Phesants sneezing a bit?

[Attack Chicken]

Ok I have a question. Ever once and awhile while down watching my new Yellow Golden Pair they will sneeze. Nothing comes out of their nose,nothing is dripping, both seem bright and flighty. Should I be worried about this? They are downstairs in the basement which it is dusty down there and also they are on alfalfa bedding which hasn't been cleaned since I put them in there yet. I was hoping to move them outside after their 3 week quarentine but they are now on their 4th week of quarentine. Is their anything I should worry about with my chickens/coturnix quail? If so I could get some pictures of them if needed. I just don't want these two being kept downstairs all winter. I'd like to get them outside in their pen before it gets to deathly cold out.

Thanks!

 

[Attack Chicken]

Anyone???

 

[Attack Chicken]

Anyone at all?...

 

[deserthotwings]

Sounds like they are in bad need of some fresh air and exercise. Three weeks is enough quarentine time if you are going to house them with other pheasants. The sneezing is most likely due to stale air and dust from being in the basement. I wouldn't be too concerned about that once you get them outside. Pheasants also love sunshine, so it might be to your advantage to get them outside as soon as possible Being in the desert I'm not really an expert on cold weather, but these birds are native to the mountains of China and Tibet and get along quite well in cold and snow. Goldens are easy birds to raise and a lot of fun. I'm sure your enjoy your pair. Good Luck Amigo.

 

[Resolution]

These are likely symptoms of an upper-respiratory infection -possibly choryza or sinusitis- a combination of both- or just the underlying mycoplasma infection that serves as the underlying infection from which those two more nasty bugs sprout. Ypung chicks inhale fines from chick starter, together with feather dander, atmospheric dust and fecal material- some of this they preen from their feathers, rub into their eyes and nares and so on. Boost their immune systems with a few pomegranets and pieces of frozen prawns/shrimp cut up with the shell. Also, load them up on nuts and get them into a dog crate perched up high in a room where if/when they escape from that carrier they will not be able to escape further- you'll only want to treat them -with bird in hand at night- never during the day-

All of this is in preparation for post treatment-where they'll be outside. That outside enclosure should not be stressful so make sure that the enclosure has plenty of dried leaves and or straw- not hay- straw on the ground with plenty of sheltering boards-lean them - give the birds something to hide under. If they are more stressed when moved out they'll not kick the sniffles- it could get worse. I've been working with birds as an avian vet tech for more than twenty years. Please heed my advice.

Don't start with antibiotics until you get their immune systems kick started. Antibiotics kill good bacteria along with bad bacteria. So first and foremost help the birds's natural immune system to get to work.

Next- after the birds have had their immune systems bumped, in their tony new digs in the dog carrier- for a few days- be prepared to treat for an upper respiratory system infection- in a few days. This is going to require an injection of contact lense solution- the three and one type that cleanes, rinses and stores - it removes protein deposits off of contact lenses- it rinses the lense if you needed to pour it directly into the eye and it can be used to store the contact lense over night. Make sure it does all three of these things. Baytril injectable -just a tiny drop is all you need mixed into a quarter cc of contact lense solution. You'll be injecting this directly into the sinus cavity. Injecting a bird with antibiotics into the breast is not as effective and harder on the bird. The entire bird is not infected, its nasal passages are. The fines it inhaled as a young chick are lodged throughout its air sacs and these have no blood running through them. Then the birds inhaled the dust of the chick brooder room- with its feather dander, fecal material, atmospheric dust and more fines from chick mash. These have become lodged in the sinus cavity and are coating the birds' plumage every time they preen- rubbing more into the nares and eyes.

Injecting the material between eye and nostril is scary but if you are going to be rearing birds its something you will have to learn to do. If you have some rug rat chickens running about- practice on them- with just saline solution. This will help you get confident. If you have any dead birds in the freezer with their heads still attached- better yet- but most people will not have a dead whole bird in the freezer. Regardless- get ready to do this in a few days after the immune system has been given an opportunity to recalibrate. When injecting this solution into the nasal cavity, liquid is going to pool from the eye and from the nostrils- it will also come out of the bill- this is what is needed for it to reach all the right places. Treat both sinus cavities even if only one side appears swollen- if it's gotten to that stage.


It's hard to remember but Chrysolophus pheasants are semi-migratory in nature. They ascend in spring and descend in autumn. Their plumage colours enable them to forage for food larders in the foliage as it changes colours. This is critical as winters are particularly taxing in their native ranges. They will be gorging on berries of brambles and rosehips, cottoneaster, partridge berry and so on- during the fall. These are loaded in vitamins and fibre, antioxidants and so on. The pomegranet is available for very little this time of the year. Crack one open. Let them eat the entire fruit. Feed them walnuts and hazelberries if you can find them- shelled obviously- and moisten their daily maintenance ration with sesame oil- preferably the kind with chile oil in it- yes it's very spicy. These easily procured ingredients will fill the crop- the oil lining the esophagus- seeds will cram into the gizzard- the entire digestive system should be filled to some extent- a bit like a toothpaste roll- you want them to have loads of super nutrition throughout their system before you begin treating them with highly invasive and toxic antibiotics.

Once you do start them on an antibiotic mix plain yogurt to the walnuts and other nut meats for at least one week.

 

[Attack Chicken]

Finally someone responded lol..

I don't think it's coryza because there is no smell or discharge from the nostrils. I've grabbed them and held them up to my ear against their will and no rattling or wheezing. They aren't sneezing constantly. I will sit down there for around an hour and maybe only see 1 or 2 sneezes if at all.

These are the only 2 pheasants I have. The other birds I have are chickens and Coturnix quail. I've heard that chickens can pass stuff onto quail and pheasants but not gamebirds to chickens. Is this true?

I'd like to know for sure if I can move them outside or to get rid of them

 

[Resolution]

Quote:
Get rid of them? Just treat them like one of your kids- mycoplasma infection provides the foundation upon which more serious infections- like coryza and sinusitis.

 

[Attack Chicken]

It may just be late but I don't understand what you are saying?

I don't want anything to spred to my chickens or quail. I need to know if they need to be "get rid of" or if I am able to keep them. I'm more worried about them giving something to my chickens than to my quail...

 

[Resolution]

Quote:
No doubt the rest of your flock is more or less immune to the bacteria that the more fragile and hence vulnerable juvenile golden pheasants are beginning to succumb to. It's easily treatable if you get proactive. Help them recalibrate their immune systems. Treat them and then get them outside in a comfortable aviary with hiding places and plenty of sunlight. Once they've passed this they'll likely be more or less immune to the infection just as your other birds are.

 

[birdboy15]

your pheasants shouldn't have any kind of contact with your quail or chickens anyway.