Chicken cold? Sneezing and one eye closed...

[Shan30]

Ahhh! We are supposed to be picking up 8 new birds this weekend and do plan to quarantine them. However, when I let the girls out this morning a few were sneezing and one was walking around with an eye closed. The eye looks fine when I get it open and they are basically acting normal otherwise, eating, drinking and laying.

I am mostly worried that they could have a virus that they may pass on after they no longer have symptoms.

Can chickens just get a cold?

They get UPACV in their water, 18% pro-form layer pellets, wood ash to dust in. I have never given them antibiotics or any type of wormer or insecticide and would prefer not to in the future.

Any ideas on treatment without just throwing them all on antibiotics? Wait it out?

 

[willowbranchfarm]

It sounds like a respiratory problem. Treat with Tylan 50 1/2 cc orally for 5 days.

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Don't let the new ones around your older ones.. It does sound like a respiratory disease. Most respiratory diseases are highly contagious. If an infected one is kept with an un-infected one for about 24 to 48 hours, the un-infected one could then be infected.

Even treated with Tylan, they will still be carriers for the rest of their lives.

Sometimes a bird will have a respiratory disease and never show it until they are under stress. (Being chased/cold weather conditions/disrupted sleep, etc.)

 

[Shan30]

Thank you for all your advice. However, what ever it was seems to have ended already. No sneezing or sniffles at all. Maybe just some irritant... Who knows. The one still has her eye closed but this may be totally unrelated.

Unfortunately 2 birds in one of our flocks are now showing signs of fowl pox. These two flocks have always been side by side separated only by chicken wire.

We have a second quarantine pen on the other side of the property. Do you think it is worth moving them or is it likely that the others have already been infected?

The new birds are far enough away from any other coop/run.

 

[Back2MyRoots]

(A) I wouldn't bring another bird home until you are sure about the fowl pox.

(B) The closed eye could be unrelated, or it could be a first sign of on-set. The ones that are side-by-side are probably exposed. IMO, I'd leave them where they are to keep from spreading virus all over your property.

(C) Once (if) you are sure it's pox (what are the symptoms they are showing), it's time to cull the infected. You can't be too careful with your other birds. Admittedly, I can't cull our own birds, but I am blessed to have a husband that will take care of that for me.......

I hope it's not pox! Good luck with your birds!

 

[Parkmule]

At the first signs of colds and sickness in our birds we give them Young Living Essential oils in rice. Has worked Great so far!
For sickness we use: Thieves, Oregano, R.C. and often add Grapefruit oil to the mixes, and the birds seem to really like that one.

I also give them other oils, now and then, like fennel and rosemary.

 

[Shan30]

Yeah I figured if they were that close they were probably all exposed to the virus. However the others were battery hens so they may be vaccinated. Do most commercial hatcheries vaccinate for fowl pox?

From everything I have read and been told about fowl pox I don't understand why we would cull. From what I understand most people let it run it's course as long as it remains dry pox. If they have already been exposed and it is unlikely to be fatal to those showing symptoms, I just don't see the point. If this is necessary, I can and will do it to save the others.

I would upload pics but can't figure it out on the iPhone. They are black crusty scabs with a little white on the edges on the combs and wattles.

They seem otherwise healthy.

 

[Shan30]

I made them all a big pot of brown rice with Rosemary, oregano, thyme, garlic, Ginger and olive oil the day they were sneezing and fed it warm for a couple days

 

[Back2MyRoots]

The reason that I suggest a cull is that it can be passed on for years, and while not fatal, even dry pox almost always decreases the productivity in your flock in the long run. Most likely, your "cold" is part of the same virus as pox can cause some nasal discharge and respritory distress. Eye lesions can cause the closing of one or both eyes too. Sounding like what you're describing....... And wet pox can cause a horrible, painful death to your birds. Just something to think about.

 

[Shan30]

Just an update. What seemed to be fowl pox has completely disappeared and has not reappeared on any other birds. I suspect that they may have been "picking" on one another as everyone was hanging out inside due to the weather for a while. Creating scabby little marks that resembled pox. I'm keeping an eye out anyways. The sneezing and wheezing has totally ended and I'm thinking it was either a cold or an irritant of some type. The barred rock still has an eye closed and I'm starting to wonder if she sustained an injury as she compensates for it and continues to eat and drink. As long as she remains otherwise healthy, she stays.

My parents think I'm hilarious for being so concerned over my chickens. They had chickens my entire life and pretty much left them alone with no serious problem and not one disease outbreak.

I'm taking their advice and letting chickens be chickens (they don't need to know I talk to them).:

Thank you for all of your advice and information.