Serama Indoor Pet - Managing Smell?

[nminusyplusm]

My chickens all sneeze from time to time and sometimes a little clear liquid sprays out, but they are all otherwise healthy. As far as I can tell it is nothing to worry about. If the liquid isn't clear (I.e. Yellow/green/red tinged) then I would be worried, or if the bird sneezes repeatedly, and over the course of a day or more.

My entire flock very probably carries CRD but they all look totally healthy and only one has occasional sneezing days with no liquid or snot at all.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

Oh and I forgot, I bought the PDZ Horse Stall Freshener powdered form, is the powdered form safe for all birds (pigeons too)? I was thinking of sprinkle a little on the trays.

Thanks,

Eric

i would just worry about the powder affecting their breething so just keep an eye out on that

I will hopefully post pictures tomorrow evening. I just noticed the hen sneezed and snot/liquid came out. My assumption is respiratory? She has a sleepy disposition but then again it is 7:47 PM. She otherwise appears healthy but I am not a chicken expert. Should I treat her with Doxycycline and Amoxicillin? Should I just make a thread in
Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures ?

Thanks

Eric

and here it is ...lol... have you already started using the pdz?
they may have inhaled some and be sneezing from that, i will try to go and see your other post in the other section........

i wouldnt worry yet though, keep an eye on it

 

[Szulptist]

I'm sorry, I definitely wouldn't try to make you worry for NO reason. ...

You have been really gracious in your replies. A fine BYC'er you have already become!

I cut down your message to save space. I understand you mean well and I'm not angry at you or anything so don't worry. I appreciate your replies and I was a bit aggravated at the time. I've purchased and owned many birds in the past few years and I've gotten more sick ones right off the bat than healthy ones. I know isn't ideal to purchase birds at an auction but what people charge at the auction vs what they charge if you approach them privately is significantly different. Most people who are getting rid of their birds are doing so because the birds are either A.) Sick B.) They Have Too Many C) They're mismarked or D) To make money. Primary the first three. Budapests pigeons typically go for $50-100 each depending upon who the seller is. I typically pay $20-30 each because I buy them at the auction on the rare occasion they're available. I got two of them for $15 each once. So is it a bad idea and a huge headache to buy potentially sick birds at the auction? Yes and no. I've learned a lot through trial and error. Knowing which sellers to beware and which sellers have healthy/reputable stock helps. Of course you can get a healthy bird from a bad seller and a dying bird from a good seller. Stuff happens. It also helps to develop a keen eye for illness. Pigeons (like other birds) will hide their illness until they absolutely cannot do it any longer but if you know where to look it can make things clearer. The eyes, looking down the throat, posture, alertness, feather quality, checking for lice, checking the keel bone, the droppings in the carrier to and from the auction. All of these things give you a pretty good idea of what you're working with. Of course a bird can seem absolutely flawlessly healthy and drop dead the next day. It happens. If you know your stuff and you go to the auction and inspect the birds before you buy them you can get a great deal on a great bird (or a bunch of great birds). I'm no stranger to sick birds, only a stranger to the specifics of chickens. Thanks again for the information, I appreciate it. I'm not as panicky but I prefer to err on the side of caution then optimism.

As for how he got it here. I have absolutely no idea. I know his first name and that he has been very friendly and helpful. He said if at any moment I needed to get rid of these birds he'd buy them back and offered me a bag of feed which I declined. That's about it. Both birds seem healthy other than the hen's sneezing. I suspect being shipped was enough stress to lower her immune system just enough to give a cold an edge on her. Maybe it's nothing though. Who knows. Hopefully it's nothing or will blow over soon.

This type of OCD? View attachment 1214050

Unfortunately I have the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder kind, the real kind, not the joke kind either. I do have Obsessive Pigeon Buying Disorder too. OPBD? I hope that's not an acronym for something profane.

i would just worry about the powder affecting their breething so just keep an eye out on that

and here it is ...lol... have you already started using the pdz?
they may have inhaled some and be sneezing from that, i will try to go and see your other post in the other section........

i wouldnt worry yet though, keep an eye on it

I'm on the fence about the powder, I haven't opened the bag yet. Powders in general make me anxious.


Thanks everyone for everything. I will give better replies soon.

Eric

 

[chickengeorgeto]

A strong ammonia smell is usually caused by excess protein. Protein is the feedstock for the production of ammonia. This is why broiler-fryer production facilities often have enough ammonia in the air to make your eyes water. Broilers usually eat a 22% protein ration to facilitate fast growth.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I cut down your message to save space. I understand you mean well and I'm not angry at you or anything so don't worry. I appreciate your replies and I was a bit aggravated at the time. I've purchased and owned many birds in the past few years and I've gotten more sick ones right off the bat than healthy ones. I know isn't ideal to purchase birds at an auction but what people charge at the auction vs what they charge if you approach them privately is significantly different. Most people who are getting rid of their birds are doing so because the birds are either A.) Sick B.) They Have Too Many C) They're mismarked or D) To make money. Primary the first three. Budapests pigeons typically go for $50-100 each depending upon who the seller is. I typically pay $20-30 each because I buy them at the auction on the rare occasion they're available. I got two of them for $15 each once. So is it a bad idea and a huge headache to buy potentially sick birds at the auction? Yes and no. I've learned a lot through trial and error. Knowing which sellers to beware and which sellers have healthy/reputable stock helps. Of course you can get a healthy bird from a bad seller and a dying bird from a good seller. Stuff happens. It also helps to develop a keen eye for illness. Pigeons (like other birds) will hide their illness until they absolutely cannot do it any longer but if you know where to look it can make things clearer. The eyes, looking down the throat, posture, alertness, feather quality, checking for lice, checking the keel bone, the droppings in the carrier to and from the auction. All of these things give you a pretty good idea of what you're working with. Of course a bird can seem absolutely flawlessly healthy and drop dead the next day. It happens. If you know your stuff and you go to the auction and inspect the birds before you buy them you can get a great deal on a great bird (or a bunch of great birds). I'm no stranger to sick birds, only a stranger to the specifics of chickens. Thanks again for the information, I appreciate it. I'm not as panicky but I prefer to err on the side of caution then optimism.

As for how he got it here. I have absolutely no idea. I know his first name and that he has been very friendly and helpful. He said if at any moment I needed to get rid of these birds he'd buy them back and offered me a bag of feed which I declined. That's about it. Both birds seem healthy other than the hen's sneezing. I suspect being shipped was enough stress to lower her immune system just enough to give a cold an edge on her. Maybe it's nothing though. Who knows. Hopefully it's nothing or will blow over soon.



Unfortunately I have the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder kind, the real kind, not the joke kind either. I do have Obsessive Pigeon Buying Disorder too. OPBD? I hope that's not an acronym for something profane.



I'm on the fence about the powder, I haven't opened the bag yet. Powders in general make me anxious.


Thanks everyone for everything. I will give better replies soon.

Eric

This is why I will not buy from a fair. When I started keeping chickens I went to the county fair and bought a Phoenix pullet, I was told she was healthy a few days later she died. When I lifted her wings she had a hard mite infestation. I immediately called the lady who facilitated the sale and let her know that my bird had passed and that I was very upset that I was sold a sick bird. Thankfully she refunded my money. I know but vaccinated chicks from a hatchery or I buy pullets from my friend. My friend has a lot of contacts so she can get practically any breed I ask for.
I hope I didn’t offend anyone with the picture that I attached in my previous post. It was not my intention.

 

[Szulptist]

A strong ammonia smell is usually caused by excess protein. Protein is the feedstock for the production of ammonia. This is why broiler-fryer production facilities often have enough ammonia in the air to make your eyes water. Broilers usually eat a 22% protein ration to facilitate fast growth.

Thank you for the info, I switched the bird to a lower protein diet (24% to 18%).

This is why I will not buy from a fair. When I started keeping chickens I went to the county fair and bought a Phoenix pullet, I was told she was healthy a few days later she died. When I lifted her wings she had a hard mite infestation. I immediately called the lady who facilitated the sale and let her know that my bird had passed and that I was very upset that I was sold a sick bird. Thankfully she refunded my money. I know but vaccinated chicks from a hatchery or I buy pullets from my friend. My friend has a lot of contacts so she can get practically any breed I ask for.
I hope I didn’t offend anyone with the picture that I attached in my previous post. It was not my intention.

I wasn't offended. The only thing that offends me with regards to OCD is when people refuse to acknowledge it as a real mental illness or try and talk me out of it like it's just something I can turn on and off like a light switch.

I am getting better at finding individuals who breed the birds I'm after so I don't have to rely on whatever shows up at the auction but I still don't think it's always a terrible idea to purchase a bird there. If you're into Flights (a breed of pigeon) there are always extremely high quality birds available for practically nothing because everyone and their mothers breeds them out here. Same with Tipplers and Homers.

As for the health concerns for the hen, Penny. It seems she only sneezes when I bring her upstairs and put her on my couch. I am starting to suspect she has an allergy associated with my couch. Possibly our dog Cher. Either way, I have yet to catch her sneeze or have any issues while she is in her cage downstairs. I've seen George sneeze on the couch too but nothing came out. Maybe there is a cleaning product lingering in the air that is irritating their nostrils? I do wipe their beaks on most surfaces so it's not fair fetched that it may be a couch-related problem.

Thanks again everyone for your help and feedback. You have all been extremely welcoming and I am glad I decided to reach out to this community for info and support. I don't think my chickens would be as healthy or happy had I not decided to post this thread.

Happy Holidays!
Eric

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I am starting to suspect she has an allergy

This is something I wonder about. If so many other animals have allergies, why not chickens?

Yes, I too don't mind some joking about OCD... but also hate trying to get someone to understand WHY I don't just "get over it"! I do as much as I can, and I practice. But no matter how much someone tries to tell your fear isn't a threat and you might know it's true in your heart.. doesn't change how your brain perceives it. Or the very real emotional reaction that your body has. There are chemical reactions taking place inside the brain that I actually can't control. Thankfully, with medication, therapy, and practice... I am still somewhat functional! Noticing things seem to get worse as I age... working very hard not to allow that to happen with this. Hang in there, it's a never ending battle as far as I can tell. My birds ARE part of that therapy, stay strong.

 

[kissezmychicken]

I'm surpri

(If this question is in the wrong section please move it to a better one if possible)

Hello,

I recently purchased a Serama Chicken and he's awesome but the smell of his droppings is stinking up the whole house. How do I control the smell? I keep and breed pigeons and have most of them indoors and they have little to no odor so I wasn't expecting this sort of thing when I bought this bird. I love him and I don't want to be forced to get rid of him by the other people I share this house with.

Here he is, I know he's probably not a "true" Serama due to his posture but I don't know what else to call him. Maybe a Japanese Bantam?

I let him out everyday to walk around, he's extremely tame. My friend who raises chickens recommended diatomaceous earth and pine shavings and removing the mesh floor.

View attachment 1209692 View attachment 1209693 View attachment 1209694

that

(If this question is in the wrong section please move it to a better one if possible)

Hello,

I recently purchased a Serama Chicken and he's awesome but the smell of his droppings is stinking up the whole house. How do I control the smell? I keep and breed pigeons and have most of them indoors and they have little to no odor so I wasn't expecting this sort of thing when I bought this bird. I love him and I don't want to be forced to get rid of him by the other people I share this house with.

Here he is, I know he's probably not a "true" Serama due to his posture but I don't know what else to call him. Maybe a Japanese Bantam?

I let him out everyday to walk around, he's extremely tame. My friend who raises chickens recommended diatomaceous earth and pine shavings and removing the mesh floor.

View attachment 1209692 View attachment 1209693 View attachment 1209694

(If this question is in the wrong section please move it to a better one if possible)

Hello,

I recently purchased a Serama Chicken and he's awesome but the smell of his droppings is stinking up the whole house. How do I control the smell? I keep and breed pigeons and have most of them indoors and they have little to no odor so I wasn't expecting this sort of thing when I bought this bird. I love him and I don't want to be forced to get rid of him by the other people I share this house with.

Here he is, I know he's probably not a "true" Serama due to his posture but I don't know what else to call him. Maybe a Japanese Bantam?

I let him out everyday to walk around, he's extremely tame. My friend who raises chickens recommended diatomaceous earth and pine shavings and removing the mesh floor.

View attachment 1209692 View attachment 1209693 View attachment 1209694

I'm surprised that you are having issues with smells. I have two and don't at all. I keep their pen clean, everyday I change and clean it. I take them outside for a couple hours for fresh air..I never leave them, we have hawks..always hunting..and weasels. So I am out doing some gardening, weeding..or whatever..I have a big indoor area for them..use shavings instead of newspaper.. That may help..

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

I'm surpri

that


I'm surprised that you are having issues with smells. I have two and don't at all. I keep their pen clean, everyday I change and clean it. I take them outside for a couple hours for fresh air..I never leave them, we have hawks..always hunting..and weasels. So I am out doing some gardening, weeding..or whatever..I have a big indoor area for them..use shavings instead of newspaper.. That may help..

Just letting you know, this thread is from 2017!