Can chickens get a "Cold"?

[MissDeb]

I have my layers on one acre by our home and our meat chickens are on the other acre. I noticed when the meat chickens got here that a few were sneezing. All are fine, eating and drinking...acting normal. Just the occasional sneeze from time to time. I have always taken precautions not to contaminate anyone and always feed/water my layers first.

Well this afternoon I was sitting in the coop with my layers and I heard someone sneeze, looked over and it was my RIR. My RIR looked as though her nostrils were damp. I haven't noticed the dampness since I wiped it off, but she's still sneezing. I was thinking she either has a cold? or she stuck her nose into the water and got some in her nose? She's acting normal, I just want to head it off in case it might be something....should I treat with DE and some Cider Vinager? Maybe get some anti-biotic just in case?

Thank you for any advice!

Debbie

 

[sammi]

DE does nothing for respiratory illnesses.
ACV can help cut any mucus.

please say what bedding are you using?
have they been exposed to any dusts?
(any fertilizers, garden or lawn care chemicals)
have the coops been cleaned recently..to get rid of dander?

please describe the droppings..color and consistency.
check the eyes for wetness crust, mucus, swelling..
any head or wattles swelling
any breath sounds...(wheezing/rattling/gurgling)

you might have to consider an antibiotic..

a vet can tell you if what they have is bacterial or viral....

otherwise..I would treat with antibiotic..
such as:
Tylan 50 or Tylan 200 injectible..with syringes and needles..(1cc syringes and 25 gauge needles)
can also be given orally ..
also comes in water soluble
available at most farm/feed/livestock supply stores in the LIVESTOCK section..

Ery-mycin (erythromycin) water soluble (also livestock section)
LS-50 water soluble ..(also livestock section)

other meds are:
Aeuromycin
tetracycline
terramycin
altho these are ok meds...if they don't work, you will have to switch to the bigger guns above.

 

[lovethechickens]

Chickens dont get "colds"
Look up infectious bronchitis in the forums. Not a good thing. Anthing that causes wet nostrils will spread like a wildfire. Vet RX is great for cutting mucous while your birds are sick. Also ACV and warmth. Ill be prayin for ya.( even though you have meat birds )

 

[MissDeb]

Oh! the meat birds arent my "girls"...my "girls" are my babies

As for the cornish cross? They seem to make it easy to butcher them, its almost a mercy butcher! Poor things!


As for the other questions. I just cleaned out the coop 4 days ago, there was so much dust it made ME feel ill. Im using white pine shavings on the floor and really nice clean timothy hay in the boxes.
There are no other signs of illness. We live on a dirt road and have a home that is newly built, So we live in dust and dirt right now. No lawn yet, no garden yet, they are kept in a 20x10 pen so aren't completely free ranged. Droppings are all normal, eyes are normal, wattles are normal. None of the other chickens are showing signs of anything either. Maybe it was all the dust I stirred up....

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