Is my chicken sick?

[coffeepaws]

I am totally new to raising chickens. I have two adult hens, and 4 that were new in May. On Sunday, one of the two adult hens was sneezing up a storm, every few seconds. Eventually, after a few hours, it slowed down, and then stopped. Today I noticed that her eye feathers (she's an Auracana, and has feathers above her eyes, and around them) are sort of white and crusty looking. Other than those two things, she acts normal. She is eating normally, and her poop seems normal. What is the white stuff? Should I do something about it, and what is with the terrible sneezing? I just don't know what to do. I could also use a good recommendation of a book that deals with basic poultry diseases? I don't know. ANY help would be appreciated! Thanks.

 

[Andora]

What state do you live in? If you have a university with an ag college near you, chances are they cheaply do tests on poultry. You can probably get a clean q-tip, swab her mouth well, and take it in for a culture. That will tell you what illness she has and if it's a contagious disease. (That's what I have done, I live in Kentucky.)

Since chickens aren't mammals they don't get typical colds, and the sneezing and crusty feathers aren't normal!

 

[Chloe09]

Is she sneezing all the time? My birds will sneeze sometimes so I don't think it is anything to be worried about. As for the crusty feathers it is probably drainage. If you want you could take a clean q-tip and some peroxide and try to clean it. Hope this helps!
Btw welcome to BYC!!!

 

[coffeepaws]

No, she isn't sneezing anymore at all. It was just on Sunday. It was every few seconds for quite awhile, but then it slowed down, and then not at all. She doesn't SEEM sick, but I didn't know chickens COULD sneeze, and it worried me. I don't know much about chickens, except I'm trying to be a good "chicken mama" because I love them. If she was sick, I wanted to know what to do. But she seems fine now, and so you have made me a lot more relieved to know that they can and do sneeze, but it doesn't necessarily mean they're sick. The white stuff I can even pull off with my fingers, and there isn't much of it. They might not even be related. Thanks for your help, and concern, both of you!

 

[Chloe09]

Glad I could help! And it sounds like you are a great "chicken mama"!

 

[Chloe09]

How's your chicken doing today? Anymore sneezing? (Because lots of sneezing for a long time could be a sign of respitory infection)
Also anymore drainage?