New chicken

[ChickenDavies]

Hi there - I have just signed up to BYC in the hope that someone can help me. I have had a slightly rocky start to chicken keeping when my kids and I took on 6 chicks last Easter - all 6 turned out to be cockerels and were all happily re-homed (eventually). We then bought some hens, 4 of which got taken by a fox when we were on holiday last week. Then on Tuesday of this week we asked a chicken breeder/ seller (well known in our area) to come and build a fox proof run and we bought 4 new chickens from him to add to our two surviving hens. Yesterday (the following day after his visit) I noticed one of the new chickens had a sort of crusty yellow nostril and crackling breathing! The poor thing is very quiet and easy to pick up and feed. The breeder tells me it's probably a cold, either due to the weather and/or stress of being moved. However, I'm now worried from reading all sorts of online info that the rest of the flock will be infected. It would be great if someone on BYC knows about this and what I should do, or if indeed chickens do just get colds! Thank you

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Sorry about your losses to the fox. You will want to post in the Emergencies forum about the sick hen and how to treat her and the rest of the flock https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures Give her a good examination to see if you can find anything else going on.

 

[ChickenDavies]

Hi - thanks for this. Is it possible to post this without typing it out again? I can't seem to copy and paste it! Thank you

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[ChickenDavies]

Thanks. I don't suppose you have any advice on the chicken?! Poor thing.

 

[drumstick diva]

Off the top of my head, I would think she has a respiratory problem going on - I'm not sure what "crackly' breathing sounds like. Some people even shoot short videos with sound to post on the emergencies thread. Actions usually speak louder than words. I hope she will be okay. Please update if you have news to add about her.

 

[ChickenDavies]

Thanks for getting in touch. She seems much better this morning and her nose has cleared up. She's such a friendly nice chicken I'm loathed to let her go but obviously don't want the others to get ill ether. I'm in England and a few people are saying it's just a cold so if it is I don't want to loose her! I know the general online info is that they don't get colds but the UK chicken manual is saying they can. It's very confusing! I wonder if the chickens here have slightly different problems than in the States - or am I clothing at straws (excuse the pun!)