Chicken With Runny Nose

[Back2MyRoots]

I have a small flock of eight. They have been perfect since they came home. I get an egg a day from the 6 older and the 2 younger should start in the next few weeks. They are of good weight, get wormed regularly and sprayed for mites monthly. They have always seemed so healthy. I hold them and check them everyday. This morning I noticed that two of the laying girls had runny noses. They seem ok otherwise, but I went ahead and pulled them out to a smaller pen by themselves as soon as I noticed it. I called our local farm vet and he said to get tetracycline powder and dose all my outside birds and be super careful with the babies in my brooder in the house, washing clothes and hands before going any where near them.

I started researching and found tons of different info, but wanted to weigh in here too. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Many thanks in advance.

 

[J-Sanders]

Sound advice and good management practice. Keep us informed on their progress.

Jim

 

[Back2MyRoots]

We started the antibiotic this morning, but the congestion seems a tiny bit worse tonight. No coughing or sneezing, but when they breath, there is a bit of a gurgle/rattle...? Still have very clear eyes. Still eating and drinking, but one girl (the snottier of the two) did not lay an egg today. It's the first time she hasn't laid since she started laying 3 weeks ago. Dosed all the other birds too and they all seem ok so far. Worried to bits about all my girls. Our vet called to check up on them this evening and said just to give it a bit more time before I panicked and had him come out. Lord knows, I hate waiting!

 

[Back2MyRoots]

So we ended up with every outside bird getting this runny nose thing. (The chicks in the brooder inside are still fine.)

It's been almost two weeks on the antibiotic. Still no improvement really. They all are eating and drink great. They run and dig and flit around and dust bathe and act perfectly normal when they free-range. They are all still laying like champs, maybe a missed day for one here and there, but that's normal I guess. No soft shell eggs.

So the vet came out to check them this morning and said he was at a loss. He thought for sure he'd see something that could be causing it or could tell something once he saw the birds but since he's not a chicken vet he didn't know what to suggest. Other than finish out the antibiotic round and see what happens when I take them off. If there was another symptom to go off of he said he might be able to help, but it's just runny noses.

Any suggestions now? Can they just live with runny noses forever? It doesn't seem to bother them except when they really dig in the garden. The soil seems to stick to their noses but comes off when they drink. I'm getting pretty frustrated. I wish we had a bird vet around.

 

[MrsRodgers]

This is exactly, and I mean exactly, what happened to me. Runny noses, but acting fine. If you read my post here in the this forum, you will see what happened to me. Definitely watch their weight. I don't know what has caused them to lose weight..but that's how it started. Not trying to scare you, just putting in two cents.

 

[Eggcessive]

Most respiratory issues with chickens are viruses, except for coryza, so the antibiotics are to prevent secondary infections, and aren't always necessary unless they are very ill. Do you hear any "honking" or sneezing? You might read some information on BYC on respiratory infections or go to: amerpoultryassn.com/respiratory_diease.htm. They are hard to distinguish from one another, and most of the time other chickens will get it as soon as they come in contact with your chickens because they become carriers. It's good that you seem to have a mild case.

 

[Back2MyRoots]

Most respiratory issues with chickens are viruses, except for coryza, so the antibiotics are to prevent secondary infections, and aren't always necessary unless they are very ill. Do you hear any "honking" or sneezing? You might read some information on BYC on respiratory infections or go to: amerpoultryassn.com/respiratory_diease.htm. They are hard to distinguish from one another, and most of the time other chickens will get it as soon as they come in contact with your chickens because they become carriers. It's good that you seem to have a mild case.

Maybe the odd sneeze every once in a while and that seems to be only when they get dirt on thier noses. It seems to clear the dirt away. No honking. That link didn't work. I'll try to just type it in. Thanks for the help.

 

[Back2MyRoots]

This is exactly, and I mean exactly, what happened to me. Runny noses, but acting fine. If you read my post here in the this forum, you will see what happened to me. Definitely watch their weight. I don't know what has caused them to lose weight..but that's how it started. Not trying to scare you, just putting in two cents.

If anything, they are getting fatter because I have doubled their yogurt/cottage cheese and egg intake---the yogurt and cottage cheese to keep their tummys from getting all screwy from the antibiotics and the scrambled eggs are extra protein to help keep strength up, just in case. My hubby and I were just commenting that one of the girls (she's a greedy-gus) is looking a bit pudgy in the hind end. But the runny noses haven't cleared even a little in two weeks. You said yours cleared up, right?

 

[MrsRodgers]

Most of them cleared up. Just my roo is snotty now.

 

[MrsRodgers]

I wish mine would get pudgy...I'm going to feed mine what yours are eating.