chicken colds? or allergies? info please.....

[sylviecolin]

help!! i have a chicken that has always been healthy and she is still eating, but i hear her rattle when she is breathing, she has a runny nose and we heard her sneeze a few times. it has been 3 days now and i think it is her that is laying wrinkled eggs. now we did just put in some new shavings a few days ago, so i thought it was allergies. none of my other chickens seem to be sick. she doesnt have any other discharge, ie from the eyes or anything. her comb is still nice and red.also we are in the weather change here so cold frosty nights and mornings and sunny or rainy days..... the internet is full of mixed messages of avion flu to allerigies.. besides the odd dinosaur looking eggs she seems normal. any advice?? or anyone had this and it just clears up?
we dont have a vet close by that treats chickens...
do chickens get colds like us that clear up on their own?

 

[Sonya9]

Yes chickens can get colds, they can get very snotty and make horrible wheezing noises etc... Usually more than one will catch it though. Of course colds can lead to more serious problems like fluid on the lungs etc...so I would keep an eye on her. Try to keep her warm and keep her eating.

Did you change the brand or type of shavings? I.e. from pine to cedar etc?

 

[sylviecolin]

we have been getting them ready for winter, and got some shavings from the local saw mill. i think they are mixed with whatever wood they are cutting. does it make a diffrence? we just wanted their feet to be dry and warm when the snow comes here.
are there certain things i should be watching for?

 

[Sonya9]

we have been getting them ready for winter, and got some shavings from the local saw mill. i think they are mixed with whatever wood they are cutting. does it make a diffrence? we just wanted their feet to be dry and warm when the snow comes here.
are there certain things i should be watching for?

That could be causing the problem. Others may have more info but I know some animals absolutely CANNOT be kept on cedar shavings or certain other varieties, the oils in the wood can be toxic.

If this all started right after you put in a "mix" of unknown wood shavings I would be suspicious! I also keep reptiles and they are super sensitive to certain types of wood so I only by aspen for them and pine shavings for the chickens.

Plus I would expect that animals can react to allergens differently.

 

[sylviecolin]

i am going to go out in an hour or so to clean out the poop, i always wait until they are done laying, then i am gonna check her out again. i really hope that it clears up... we have 19 chickens and a rooster...i dont want it to be something bad that spreads.

 

[karen11]

Hi i am new on here, i hope your chickens get better soon, one of my silkys has a watery eye and there is a little discharge coming from it do you know what this could be and how i could treat it?
thanks karen

 

[sylviecolin]

karen, from what i looked up online it say maybe a allergy or infection.
if you take a picture of her and post it up maybe someone on here can help. i know infections spread and maybe seperate her for now.

i do know that my sneezing chicken is doing much better but i now have like 6 others that are sneezing.