Does your chicken's gullet look swollen and about to explode? Your bird could have Airsacculitis.

What is Airsacculitis?

PictureMerle the Rooster (Left) & His girl Sweettart-Hen with Airsacculitis (Right)
Airsacculitis (often misdiagnosed as a respiratory disease) is actually a symptom as the result of a disease that the bird has previously contracted.  Airsacculitis usually happens in late winter and early fall but can occur at other times in birds that are kept solely indoors in poorly ventilated area's.
Diseases that cause Airsacculitis are:
​E. coli
Mycoplasma gallisepticum, (MG)-A chronic respiratory disease (infectious sinusitis) in chickens, pheasants, chukar partridges, peafowl, pigeons, quail, ducks, geese, and psittacine birds.  M gallisepticum causes conjunctivitis in wild house finches (and some similar species) in North America. Can be treated with antibiotics but not penicilin. However antibiotics will cure the symptoms (of the disease but not the disease itself (2). (See Mycoplasma gallisepticum symptoms and treatments)
Mycoplasma synoviae (MS)
Mycoplasma melegridis (MM)
What you will find on this page:
​Photos of a hen with Airsacculitis
Symptoms of Airsacculitis
Causes of Airsacculitis
Ways to prevent Airsacculitis
Treatments for Airsacculitis

Symptoms of Airsacculitis in chickens

PictureHen with Airsacculitis. (c)2018. Chicken Heaven On Earth
Moderate to severe swelling around the lower neck
Heavy breathing
​Symptoms of the disease that caused it (listed above)
This photo shows the type of swelling that occurs with Airsacculitis in chickens.

Causes of Airsacculitis in Chickens

The most common causes of Airsacculitis are:
  • Cold stress
  • Heat stress
  • Poor coop ventilation
  • Overcrowding

How to Prevent Airsacculitis

Here is how you can prevent Airsacculitis in your chickens.
  1. Keep the coop floor, roosts, and nest boxes clean and free of feces buildup (Proper sanitation)
  2. Sanitize your chicken coops and hen houses, nest boxes, and roosts (See Virkon S Disinfectant to prevent bacterial infections and viruses in chickens, poultry, and livestock)
  3. Make sure your coop is properly ventilated 
  4. Make sure clean fresh water is available at all times (See the easiest and best way to provide clean water to your chickens)

Treatment for Airsacculitis

  1. Before you decide on a treatment for airsacculitis you need to determine the cause of it. (See Causes Above)
  2. Protect against airsacculitis with L-S 50 Water Soluble® Powder. This product will help control airsacculitis but you will still need to treat the disease that caused it. You can get it here: https://www.zoetisus.com/products/poultry/l-s-50-water-soluble-powder.aspx​

See More Respiratory Problems & Treatments in Chickens

See our list of possible respiratory problems and treatments for chickens. Learn More
References:
​1. airsacculitis | Zoetis US. (2018). Zoetisus.com. Retrieved 17 March 2018, from https://www.zoetisus.com/conditions/poultry/airsacculitis.aspx
2. Mycoplasma gallisepticum Infection in Poultry - Poultry - Veterinary Manual. (2018). Veterinary Manual. Retrieved 18 March 2018, from https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/mycoplasmosis/mycoplasma-gallisepticum-infection-in-poultry