Chicken with Runny Nose/Sneezing What should I do?

[sparkklegirl]

I have a 4 month old Barred Rock Cochin, and she has clear discharge from her nostrils. Straw and debris is getting stuck to it and she has started sneezing. Does anyone know what this might be and how to treat it?

Thanks so much!!

 

[dlhunicorn]

It might be a deficiency of vit A and may be a respiratory infection or might just be the coop needs a good clean (ammonia will cause this even in small amounts that we dont notice) does she have congestion or other respiratory symptoms???
You can give her POLYVISOL (childrens liquid vit A-B-D vitamins) three drops in beak once a day for a week then taper off.

 

[sparkklegirl]

I have only had these chickens for a few weeks, and since then we have had 3 major predator attacks, which she has survived. I have had them all on the vitamin supplement made for birds that you put in the water. It is called Vi-tal. I figure with the moving and the scares, that was enough stress for the poor birds and they could use a bit of a supplement. The people at the feed store are virtually useless at telling me about what their products do, and they have several types of antibiotics, though I don't want to give antibiotics unless really warranted, and I don't know if they would help in this case. She is a bit of a nervous bird anyway, she is constantly "talking", and it seems like she is trying to clam herself. I would think that if it is ammonia levels that all of the chickens would have symptoms. We are cleaning the coop once a week, and putting in new straw. Is this often enough? That was what I was told was sufficient.

How do I add a picture to my post? I will put one up of her, though you can't see the nose really in the pic.

 

[dlhunicorn]

you are probably correct in that this was initiated by stress. (It sounds as though you do an excellent job of caring for them) does your straw you use seem "dusty" ... often that will cause a problem...