Cochin chicken has the snuffles?

[PiratePrincess]

My standard cochin pullet, born 12/25/10, has what I can best describe as a wet snuffle/sneeze. She does this little cough/sneeze thing and it always sounds wet. She doesn't have any discharge and she is otherwise seemingly healthy. She eats, drinks and poos just like her coop mate. I am feeding chick starter, water with nothing added and occasional scratch and veggies. We live in northwest arkansas and it has been pretty cold lately with some nicer days as Spring draws nearer. The other pullet in with her is just fine and does not have the same symptom. Potpie has been doing this for about two weeks now. Anyone have any idea what it is and any advice on what I might do if it's a problem (which I am thinking it is since she is the only one doing it)? Thanks so much in advance. I don't want anything to happen to her and I know her buddy Liver doesn't either.

 

[PiratePrincess]

bump

 

[PiratePrincess]

Still hoping for some advice. I've been reading through the forum and searching but not real sure what may be going on or what to do if anything.

 

[dawg53]

Pick her up and put your ear to her chest and listen for an gurgling, wheezing. If you hear anything like that, it is in her lungs and most likely a respiratory problem. If her lungs sound clear other than breathing... I'm thinking it could be debris stuck in her nostril causing the cough/sneeze. But since it's been 2 weeks, I think she's had the time to expel whatever it is. I recommend you treat her with Tylan 50 injectable. Since she's not full grown, give her 1/4cc orally (without needle)for 5 days and it should clear up, it's easier than injecting it IMO. Wrap her up in a towel when you do this and gently pull down on her wattles, her mouth will open, and then squirt it in. It'll taste terrible for her and might shake her head, but she'll swallow it. Good luck.

 

[PiratePrincess]

Yay! Some advice! I will do that first thing in the morning. I don't want to wake her up now. I don't know why it didn't occurr to me to listen to her chest. Duh.

 

[CiCountryGirlty]

Absolute newbie here. Please help the ignorant...

I have 7 cuckoo marans approx 3 weeks old. I have the same problem with one of them... at least I think it is only one... there are 5 that must be quintuplets... they look soo much alike.

Anyway, this chick is sneezing and has gurgly sounds in her chest.

She is not sneezing constantly, but enough so I notice (maybe once every 15-30 minutes on average, but not just when the other are stirring up dust, she does while resting too). It is a wet sounding sneeze.

I got them from a lady on craigslist. Worse maybe than succumbing to TSC's siren call eh? She also had some other older chicks in a separate box that were absolutely filthy. I point this out not to be judgy but to point out that hygiene may have been an issue in their first week.

She had gotten large batches from someone else locally and did not have other chickens on her property.

I have read through a lot on this forum including some scary discussions about bubbly eyes and bad bad MG bacteria....

This chick (may end up being called Sneezy... there are seven of them after all) does not have any crud on her nostrils or eyes. Her eyes are clear and bright. She is eating and drinking and pooping right along with the rest of them and does not seem to be lighter and is not smaller. She is one of the bigger ones.

I changed them from pine shavings to aspen shavings and stirred up the shavings and used a shop vac to suck up the dust as I stirred. I have to admit that their first brooder (a kiddie pool in a spare bedroom) needed cleaning

as I had been adding more shavings instead of taking the pooped stuff out. It wasn't wet, but plenty poopy. She does seem better today and one of the others who was sneezing has stopped. It has been 3 days since I noticed and nobody else has started sneezing or become lethargic. I first noticed them sneezing when I set up a daytime brooder for them in the living room. I put them in a large wire dog crate but did not give it a real good cleaning first. It would be truly tragic for this chicken if she is allergic to dogs, I have 4. I added ACV to their water too. Temperature had been between 85 and 99 under their light... but they do have room to move out from under it (can't believe how hard it is to maintain a steady temp!)

Anybody think this might resolve without antibiotics? Any suggestions?

Thanks!