Allergies?

[kefirmama]

Hi everyone,

I recently bought 3 new pullets and when I brought them home I noticed they had (clear) runny noses. The next day I noticed them sneezing and discharge coming out of their nose. A couple of them were making bubbles on their nose. I started them on antibiotics thinking the worse since I have 5 healthy chickens. I've had them all separated. This is day 4 and I've seen slightly less sneezing, no more bubbles, but still some clear runny noses. Other than that, they've been eating well, cleaning themselves and no other symtoms. Could this be allergies? Should I keep them separated from the rest always?

 

[Pyxis]

I would cull them personally. Most times respiratory diseases that chickens carry are caused by bacteria that can't be gotten rid of, like mycoplasma or coryza, and once they have them, they have them for life and there's no getting rid of it, even if you treat the symptoms, and the symptoms these birds are displaying are classic symptoms of such a disease.

Keeping them separate was good to keep your other birds healthy, but the thing is it can also pass to them on fomites - things like feed scoops, feeders, waterers, your shoes, your clothes, etc. So if you mess up one day and feed the sick birds before your birds and walk into their pen and then into your pen of your healthy birds you can spread the disease to them just like that. That's a risk you will be taking for years and years if you decide to keep these sick ones.

 

[Pork Pie]

Could be an allergy, but I'd opt for being pessimistic and at best hope it's bacterial but just as possibly viral. Pending advice from the experts, keep them separate from your flock. Adding vitamins supplements or electrolytes to their drinking water, along with the antibiotics could help give their immune systems a boost.

 

[kefirmama]

I was hoping it was allergies. Wishful thinking. My healthy ones sneeze sometimes and I remember one having a runny nose at one point, but I never treated that flock. They all seen fine now. I was hoping the same for these girls.

 

[Pork Pie]

I'd say that without a professional diagnosis, assuming it's viral is a good policy. I do agree with @pyxis - not worth the risk.

 

[kefirmama]

Today one of the three was sleeping a lot and not eating. She would slowly walk and try to eat but could not, then go back to the corner and tuck her head in. The other two are still sneezing and yawning. I Gave them a deworming treatment and also gave them some DE. My husband had to cull the lethargic one. I felt so bad, but she was going down hill. I'll give the other two a few more days to see if they improve, otherwise I'll have to consider culling them too. This has never happened to me so it's really hard. Thanks for all the suggestions.