Chickens sneezing for months

[MAchicken105]

I have 14, now at the point of lay pullets. Hatched in July and brought to me in September. They have all had a dry sneeze for months.

After 2 trips to the vet and 2 separate antibiotics they are still sneezing. It’s a dry high pitched sneeze. They have no other symptoms. No eye or nose discharge, no head shaking, no head swelling, no lethargy, all are eating and drinking, playing, foraging and I haven’t lost a single one.

I’m at a loss. Vet said it’s just something they will have, seems she is at a loss as well. Anyone heard of this and have some advice?

Coop and covered run are plenty big, dry and clean. Massachusetts weather this past fall was brutal. Very cold and very wet, the next day warm and balmy. Definitely hard weather for any outdoor animals.

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Hi MAchicken!
Could you post a video of the sneezing please? (Upload video to youtube and link to here), that could help folks here to have a better idea of what's going on.

I'm sorry I can't offer anything, but I'm sure you will get a lot of help from others here.

 

[dawg53]

Ammonia fumes from soiled bedding can be an issue. Proper ventilation and removing soiled bedding will help eliminate the sneezing. Using DE can be a problem, pesticides, dander in bedding, feed dust, mold spores, pollen can also be problems.
If the sneezing persists; on a warm day thoroughly clean out the coop and nest boxes. Then spray activated oxine inside the coop. Let it dry and add fresh bedding. If you do this, start early in the morning.
Then using a spray bottle set on a fine mist, mix unactivated oxine with water and mist over the heads of your chickens 3 times a day for 10 days.
Here's a link regarding using oxine. Please read all of it. Revival AH sells it:
https://www.shagbarkbantams.com/the-many-uses-of-oxine-ah-animal-health/

 

[Shadrach]

Ammonia fumes from soiled bedding can be an issue. Proper ventilation and removing soiled bedding will help eliminate the sneezing. Using DE can be a problem, pesticides, dander in bedding, feed dust, mold spores, pollen can also be problems.
If the sneezing persists; on a warm day thoroughly clean out the coop and nest boxes. Then spray activated oxine inside the coop. Let it dry and add fresh bedding. If you do this, start early in the morning.
Then using a spray bottle set on a fine mist, mix unactivated oxine with water and mist over the heads of your chickens 3 times a day for 10 days.
Here's a link regarding using oxine. Please read all of it. Revival AH sells it:
https://www.shagbarkbantams.com/the-many-uses-of-oxine-ah-animal-health/

Now that is really interesting and a product I knew absolutely nothing about.
Good link. Thanks.

 

[Eggcessive]

It could be a virus called infectious bronchitis. I had it once in my flock, and it causes sneezing. A few got it and then more, and later more. It lasts about a month, and most adult birds recover fully. It can affect some young birds, causing kidney problems, or laying problems later.

IB spreads rapidly, affecting most birds in the coop eventually. It is the most common respiratory disease, but it usually is mild. Unlike MG which can be much more serious and make the whole flock carriers for life, IB will make them carriers for up to a year, maybe less. I made the mistake of hatching chicks or adding chicks who eventually got it from the older birds. That can keep it going. Once I waited a year for adding birds, it stopped. So I would close the flock for a year once the last bird is over it. There is no treatment, since antibiotics will not treat a virus.

You might see some wrinkled egg shells, or a slowdown in laying, but they usually tolerate it well, unless they get a secondary bacterial infection.

 

[Eggcessive]

If you see any symptoms other than sneezing or gasping, then you may be dealing with MG or a secondary disease, which can come in twos. Good air circultaion from one end of the coop to the other, not providing heat in winter, and keeping the coop dry and free of dust or ammonia odor, can help to control respiratory diseases. It can be spread by wild birds or direct contact with the virus spread on clothes, shoes, or infected birds.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

IMHO, rarely are antibiotics effective unless the diagnosis is determined to be a bacterial infection that isn't resistive. Viral, fungal, environmental, etc. are more often the cause.
As outdoor animals, fresh air is critical. Make sure, regardless of weather, ventilation is wide open. Respiratory issues arise without sufficient fresh air. They don't need protection from cold unless they are sick.

 

[MAchicken105]

Thanks everyone!


I think after reading your suggestions I’ll add some additional ventilation to my coop and try the Oxine idea. They have a very large coop and run that I keep very clean and add sweet pdz every time I change the coop bedding which is about once a month.

Maybe the added ventilation and changing the bedding more frequently will do the trick. Thanks

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a good link to read about the symptoms of common respiratory and other diseases in poultry. Scroll down to the third one to read about infectious bronchitis symptoms:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[MAchicken105]

Thanks for the interesting article, however I don’t recognize any of those listed symptoms with my flock.

I’ve had chickens for many years, and although I’m NO expert these gals are normal, fat and healthy in all ways except for the occasional high pitched sneeze.

It’s been around 3 months and no one is “sick”. Everyone is rambunctious and they all eat and drink a ton and I haven’t lost a single bird. Like I mentioned, there is no nasal or eye discharge or watery-ness of any kind. No head shaking or facial swelling.

Here is a good link to read about the symptoms of common respiratory and other diseases in poultry. Scroll down to the third one to read about infectious bronchitis symptoms:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044