I think one of my chooks is under the weather

[Mikey]

I need a bit of advise, I think one of the girls is poorly. She has either a cough or a sneeze, I can't tell which it is. She doesn't have a runny nose, and seems happy in herself albeit a little subdued. She has only laid once in the last 5 days, which I thought was strange as she had laid everyday for the previous 3 weeks.

She's the bully of the trio, so I don't suspect bullying, and she is eating ok, cold it just be a cold, and is it normal for her to stop laying?

[RichmondHens]

Quite likely it is just a cold, chickens do get them. Add a freshly crushed garlic clove to the drinking water and see if she picks up in a few days. If she is no better (or is getting worse) in a week then she may have a mycoplasma infection which needs antibiotics to clear, available from the vet.

As a general note for all - It is important to treat mycoplasma as it is very infectious and will spread to all your birds, and once contracted they carry it for the rest of their lives and can pass it to their offspring via the egg, even if symptoms have subsided. It is very prevalent in backyard chickens as many people don't recognise it (or don't bother to treat it) then breed from the affected birds and sell on, thus spreading it around. It's one of the reasons why it's good practice to isolate all new birds coming onto your property for a week or two as stress of moving often causes myco symptoms to emerge. This way you can treat the birds straightaway before it's spread to your existing flock and/or complain to the guy you bought the birds from!!

[Mikey]

Thanks for the advise RH, I'll try the garlic and see how she gets on. I'm sure the rain doesn't help much.

[di]

Welcome to the world of worrying about a chicken....they really get to you don't they.
Hope she picks up soon.

[Mikey]

Ain't that the truth, we had a heart to heart last night, she stood by my side for about 30 mins, while I chatted and she cooed. She's definitely not herself, she couldn't even be bothered to peck at my fingers instead of the dandelion leaves.

[baldrick]

Quite likely it is just a cold, chickens do get them. Add a freshly crushed garlic clove to the drinking water and see if she picks up in a few days. If she is no better (or is getting worse) in a week then she may have a mycoplasma infection which needs antibiotics to clear, available from the vet.

As a general note for all - It is important to treat mycoplasma as it is very infectious and will spread to all your birds, and once contracted they carry it for the rest of their lives and can pass it to their offspring via the egg, even if symptoms have subsided. It is very prevalent in backyard chickens as many people don't recognise it (or don't bother to treat it) then breed from the affected birds and sell on, thus spreading it around. It's one of the reasons why it's good practice to isolate all new birds coming onto your property for a week or two as stress of moving often causes myco symptoms to emerge. This way you can treat the birds straightaway before it's spread to your existing flock and/or complain to the guy you bought the birds from!!

Myco is also carried by rats. My pet rats used to get it. Treatment same for both species, good ventilation, no draughts, check stress levels and get a course of baytril antibiotic down them.

[Flummery]

How is she now Mikey?

[Mikey]

Well she seems to have perked up a bit, I haven't heard her coughing over the last 24 hours, and she laid yesterday and was on the nest this morning. So I think she is probably on the mend. Thanks to all for your assistance.