Hen making a strange noise!

[Canine and Co]

One of my hens has started to make a strange noise! It sounds involuntary, loud and frequent. It seems to be more than a sneeze I think! She is well otherwise, eating, laying, wandering around normally etc. I recently wormed the girls just in case (as I wondered if it was her breathing or maybe she had worms in her throat etc). She is still making the noise. She is about 3 years old and this noise is recent. I've sprayed their perches/nest boxes with Virenza. The house is probably always dusty as I sprinkle multi mite (Diatomaceous Earth) powder regularly. I can try and video her in the morning if that would help. Many thanks in anticipation.

 

[Canine and Co]

See if you can watch it via You Tube on the above link! Hope so.

 

[Eggcessive]

@Canine and Co , It could be IB, especially if you don’t see any bubbles or foam in the eye, eye swelling or worsening conditions. If you see eye bubbles or facial swelling, it might be mycoplasma or MG. MG can be treated with certain antibiotics, but IB will not respond. Denagard is one that you can get online for MG. It is possible that the new hens might have been carriers, but as I said before, if it is IB, I would wait a year after all chickens get over it to add any new birds to the flock. I probably would not isolate as long as they are doing okay, since you probably want them to all get over it sooner than later. With carriers in the flock, if you separate them, they will just get it later.

 

[Canine and Co]

@Eggcessive thank you for your advice - that is really helpful! It's been about 4 weeks now and she is no worse/no better! The young hens came after I initially heard her sneeze so she has probably picked it up from wild birds. There are no other symptoms so I will keep an eye on everyone. Thank you again - I appreciate it.

 

[Eggcessive]

Well, hopefully, she will get better soon. Did any others get the sneezing?

 

[Canine and Co]

Well, hopefully, she will get better soon. Did any others get the sneezing?

At the moment - no, none of the others have got the sneezing. I’m watching the two she hangs around with most! Keeping everything crossed they don’t get it!

 

[Eggcessive]

Sneezing can be very loud. Here is a video of sneezing:

Stridor is another sound they can make. Does it sound anything like the chicken in this video with stridor?

 

[Canine and Co]

Do you know I think it does sound a bit like the hen in the first video - sneezing! I'll video her today and upload it. Thank you for any help received. x

 

[maralpz2006]

I have one hen about 3 years old i think she is doing the same thing, and she is laying too

 

[Eggcessive]

Sneezing can be from nasal irritation from dust, mold, or other irritants. If the same hen sneezes every few minutes, and she is not eating, then it is possible that she has a respiratory disease called infectious bronchitis virus. There are other diseases as well, but IB causes a lot of sneezing, and spreads through the flock. Having good overhead air circulation from end to end of the coop with a lot of windows, preventing water spills, and keeping bedding dry and clean, is good in disease prevention.