Chickens Sneezing.... and Mites and Lice??

[kaceek]

My Chickens have been sneezing and i'm not sure if that's a sign of something? I got a male silkie in August... but I never separated him, because I was kinda new to the whole chicken thing, Now I realize how stupid that was. Well, My chickens got mites this winter, which I cleaned their coop every 2 weeks, so I'm not quite sure how that happened... but I treated them with Powder and DE and I've been putting that in their coops and I'm going to clean their coop with bleach once it gets nice out. I'm not sure if they have lice... its like dark brown stuff at the base of their feathers... it may just be dirt??? They seem relatively healthy and frisky... they are laying good, eating good and are free range... I'm just confused on the sneezing thing cause eveything I've read says sneezing is a tell tale sign of something bad.

#1.) Any lice / mite treatment / prevention suggestions? Also, I've been putting Olive Oil on their perches and feet... and I plan on giving each of them a spa day (bath) with flea soap (this is what one chicken lady told me to do). But I'd love more advice.

#2.) How do you clean out / Disinfect your coop? Bleach??

#3.) Whats the best flooring cover for a coop? Pine Shavings, Sand??

#4.) How do I know my flock is healthy and doesn't have any Respiratory Problems?? Should I treat them with some sort of Medicines?? Is there a Place that come does flock Testing in Pennsylvania??

Open to any other suggestions or advice.

Thanks

 

[steward]

Hi, I have not learned enough yet to be able to help on diagnosing, but I do know that anybody that can help will want more details. How long they've been sneezing, any thing else that may be happening, any more details you can give would be better. Good luck!

 

[kaceek]

They've been sneezing for a couple months. My one hen who had mites, I brought her inside and thats when I really noticed the sneezing, but tonight when I put them to bed 2 of them sneezed. If they have some sort of resp. thing... i just don't know what more I should be watching for. Most are probably close to 4-5 years old... my rooster and one hen were hatched last year. So they aren't that old. Maybe it's just nothing... dirt, dust, etc??

 

[FlashPointFarm]

Chickens don't sneeze, so something is going on. Do you heat your coop? Does it have adequate ventilation?

 

[kaceek]

I don't heat my coop, but I did have a heat lamp out there this winter... which I later learned was not good to do.

My Coop is in our shed... it's a rough cut lumber shed with batting... the coop is made of plywood sheets to protect from draft and chicken wire... sturdy... but they get fresh air, it's not too cold in there... but it's warm. the door into the shed is a double door, so air does get around it.

I didn't think they were suppose to sneeze... that's why I'm confused and not sure what to do! Or what's wrong and how to fix it, or if i can.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

It sounds like an upper respiratory infection from lack of air circulation. You should cut some vents in the coop. The warmth could have incubated more bacteria. Just a guess, but I've heard of this happening before. I wouldn't depend on air coming through cracks in your doorways for air circulation. Ventilation with livestock is important, as they create so much moisture.