Does sneezing always mean something horrible?

[cholmberg]

One of my EE pullets was sneezing today, I caught her and isolated her. She is acting normal,
eating and drinking and furious about being separated. But she was sneezing and sounds a
little bit congested, and has a very small amount of clear discharge from her nostrils. Should
I just watch her for a day or so, or find Duramycin(?) and start it for the whole flock? How would
I know if it's a serious respiratory illness that means I can't sell/give any away or something
that is just passing. . . allergies or such.

They free range during the day and have a large coop at night, they aren't crowded at all.

 

[cholmberg]

and the sneezes aren't 'juicy' or super wet sounding, they sound almost like a cough. . .and today
is the first time I've heard any make that sound. So she's in the garage.

 

[cholmberg]

and I was just sitting out there quietly listening to her, and I can't hear her breathing, and she's stopped doing
it, it wasn't a wet sneeze, it was almost a honking noise. I don't know if it's possible she got a snoot full of dust and
was just clearing it out, or if she's really sick. How long should I keep her isolated to watch her??

 

[dawg53]

You can put her in a cage or crate, separate her away from your flock and observe her. It simply might be something environmental such as inhaling feed dust or she might've inhaled a feed granule, ammonia fumes from soiled bedding, pollen, dust from dust bathing like you mentioned to cause the sneezing. I recommend that you hold using duramycin, wait a few days to see if the sneezing stops. Provide her water and food while she's caged. I don't recommend treating the rest of your flock with duramycin unless they actually start showing signs of a respiratory disease. FYI; duramycin has a 21 day egg withdrawal period.

 

[cholmberg]

thanks for the info. I removed her to the garage as soon as I heard her doing it. She was doing it every few seconds and
I immediately got her away from the flock, but once I had her separated, and set up in quarantine, It subsided fast, I haven't
checked her since I got home from work, as I don't want to go wake her up and get her riled up at almost 5am. But by
the time I left for work, she seemed fine. I hope I was just being over zealous. I will hold off and keep her up another
day or so. But if she shows no sign, I should be able to just let her back out? I hate for her to be so upset over separation,
especially since she is not social with people at all.

We have been mowing a lot the last few days, and they -were- in a dusty spot near the horses' run in area. So I hope
it's nothing.

thanks so much!