Is sneezing normal for chickens?

[KellyHM]

I occasionally notice my chickens sneezing and was just wondering if this is normal, like it is in us. It's usually when they're stuffing their faces, so I figured it was probably from the dust in the food, but the past couple days it has been a little more frequent (though still not what I would call frequent), so they've got me concerned. No discharge, swelling, acting sick, etc though. I just wondered if this was normal. Thanks!

 

[hoosier]

I have noticed mine making a kind of sneezing/squeaky noise when they are stuffing their faces. I have heard of others reporting the same. Since I have never (knock wood) had one with any discharge or other 'cold' symptoms, I no longer worry.

 

[Teresaann24]

I have also heard mine give that little sneeze also no discharge either just a tiny little sneeze. Never thought much of it because there was no discharge.

 

[mountaintopchicken]

If they aren't wheezing or sounding any different when they breath (no rattling), then it doesn't sound like you have an emergency.

Since you are so familiar with them, you'll probably have a good sense about when the sneezing is occurring so often that it might be a problem. It sounds like it's just on the edge of being a little too much sneezing for you to feel comfortable about, so is there anything in their environment that you can think of that would irritate their breathing? A little too much dust in the coop, a water spill you haven't noticed that could be moldy? Is the feed a little dustier than usual?

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Lols, I thought mine were dying when they sneezed, but I realized soon that when they were picking through the hay, they'd catch a tiny bit of dust or get a bit of hay stuck up their nose (actually really funny to watch), same with their feed, but only if I left it a bit long before dumping out the old feed onto the floor for them to gobble up, the dust in the bottom of the feeder created by their picking would go up their nose as they picked for some nice big bits.

 

[KellyHM]

The only thing different is that it POURED for 2 days straight and they were sopping wet b/c they're too goofy to get out of the rain. I kept the babies in, but the big chickens were having a fit so I just gave in and let them out in the rain. Since there aren't any other symptoms I'll just watch them and make sure they don't get worse.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
I wouldn't worry TOO much, when we were finishing up the coop the girls were put outside in a 10x10 dog run during the day, well one day it absolutely poured down, and when I got out there they were all standing out in the pouring rain picking away, SOAKED, even their tail feathers were droopy and sad looking! .. But they didn't care, I put a large dog crate out there with a warm blanket inside and some food, did they want to go in? NOOOOO, being wet was WAY more fun

 

[libs]

If your chicken/chickens are sneezing, making a squeaky noise and have a discharge that is enough to cause their beaks to get muddy then you need to speak to a vet. We had this with one of our girls and we had to give them all some antibiotics in their water for a few days.
A little tip for anyone who's chickens do need anti biotics in their drinking water. Measure the right mount of anti biotics into water in a plastic bottle. Then just keep putting in the rim of the drinker and keep topping up until they have drunk it all. This way you know they have taken it all before filling their drinkers again with water.