FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[FireflyNights]

Where did you hear this? I do not think chickens can get colds, if they have upper respiratory symptoms it is usually something infectious and unfortunately quite serious. People usually do not take the time or effort to get a definitive diagnosis (which usually requires doing a culture) so when it passes they write it off as "just a cold", when it could really be mycoplasma or any number of other things that their birds will now carry for life and will pass on and infect other birds. If you have info to the contrary I'm interested to know, would appreciate if you could share the source.

Ok a cold is a virus thus its contagious. All animals can get colds. As I said the birds should be watched closely for more symptoms. I have a parrot that has an allergic reaction to wheat products and causes him to sneeze. I have also had birds get what some would call a common colds and be fine. It should be treated as serious and a vet should be consulted if that is an option for the owner but I also don't think an owner should be panicked by other people. But it does sound like she may have purchased a bad clutch. I hope all goes well and you keep a close eye on them. Oh and sorry the chickens getting colds come from my avian vet and breeder friend who has been breeding for 30+ years. I tend to be over paranoid when it comes to my animals so they may be trying to calm me which is why I said to take it seriously but not to panic I have seen other posts on here that people are just freaking other people out and not suggesting a vet.

 

[Overoberyl]

Ok a cold is a virus thus its contagious. All animals can get colds. As I said the birds should be watched closely for more symptoms. I have a parrot that has an allergic reaction to wheat products and causes him to sneeze. I have also had birds get what some would call a common colds and be fine. It should be treated as serious and a vet should be consulted if that is an option for the owner but I also don't think an owner should be panicked by other people. But it does sound like she may have purchased a bad clutch. I hope all goes well and you keep a close eye on them. Oh and sorry the chickens getting colds come from my avian vet and breeder friend who has been breeding for 30+ years. I tend to be over paranoid when it comes to my animals so they may be trying to calm me which is why I said to take it seriously but not to panic I have seen other posts on here that people are just freaking other people out and not suggesting a vet.

I'm sorry, but you are mistaken. Chickens to do not catch what we would consider "the common cold". There are many things that could cause upper respiratory symptoms, coryza, CRD, mycoplasma, infectious bronchitis, fungal infections, etc. These are serious and most (except fungal) cause them to be carriers for life and have the ability to infect other birds. Some of these can also recur over the lifetime of the individual during times of stress, if they survive the initial infection and remain carriers. If your birds have upper respiratory symptoms on a regular basis, you should consider doing a culture if you haven't already, because if it is one of these diseases, you could be putting others at risk if you do not operate a closed flock.

There is a difference between being alarmist and being realistic. Most people do not take poultry diseases seriously enough, they buy new birds and integrate into their flocks without quarantining (I see it here all the time), they pass off upper resp symptoms as "no big deal, it's just a cold", and this kind of attitude has the potential to impact others if they are selling and swapping etc etc. Unfortunately, very few avian vets are knowledgeable about poultry so it is incumbent upon those of us who do have the knowledge to share it, even if it does not make us very popular. The reality is that some of these diseases can result in people having to cull their ENTIRE flock so yes, I do take it seriously.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

x2000% agree here. New birds should be in NO contact with any other exsisting flock member for a minimum of 30 days, 45-60 is even better. Practicing good bio security is a must. This means NOT tending the new birds then going to your exsisting flock, not wearing the same shoes and or clothing when tending to both groups.



First sign of something off testing should be done to know for sure what is going on.

A book can be typed on this subject, but short version is........never put new birds with exsisting flocks, always quarentine, never dismiss a symptom as nothing or something minor.


FYI for new owners since many dont know this.................MG can be passed to your flock from wild birds..............it is for life and can not be gotten rid of. You CAN NOT sell or give away birds from a flock with MG without risking the buyers flock. ALL birds should be culled, all equipment cleansed and work with your state vet on how to dispose of the birds and what length of time (if any) is adaquate to wait to bring new birds to the property

 

[Runawaylobster]

human cold is rhinovirus, while it is not believed that rhinovirus can be transmitted to dogs, they can catch a cold because of other viruses that are in the same viral group.

don't know about chickens but this article is good on the subject.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-diseases-information-on-ms-mg-ilt-ib-abc-and-123

have fun..!!

 

[Bangarang64]

I'm pretty sure my two are sneezing due to a dusty hen house. There is no discharge and otherwise the two birds in question are doing fine. I kind of wish there was a bit of snot so I could collect it and send it to be tested.
I separated them from the flock though.

 

[TREX]

x2000% agree here. New birds should be in NO contact with any other exsisting flock member for a minimum of 30 days, 45-60 is even better. Practicing good bio security is a must. This means NOT tending the new birds then going to your exsisting flock, not wearing the same shoes and or clothing when tending to both groups.



First sign of something off testing should be done to know for sure what is going on.

A book can be typed on this subject, but short version is........never put new birds with exsisting flocks, always quarentine, never dismiss a symptom as nothing or something minor.


FYI for new owners since many dont know this.................MG can be passed to your flock from wild birds..............it is for life and can not be gotten rid of. You CAN NOT sell or give away birds from a flock with MG without risking the buyers flock. ALL birds should be culled, all equipment cleansed and work with your state vet on how to dispose of the birds and what length of time (if any) is adaquate to wait to bring new birds to the property

Is this a rare disease? With all the wild birds around it seems that this would be impossible to keep out of a flock if its very common and very contagious.I know my area not only has all the assortment of regular wild song birds, water birds,raptors and also huge number of wild turkeys,we've also got feral muskogee ducks on top of the wild ducks and other game birds.I would like to free range but if they are going to be exposed to disease that would require them to be killed if I let them outside where other birds fly over my yard I'd rather keep them cooped up instead.

 

[TROPIC HENS]

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Where is this mark person? His feed sounds like what I've been looking for.

You can also reach him at (706) 490-5156. Hope this helps.

 

[TROPIC HENS]

Thank you soooo much for this info!! I'll have to ask him about it for sure!

No problem. Hope it helps

 

[tando]

Hello!

Your message was from awhile back, but I thought I'd say hi and let you know that we're moving our flock (and us ) to the Redlands later this month. If you're still around, let me know!

Tori

 

[FireflyNights]

I totally agree new birds should not be put together at all and all situations should be taken seriously and a vet should be at least consulted. I agree a lot of avian vets are not that schooled in chickens but mine is the exception she see all birds from falcon, to parrots, to chickens, quail, vultures whatever and she is world renowned and travels a lot to lecture. There are studies being done about viruses that a lot of humans crack up to being a cold transferring or species jumping. There is still a lot we don't know even when we think we know all. At one time people where sure the world was flat and the planets rotated around the earth. Somethings we believe are true get proven wrong daily. I did not mean to offend I was just being devils advocate and she said they are her only birds. I do agree she should take it seriously and I do not disagree with much that you said. I do feel that there is a lot the chicken world could learn from the pet bird world since pet birds get more care than most chicken ( not all I know a lot of you love your chickens) for instance I was taught never to put a bird on galvanized metal since the galvanizing causes kidney failure and can cause cancer. Then I read that chicken often don't live long since they are prone to kidney failure and cancer. Which leads me to question why do most chicken people use galvanized wire in their coops and runs? I just keep running into questions. I either buy none galvanized and paint it (none toxic of course) or I treat it with a mild acid such as vinegar to neutralize the galvanizing and then paint.

Again I did not mean to offend but there are studies being done in Germany, Australia, and China on the common cold and other viruses jumping. Also I know for a fact when I had pneumonia last year I gave it to one of my birds. It started as a cold progressed to bronchitis and onward in me. No one could explain it but we both had it and we both took antibiotics by the way I quarantined both of us aswell and we are fine. Now granted it was a parrot and their bodies are a bit different but a bird is a bird for the most part. Also from what I have seen chickens seem to be even more sensitive to germs do to bad genes or whatever from all the inbreeding, cross breeding and so on. My theory on life is just because you think you know somthing doesn't mean its a truth or fact. Keep questioning keep looking and the patterns start to come together. Find your theory you believe and then prove it wrong.

Again I didn't mean to offend. Personally NPIP is the way for me but apparently not everyone agrees or knows. So thank you for helping educate and get the word out. I also know who else to contact now when I have a specific chicken question since you seem to be full of good chicken info.