- Mar 8, 2014
- 249
- 4
- 73
Yeah, it's a weird thing.
Due to some unfortunate events I had to move my chickens from a perfect coop into a shed for a while. The shed got dusty REALLY quickly, the chickens developed sneezes. I treated with Terramycin (spelling?) and wormed them for health. They had no reduction in symptoms after a full course of treatment. Now they still sneeze every now and again, and sometimes get boogers. I've modified the shed to be more ventilated but other than the sneezing, the chickens are healthy.
Yesterday I cleaned the coop out, dusted it really well (the cobwebs had started catching dust) and moved my chicks from the flock into a separate hutch for health checkups. they stayed overnight. Today I checked on a chicks. One had a snotty nose, which isn't uncommon because of the dust, the mucus was pretty clear, but he smelled like a SUPER DIRTY coop. Eyes are clear, mouth is clear. I cleaned his face and put him back outside..
Does the bad smell indicate an infection? No new birds have been brought onto the property in months, however four months ago the hutch I used to store them (It's on grass.. Basically a wooden rabbit cage with an 'outside' area below) was used to house a new roo. One of his eye's swelled a little and foamed up, no smell or anything, and then I culled him for flock safety. I think it was an eye injury since he had a nick on the eyelid, but didn't want to risk it. He was a new bird, y'know?
Since then the hutch has been unused in the sun for a few months and is on a different part of land than when the old rooster was. The other birds in the flock, since to thorough dusting and creation of a large basking window have improved (I netted off half of the double doorway, 6 foot tall, 3 foot wide, so I can leave one door open without them running amuck) have greatly improved. So I'm fairly certain it was the amount of dust causing their issues.
Should I just sit on the chick and wait? I don't want to put the clutch back with the rest of the flock until I have a good explanation.
Due to some unfortunate events I had to move my chickens from a perfect coop into a shed for a while. The shed got dusty REALLY quickly, the chickens developed sneezes. I treated with Terramycin (spelling?) and wormed them for health. They had no reduction in symptoms after a full course of treatment. Now they still sneeze every now and again, and sometimes get boogers. I've modified the shed to be more ventilated but other than the sneezing, the chickens are healthy.
Yesterday I cleaned the coop out, dusted it really well (the cobwebs had started catching dust) and moved my chicks from the flock into a separate hutch for health checkups. they stayed overnight. Today I checked on a chicks. One had a snotty nose, which isn't uncommon because of the dust, the mucus was pretty clear, but he smelled like a SUPER DIRTY coop. Eyes are clear, mouth is clear. I cleaned his face and put him back outside..
Does the bad smell indicate an infection? No new birds have been brought onto the property in months, however four months ago the hutch I used to store them (It's on grass.. Basically a wooden rabbit cage with an 'outside' area below) was used to house a new roo. One of his eye's swelled a little and foamed up, no smell or anything, and then I culled him for flock safety. I think it was an eye injury since he had a nick on the eyelid, but didn't want to risk it. He was a new bird, y'know?
Since then the hutch has been unused in the sun for a few months and is on a different part of land than when the old rooster was. The other birds in the flock, since to thorough dusting and creation of a large basking window have improved (I netted off half of the double doorway, 6 foot tall, 3 foot wide, so I can leave one door open without them running amuck) have greatly improved. So I'm fairly certain it was the amount of dust causing their issues.
Should I just sit on the chick and wait? I don't want to put the clutch back with the rest of the flock until I have a good explanation.
