I think my hen is sick.

[Rising_Phoenix]

I have a one year old RIR hen who just now started sneezing and had crusty black junk around her nose is this a cold or some kind of respiratory infection? I need to know ASAP cause if she's sick I need to get her to my local vet.






Thanks for you time, Lee

 

[FosterFamily]

I'm pretty new to this site... and pretty new to chicken raising... but I too have a sick chicken so I have been doing a lot of research. There are some very smart nice people on this site... so if you can give more information that would be helpful to all. Is you chicken wheezing? Drinking? Eating? What does her poop look like? Are her eyes clear? Any sores/ swelling/sour smells etc.

I would say you should remove her from the rest of your flock just in case what she has is infectious... post more information and people on this site with help you out.

This reply should help get more attention to your question.

Good luck!

 

[sammi]

wash the junk off the nose..
see if it smells bad..
see if by clearing the nose off, it helps stop the sneezing.
check the nostrils to make sure they are clear.
could be that's all the problem..
the black junk could be dirt.

Vetrx sometimes helps.,..dab a little on end of beak..
Oxine is also helpful

what bedding do you use?

does she have any other symptoms?
lack of appetite, wheezing, swollen eyes..

describe the droppings..color and consistency.

if respiratory illness or infected sinuses is suspected..

Tylan 50 injectable and syringes..available at most farm/feed stores in the LIVESTOCK section.
Erythromycin (Gallimycin) is another good option.
for meds, Oxine..

http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/store/

 

[Rising_Phoenix]

The bedding is straw her eyes are clean she is eating and drinking normal. Droppings are sometimes runny but most of the time firm and they are dark brown when the poop is runny and light brown in color when the poop is firm. checked her over no cuts or sores she has been digging in the compost pile a lot. But I think I may take her into the vet just for a check up.

 

[sammi]

straw isn't the best choice for bedding..
if it gets wet or damp it goes moldy and expels spores...bad for chickens.

here are pics of droppings..see if they look like your hen's.

http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

has she ever been wormed?
what all do you feed?

 

[nnbreeder]

The compost pile needs to be fenced off and off limits to the birds. Mold can build up as a natural process of making compost and they can also pick up botulism poisoning as well as Salmonilla from compost piles.

Another thing is that the piles often attract earthworms which are the major carrier for Gape Worm in birds.

 

[Rising_Phoenix]

OK I'll try to switch the bedding out of something better. I didn't know earth worms were bad for them. She finds them all the time when it rains should I try and keep her inside after rains so she doesn't eat any worms?

 

[Rising_Phoenix]

I cleaned her nose today with a wet cloth and smelled it it had no smell. she is fed Country Lane Exclusively from Orschlen Farm and Home 16 % layer crumbles, and Nutrena Nature Wise Layer crumbles.

 

[sammi]

commercial packaged pine shavings is better then straw or hay.

the feed is fine..

describe the droppings..color and consistency.

I posted other instructions.

 

[Rising_Phoenix]

I looked through that link and her poop looks to be normal, Every once in awhile she has runny droppings that are not foamy or frothy and are dark brown, and creamy colored solid droppings she hasn't been de-wormed that I know of we got her last year aboput this time of year from Orschlens.