Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[SlyDog]

Hi All
quick question about vaccinating
My babies are 9 weeks old now - do I need to have them vaccinated at all?
I have 2 older bantams, one of which has a permanent cold by the sounds of her. I've given her antibiotics and vitamins etc... but it hasn't gotten rid of it. She seems ok, eats and forages and no discharge, but I'm worried that my babies may catch whatever she has.

This is Thelma (right) - she looks fine, but has this honk like cough/sneeze.



Thanks

 

[appps]

@SlyDog. Could be wrong but I thought immunization was something you had to do at a couple days old.
Also what sort of bedding are they sleeping on. I had one that always sneezed around wood shavings or if it was dusty.

@IamSamSam. The silly chooks would probably freak out at disks more than the hawk lol. Their pen is covered with plastic netting but not sure how it would hold up if he was determined enough.
Hope you get some sunshine!

 

[SlyDog]

@appps thanks, I've done some googling and looks like you don't really need to vaccinate unless you have livestock too.
As for bedding, I've changed it 3 times now - two different types of straw, and now trying pine shavings (which cost me a bundle BTW). I do like the shavings as easier to clean up, and my blind chick doesn't get tangled up like she did in the straw.

I guess I'll just keep an eye on Thelma and if she gets any worse I'll take her to the vet.

 

[appps]

@appps
 thanks, I've done some googling and looks like you don't really need to vaccinate unless you have livestock too.
As for bedding, I've changed it 3 times now - two different types of straw, and now trying pine shavings (which cost me a bundle BTW). I do like the shavings as easier to clean up, and my blind chick doesn't get tangled up like she did in the straw.

I guess I'll just keep an eye on Thelma and if she gets any worse I'll take her to the vet.

Did the sneezing start around the same time you changed bedding. If so I'd be looking at that.
I took our to the vet because it progressed to an awful gasping asthma attack sound and she gave her antibiotics but then we put two and two together the second time she did it a few minths later and even the gasping breathe cleared up a day after getting the shavings out.

 

[SlyDog]

No, she got it before the changes. I've just been trying to make the bedding easier for my blind chick really.

 

[Fancychooklady]

No, she got it before the changes.  I've just been trying to make the bedding easier for my blind chick really. 

Sneezing can be a direct result of dry and dusty conditions but if you see fluid around the nostrils then it would be more likely an upper respiratory problem. Take care with the shavings , especially with youngsters, I found that they tend to confuse it with food and have lost a few babies over the years to impaction. I would be especially worried about your blind chick, do you mind me asking, how did it become blind ?

 

[SlyDog]

Yes, I was a bit worried with Mona (blind bantam chick) picking at it, but she goes in circles a lot and the straw ties around her legs.

She was born blind, she actually has no eyes at all. She's very small, but growing gradually.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1024494/keeping-a-blind-chicken/60#post_18286400

I guess I'll just have to keep watching Thelma and if she starts wheezing I'll go to the vet. At this point it doesn't seem to affect her breathing and I can't hear any mucus or rattling in her chest.

 

[Teila]

Good morning folks

Sam love the weather pics! I too have a coop full of freeloaders, no eggs except those purchased from the supermarket.

Fizzybelle Mabel is adorable. LOL at “the girl could cluck underwater”

How is Beatrice doing?

Jess how is your little Hamburg doing?

SlyDog Thelma is beautiful! I hope she is OK.

I do not have any news .. I am in a holding pattern re the move. Just waiting on the coop at Forrest Beach to be finished and then once the pets are relocated, it will be headlong, fast pace into the light at the end of the tunnel.

Hubby is working on it this weekend and has a 4 day break for Easter so should make good inroads. Hopefully I will have some up to date pics from this weekend.

This coming Monday is 5 weeks since he left and I do miss him terribly .. looking forward to being reunited.

 

[Fizzybelle]

Good morning folks

Sam love the weather pics! I too have a coop full of freeloaders, no eggs except those purchased from the supermarket.

Fizzybelle Mabel is adorable. LOL at “the girl could cluck underwater”

How is Beatrice doing?

Jess how is your little Hamburg doing?

SlyDog Thelma is beautiful! I hope she is OK.

I do not have any news .. I am in a holding pattern re the move. Just waiting on the coop at Forrest Beach to be finished and then once the pets are relocated, it will be headlong, fast pace into the light at the end of the tunnel.

Hubby is working on it this weekend and has a 4 day break for Easter so should make good inroads. Hopefully I will have some up to date pics from this weekend.

This coming Monday is 5 weeks since he left and I do miss him terribly .. looking forward to being reunited.

Bea's ok. I contacted my vet for advice. It could be muscular, but at the moment I really think it's related to her moulting. It's her first seasonal moult so I've no idea what to expect with her. Some birds handle it well, others not so much. Bea seems to be in the latter. She's otherwise fine but just slightly not her usual self. Pin feathers all over, and some new ones have popped out on her legs so I think it's just very uncomfortable for her, especially since she has to use her legs all the time. I'll bring her inside for some treat time, mealies and such. To ensure she gets her fair share and enough nutrition whilst she's in the middle of all this. She's been going to bed about 15 mins before the others and expects me to sit with her until it's almost time for the others to go to bed. She'll jump out and chase me if I don't. That's how under the thumb I am

 

[Teila]

So excited I just had to share! Check out the size of this thing!

They had some tree loppers on site so to keep Jessie safe they popped her into the now partially wired run. Now, factoring in that Jessie is your average sized border collie and we only have 5 x bantams

I might have to get more chickens!

lol