sneezing and nasal discharge - should I worry? UPDATE: FULL RECOVERY!!

[eggsrcool]

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I was considering this as a possible disease, but I was checking with technodoll to see what other symptoms if any the hen has. I was also looking at Infectious Coryza but it seems unlikely that it is.

 

[speckledhen]

Remember, that if you treat this without knowing what it is, you may be treating a virus, which does not respond to antibiotics, just as in humans. Also, many diseases make the bird a carrier for life, meaning that even if symptoms go away, the bird can infect others for the foreseeable future. This is why many have the policy to never treat anything respiratory (I am one of them). I see way too many treating blindly then later, they find that the entire flock has a disease that will never go away (think herpes/HIV type)

All that said, you may be surprised at how heavy the ammonia concentration is at their level, close to the floor. That will cause sneezing and a clear discharge often. Get down there and turn over the shavings and take a whiff.

 

[1Chick Magnet]

I am afraid that if it is it will spread since she can not quaranteen. around here the meds cost 4.99. I would not take the chance. water from drinking does not usually make bubbles.

 

[technodoll]

I feel sooo lucky to be among you guys

Eyes are clear and bright and open, I am not an expert but do not hear wheezing or coughing (although when I put her upside down to look at her nose - she wouldn't stay still otherwise- she wheezed a few breaths then was quiet, breathing with beak open).

The fluid from her nostrils/beak is a bit like clear liquid human saliva (if that makes sense?), Antoinette doesn't seem in distress but you never know, things can go so fast that's why I'm here asking questions just in case...

Does this still sound like an upper respiratory infection?

If yes will she need antibiotics?

I'll have to find a local vet who takes care of poultry, OMG help!

 

[eggsrcool]

I'd check ASAP at what speckledhen said about taking a whiff after turning their shavings.

You may want to read through this? : http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/page11.htm

 

[technodoll]

Yes the coop has been smelling stronger than usual in the mornings when I go open it up for the day, I am trying to get an air flow in there but you are right - not enough to get all the fumes out?

I clean their sleeping area every day (poop planks are the BEST) and have been picking up the clumps of poop on the ground once a week, I just raked their shavings two days ago and was trying to do the deep litter method for the winter but am now reconsidering -

Should I change all the bedding in the coop, even if it looks sort of clean?

Incidently, this is the same hen that was infested with nits (FULL of them) last weekend, we deloused the flock with an industrial dusting powder and there are no more signs of lice on the birds- we had to snip off this girl's infested feathers as we were worried the clumps of eggs would infest her again, so far all is ok but we will still do a 2nd treatment on Sunday just in case.

Maybe she has a low immune system and that's why the lice attached themselves to her more (much, much more) than on the other birds?

Apologies for the rambling, I am 3 months into owning chickens and am super grateful for the school of life and your patience!

ps:

You may want to read through this? : http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/page11.htm

you bet - am reading now!​

 

[solarquail]

what is it if they have those symtoms???


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[eggsrcool]

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I think Infectious Corsya (sp?) But it may also be upper respiratory infection.

 

[quetzal320]

I'm new to this thread and BYC, but we are seeing similar symptoms--sneezing and discharge. We added two hens to the flock last week and I changed the bedding from straw to pine shavings--there is a slight smell, but nothing too bad. Shortly thereafter one of the hens started sneezing and this progressed to wheezing and open-mouthed breathing with difficulty. I thought it could be gapeworm, so I dewormed the flock using fenbendazole. I isolated her from the flock when I noticed that she had blood around her beak. She died Wednesday and now two others have started sneezing and one has nasal discharge, though I don't know whether or not it smells.

More generally, what do you do if you find one or more of the flock has Infectious Coryza or some other such respiratory disease. On the one hand I worry about treating them per speckledhen's comment about lifelong contamination, but I don't want to destroy the flock or worse, let them all die agonizing deaths. Any additional help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[technodoll]

Morning update:

My girl seems fine apart from the constant sneezing (atchee! atchee!) and clear nasal discharge that makes bubbles on one of her nostrils.

She is chatty and her happy self, ate her breakfast with the flock and went free-ranging normally, her eyes are clear and I don't hear any wheezing or breathing distress, she is not breathing with her mouth open... didn't find any abnormal poos.

I was hoping to see an improvement but I guess this is better than seeing her get worse...

Do you think it will clear up on its own?

Maybe she just has a weak immune system?

I started giving them big raw pieces of pumpkin for the Vitamin C and fossil shell flour (food grade diatomaceous earth) to their morning breakfast, in addition to dark greens, a bit of scratch, all the usual trimmings to their layer food (which makes the bulk of their intake).

I don't see any other birds that have the nasal discharge or sneezing.