be dissolved in water.
The antibiotics of a narrow direction are most effective for mycoplasmosis: Enroxil, Farmazin, Tilmicovet. Antibacterial therapy is carried out in the entire population, regardless of the presence of clinical manifestations of the disease.
As an individual therapy for mycoplasmosis, they resort to injections of Tilosin, Tialong, Tilokolin AF. Dosage is determined by the age of the bird and its breed. Such a measure is appropriate in the first stages of the disease.
For treatment tuberculosis apply a whole range of drugs: Rifampicin, Isoniazid, Ethambutol. Another treatment regimen is possible, including two stages:
- 2 months to give the mixture: Pyrazinamide, Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Streptomycin, Ethambutol;
- while maintaining the carriage of the bacteria daily or every other day, give Isoniazid and Rifampicin, continue treatment for 3-4 months.
The treatment is expensive, because for economic purposes it is more profitable to get rid of the entire population.
Different diseases of chickens have similar clinical manifestations. Treatment can be dramatically different. If there are signs of the disease, you should contact a specialist who will diagnose and prescribe the most effective therapy in a particular case. Self-medication may not produce results and only exacerbate the situation.
Prevention
Problems are always easier to prevent than to solve. As a prevention of various diseases in chickens, accompanied by coughing, wheezing and sneezing, it is necessary to adhere to the following measures:
- The chicken coop should be warm enough, dry and clean. How to make a chicken coop by all standards - read here.
- Feed should be of high quality and balanced. It is necessary to periodically give the chickens mineral and vitamin top dressing, strictly observing the recommended dosages and terms. Well get an automatic feeder.
- It is required to provide the chickens with sufficient drink. Water must be clean and of appropriate quality. Drinkers should be cleaned regularly. How to make drinkers for chickens on your own is described here.
- Regularly disinfect the house. Air must be disinfected every 10 days.
- It is important to correctly organize the chicken coop, provide protection from rats (they are carriers of many diseases).
- Preventive examinations of the bird should be carried out regularly.
Chickens can wheeze, sneeze, and cough because of the many diseases common to these birds. In any case, it is necessary to make a diagnosis and take appropriate measures. Isolation of sick poultry and antibiotic therapy are often required. Some diseases cannot be cured. You can reduce the risk of various diseases with the help of prevention.