Chicken Respiratory Diseases: To Treat or Not To Treat

[Renee]

Hi all,
I am a first-time chicken owner with fourteen (formerly fifteen) eight week old chickens. One of the pullets has developed a sneeze and a runny nose. I ordered water-soluble Terramycin, but I am wondering if chickens need to be treated for these things, or if you let them run their course, or if you cull the bird. I generally avoid antibiotics (unless it's something like gonorrhea, of course) but know nothing about the virulence of chicken diseases. I have read a bit about symptoms and treatments, but is there some common wisdom I am missing?

ps. I suppose I could take the chicken to an out-of town vet, but the idea does not appeal-- a long car drive with the price of gas and a $75.00 office visit--ugh.
Renee

 

[dlhunicorn]

sometimes a sneeze and runny nose can be due to a vit A deficiency or a high level ammonia and or dust.
I do not know your set up but a supplement such as aviacharge 2000 given at key periods (during the winter and summer for instance with heat and cold stress) can help avoid minimal nutritional deficiencies leading to a compromised immune incompetancy that is often the underlying cause of the bird not being able to deal sufficiently with stressors.
For your runny nose/sneezing birdie try three drops of polyvisol in beak once a day for a week then taper off the next and go to the med if you do not see improvement or symptoms worsen.
Separate any ill bird immediately .

 

[Renee]

Will do, thank you so much. Your web site is beautiful!