I have been reading for days now all the posts I can find on here and other sites regarding these symptoms. The cures and causes are so varied that I'm not sure what to do or if there is anything I should do, but as a worried chicken Mommy, I had to ask again.
On and off for about 6 weeks now, a case of the "sniffles" has been running through my flock. It came on about the same time as everyone started molting. This was also about the same time the heavy rain and humidity started here in the Pacific NW. The run was a mud bog, they were always wet and they spent more time in the coop. Now we have really artic air and it's very dry - the opposite extreme. Despite the bad weather, I do leave the coop open to cut down the chicken dust, I keep it very clean and I feed high quality pellets, crumbles and chick feed (have some younger pullets in the group), along with oyster shells, scratch and treats such as yogurt, greens, etc. I also keep Avia Charge in their water along with ACV. The chickens range in age from 18 months down to 4 months. A couple of the chickens have had bubbly eyes, which terramyicin ointment cured quickly. Most have had a sneeze or cough (can't tell exactly what it is) for a couple weeks before it goes away; a couple have had the wheezing breathing for a few days and a few have had clear nasal discharge. It does not crust over their beaks at all so that hasn't been a problem. The latest is a 6 month old black silkie with slight discharge and wheezing tonight. I was out in the coop checking on them since it's in the teens here right now, and she was "rattling". She was eating though and running around so I left her out with the others. I have heat lamps on for them tonight. It seems to run its course in the matter of a week or two and then another one will come down with it. It does not affect their appetite or drinking at all, their droppings look normal and they are all active and normal.
I don't have an aversion to giving them antibiotics but it sounds like they are not the cure all for these situations? The only "exotic vet" (their term, not mine) in our area, knows less than I do about chickens so taking one to the vet is not an option. She actually calls me when she has a chicken come in, lol. So, is there anything I'm overlooking here in treating or caring for my girls? I don't know how to cut down on the dust anymore than I have that they create in the coop, which I thought might be causing them problems. I use white shavings and really cannot switch to anything else. I don't like straw - had too many problems with that and sand is too heavy for my coop floor. Wood pellets are just as dusty after a few days. We have ventilation near the roof and are putting a few more in once the weather warms up next week. I haven't lost a chicken and none of them even seem close to that, but they are still sick with something.
Should I just treat with antibiotics and see what happens...if so, which one.....or is there some other natural treatment I can be trying to help them through this winter sniffle fest? Any ideas or suggestions would be welcome at this point since I'm not really sure what to do to help my girls.
On and off for about 6 weeks now, a case of the "sniffles" has been running through my flock. It came on about the same time as everyone started molting. This was also about the same time the heavy rain and humidity started here in the Pacific NW. The run was a mud bog, they were always wet and they spent more time in the coop. Now we have really artic air and it's very dry - the opposite extreme. Despite the bad weather, I do leave the coop open to cut down the chicken dust, I keep it very clean and I feed high quality pellets, crumbles and chick feed (have some younger pullets in the group), along with oyster shells, scratch and treats such as yogurt, greens, etc. I also keep Avia Charge in their water along with ACV. The chickens range in age from 18 months down to 4 months. A couple of the chickens have had bubbly eyes, which terramyicin ointment cured quickly. Most have had a sneeze or cough (can't tell exactly what it is) for a couple weeks before it goes away; a couple have had the wheezing breathing for a few days and a few have had clear nasal discharge. It does not crust over their beaks at all so that hasn't been a problem. The latest is a 6 month old black silkie with slight discharge and wheezing tonight. I was out in the coop checking on them since it's in the teens here right now, and she was "rattling". She was eating though and running around so I left her out with the others. I have heat lamps on for them tonight. It seems to run its course in the matter of a week or two and then another one will come down with it. It does not affect their appetite or drinking at all, their droppings look normal and they are all active and normal.
I don't have an aversion to giving them antibiotics but it sounds like they are not the cure all for these situations? The only "exotic vet" (their term, not mine) in our area, knows less than I do about chickens so taking one to the vet is not an option. She actually calls me when she has a chicken come in, lol. So, is there anything I'm overlooking here in treating or caring for my girls? I don't know how to cut down on the dust anymore than I have that they create in the coop, which I thought might be causing them problems. I use white shavings and really cannot switch to anything else. I don't like straw - had too many problems with that and sand is too heavy for my coop floor. Wood pellets are just as dusty after a few days. We have ventilation near the roof and are putting a few more in once the weather warms up next week. I haven't lost a chicken and none of them even seem close to that, but they are still sick with something.
Should I just treat with antibiotics and see what happens...if so, which one.....or is there some other natural treatment I can be trying to help them through this winter sniffle fest? Any ideas or suggestions would be welcome at this point since I'm not really sure what to do to help my girls.
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