Achoo - Now they're all doing it Updated with a picture of sneezer

[Caliphe]

So, last week my polish/crevecouer chick (we're not really sure what she is, but she has some very cavernous nostrils) started sneezing. Only she was doing it, and only occasionally. There wasn't any consistent discharge from her nostrils, but sometimes when she sneezed it felt like a little bit of fluid would shoot out. I imagine just mucus from the nasal cavity, but I could be completely wrong. She sneezes about once every 1-2 minutes.
This week, several more out of my eight have started sneezing as well. I don't THINK it's the dust, because they were sneezing outside today too when I took them out for a bit. I'm just wondering if I should be concerned? I know there have been quite a few topics on sneezing, but I wanted to get some fresh opinions. Please let me know what you all think!

 

[Caliphe]

Anyone?

 

[sjmarshall87]

I've been having a similiar issue and havent really found an answer yet. I'm going to go and inquire with my local feed store in the morning where I got my chicks to begin with. Do you have a feed store local to you that you can ask?

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
This is not good news, especially since you stated several more have started sneezing as well. This is an indication that it is spreading among them... defintely a respiratory disease. How old are the chicks?

 

[Caliphe]

Leghorns are 3 1/2 weeks, Ambers and Original sneezer are 3 weeks, and Polish is 2 weeks.

 

[Caliphe]

If it is a resp. disease, what can I do to treat them? The three Ambers are intended for the dinner plate, so that should be taken into account, I'm sure. I haven't noticed any runny eyes or runny nostrils but I will check them again after I post this. The original sneezer did have a watery light brown poop earlier, not sure if that's related. Otherwise, the poops all seem to be normal.

It's pretty wet here in Oregon, could the moisture from bringing them outside a couple days a week be the cause of the resp. issue? Is it likely I will lose them to this? I'm hoping there's some kind of vitamin or treatment I'll be able to pick up from a local feed store.

 

[speckledhen]

There is another possibility--do you have them in a brand new coop with new plywood or around gasoline or other chemicals? That will make them all start sneezing, trust me! The glues/resin that they laminate plywood with will make them sneeze as well as new caulk odors.

If it is indeed a respiratory illness, I cannot advise you. My only solution to that would be to cull since most remain carriers for the foreseeable future, possibly the rest of their lives. And antibiotics have no affect on a virus, which you already know. With only sneezing as a symptom, I would look for something environmental, like chemicals, dust or ammonia build up.

 

[Caliphe]

They are in an open air cage with pine shavings. There are some wood perches in there, but they are older wood. They are in our pump-house, and to my knowledge there are no chemicals being stored in there. I'm praying it's not a respiratory infection, and that it's just dust from the shavings. But I have a bad feeling.

 

[Caliphe]

Watched two chicks sneeze and immediately checked nostrils and eyes. No discharge. Said my prayers, here's hoping.

 

[Caliphe]

I should mention that the majority and most chronic sneezing is coming from the ORIGINAL sneezer who is the mystery breed chicken. She was in a bin of Polish straight runs but appears to be more like a Crevecoeur. Something interesting and possibly only coincidental is that she has extremely cavernous nostrils. I'm not sure that they're normal. They are much different than my actual Polish chick's nostrils. I'm wondering if that could have something to do with it. They almost look like a defect.