Chickens sick with a cold?

[Pinkshu]

Hello! I have my chickens since this last summer 2015. like a month after I got them they started to get sick. they made this sound like when you sneeze and had a nasty smell on them. Went to the store bought antibiotics and gave it to them. I did end up loosing 2 of them. then the other ones got better. but now again as in today they are sneezing again. ahhhhhhhh I don't know if it is the climate where I live. I live near by Pensacola Fl in a small town and uts been raining then cold then humid. even my in my garden my veggies went to waste because they end up with a mold disease in theur leaf. any suggestions what medication or what to do so they can get better? Thanks

 

[NickyKnack]

Hello!

Welcome to BYC and the coop! There's a lot of great peeps here! Feel free to ask lots of questions. But most of all, make yourself at home. I'm so glad you decided to joined the BYC family. I look forward to seeing you around BYC.

I'd post here:
~https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures
Good luck with your girls!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

Glad you could join the flock! I'm sorry to hear you lost some flock members and that your birds are sick Please do drop by the emergencies injury disease cure section, here is the link ~https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures
Give as much information as you can about your poorly birds. Fingers crossed members there will be able to help you.

Good luck and enjoy BYC

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[drumstick diva]

Chickens really don't get colds, they get respiratory problems - some contagious - they really need to be diagnosed by a vet and your birds given the proper treatment. You may have carriers that keep re-infecting your flock.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. I'm sorry that it is not under better circumstances that you have made your first post. In the absence of veterinary advice, adding vitamin supplements / electrolytes to their drinking water will help boost their immune system. Antibiotics may be worth considering, but do bear in mind that they will only deal with bacterial infections (but will help fight of secondary infections) and so may not help.

I know that some members would advise against treating with antibiotics without knowing exactly what the issue is - and this makes perfect sense. I personally do not fall into that category, but i thought that its better to try and provide a balanced view of what people tend to do.

As DD rightly says, your flock may well be carriers for life and the same issue may flare up again when the flock is stressed or has another illness (bit like humans having cold sores).

I have the same problem in my flock and i decided not to cull them. Having done so, i am fully aware that i cannot sell any of my flock to another chicken keeper. To be honest, with the benefit of hindsight it may have been better to have done so. However, if you do not breed chickens or have any intention of selling them, it may not be something to rue later on.

All the best
CT