Do my chickens have a cold or something worse please help!

[DelawareSilkie]

Hello BYC forum, I am new here, just registered an hour ago, and the main reason I did so was that my new Delaware pullets I bought from Jersey and transported to Pennsylvania are showing signs of some illness ( a four hour drive). I am relatively new to raising chickens as a hobby, so I am very worried about the spread of Infectious Coryza. They sneeze sporadically, like twice in an hour at most. I checked their nasal passages and see runny, clear liquid running down, but not overbearing their beaks. They eat, scratch and walk fine. Their eyes are clear, although when I touch their beaks they shut their eyes, and when I did the same to my roosters they didn't do this, dont know if it's a gender thing.

Where I live it's very windy and dry, dust and loose dirt is basically everywhere. They're currently outside, separated from the rest of the flock, although they're a bit exposed to the wind. I gave them a dose of water-soluble tetracycline, the stuff you get from a store called Country Junction. Hopefully it's just environment related but I'm still fearful for the rest of my flock. I just purchased these Delawares (four total) four days ago, and had to separate two already due to sneezing and runny nose. The rest of my hens and roosters seem fine, although I'm still searching for signs of any trouble. Please help me.

 

[DelawareSilkie]

Please someone help me. Any suggestions will do at this point. Delwares are a very nice, rare breed that's easy to catch and handle. They're very nice pullets and I'd hate for them to die from these cold-like symptoms.

 

[NC29mom]

It could be viral related which means the antibiotics won't help.

My rooster has been sneezing also. I waited a week or so, just watching. He didn't get worse or better. So, for the last two nights I have given him an injection of Tylan. Sometimes it's a really hard call what to do when our birds get sick. And, if you are like me, I notice things pretty much right away (ok, I admit it, i spend too much time with my chickens). I try to remind myself though, that not everything requires treatment.

If you don't have a vet, you just have to do what your gut tells you. Tetracycline is a broad spectrum antibiotic, so that's a good start. Just don't forget not to eat the eggs if they are laying.



Here's a great educational link talking about the different things that can be/go wrong with our poultry.

http://poultry.msstate.edu/extension/pdf/diseases_poultry_symptoms.pdf

Best of luck to you and your new chickens.

 

[Suzie]

If it were Coryza you would know - the smell is horrible and their beaks and eyes can have what looks like yellow pus coming out of them - I sincerely hope that you don't have an outbreak of this - doesn't sound like it to me!

Best of luck

Suzie

 

[DelawareSilkie]

Thank you all for your very helpful advice thus far. I've been continuing to keep them separated from the flock. They eat normally and graze just fine. I don't hear any raspy breathing or rattles from inside, they cluck and scuttle when I try to catch them just like any other chook, and I don't smell any horrible stenches emanating from their beaks or anywhere else for that matter. I realy hope it's just some dirt stuck in their noses or something. If I see any major changes, I'll update this post within the week. It's just this darn nervous sneeze, almost like a cough but not quite.

Is it a good idea to reintroduce them to the flock a week later if they appear fine? If anything I could give all the chickens antibiotics. Any more advice is certainly most welcome and again I thank the contributors on this topic most graciously.

 

[LovinMyPeeps]

Quote:
No a good quaruntine lasts atleast a month DONT introduce them after a week even if they seem fine. Remember that things like mareks are airborn from chicken dander so try to keep them where they wont share air. Then after a month put them where they can see each other but not fight after about a week THEN introduce them if you add them at night, it seems to work better.

 

[DelawareSilkie]

UPDATE: One of my Delaware pullets is convulsing. Their quaratine area is on a gravelly rocky lot (I don't have a lot of room on a rented property). She started to twitch her neck and open her mouth like she was trying to throw up. I felt her crop and it it seemed she swallowed a larger than normal rock for some reason. I separated the other pullet from her just in case, now I'm extremely worried. I don't know if this is another sign of a disease or if she just bite off more than she could figuritively chew. Please help.

 

[speckledhen]

No idea what to tell you. They convulse when they are passing away. They know how large a rock to pick up so I doubt it's that. One thing to know is that chickens do not get colds as such. Sneezing and clear drainage could be nothing or just environmental.

 

[DelawareSilkie]

I just checked up on them, they seem to be fine. They're free ranging now and appear happy as a clam. The runnage from their noses is little and clear. Dirt piles up near their nostrils. Could that be it? Also how normal is sneezing for chickens. The afflicted hens sneeze sporadically. I think it could be congestion. I'm just not sure. Should I give them a dose of Tylan just to be on the safe side? Right now their on tetracycline, water-soluble. I'm so new to raising chickens and already I'm dealing with illnesses

 

[speckledhen]

I wouldn't give antibiotics for that, period. You have no idea what, if anything, you're treating. If they had a virus, antibiotics will do nothing. If they have something bacterial, even if they symptoms go away, they can remain carriers of the disease for life and antibiotics won't change that. Let their immune systems take over and be sure they're getting plenty of good protein and fresh water. Sometimes, you can get a piece of stiff straw and with someone's help, clean out the nostrils of caked dirt. That may help. It may be nothing contagious at all.

Being a new chicken keeper, you need to read up on diseases to educate yourself. Here is a simple chart that may help:

http://www.welphatchery.com/poultry_health.asp