Common cold cure?

[Fluffnut]

One of my hens, Jimmi, may be suffering from the common cold. My rooster might be also; their nasal passages seem blocked and they sort of whistle when they breathe. I have books with info on this, but they mostly prescribe store-bought drugs and I don't really want to invest in that if I don't have to or something else works better. Anyone have a homemade cure that's worked for you? Thanks!

 

[Eggcessive]

Make sure their nostrils are clean and free of a buildup of secretions possibly mixed with feed. Chickens do get viruses and bacterial respiratory diseases, not colds. In chickens, respiratory diseases are chronic and make carriers of a flock. Sometimes they may have environmental irritants, such as dust, ammonia odor from poop build up, and moldy conditions, or not enough coop ventilation. Read up on the various common respiratory diseases, such as infectious bronchitis, mycoplasma (MG,) coryza, ILT, and aspergillosis, as well as more deadly ones here:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[cottagecheese]

@Fluffnut, there are ways to raise their immunity so they don't become easy victims to any Tom, Dick or Harry bacteria or virus that wants to prey on them. From my experience garlic really helps. I have garlic growing in a pot and I regularly offer it free choice. Who eats most of this green garlic? The one prone to bumblefoot. I didn't have time to treat her bumblefoot and when I finally decided that I shouldn't postpone it any more, the bumblefoot was GONE. Spontaneously! I couldn't believe it! It had been a superficial infection, from wet feet, but a real infection nonetheless , red and hot under the scab and with loss of appetite.
Also free choice: oregano. You know about oregano the savior of poultry, right?
Number three : mushrooms. Whatever cooked mushrooms I have, I mix some in their feed.

Only scratched the surface here, hope this helps.

 

[Fluffnut]

I don't make mushrooms a lot, but we have wild garlic growing in our yard and I can get an oregano plant. Thanks, @cottagecheese and @Eggcessive! Some of my hens are a bit picky about garlic -rather ironically- but I think they'll manage.