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

[technodoll]

BTW, I have tried rat poison, rat traps and picking up the feed at night and still they are there. It's disgusting! How can they be so smart?

heck if I know... they elude the traps I set, they don't eat the poisoned bait and still try to break into the coop 23 hours a day!

does anyone know how to get rid of rats???

hmmm will start a new thread in the predator/pest section!

...and no I didn't look into her ears, she'd have to be asleep for that, i would need proper vet instruments and even then I wouldn't know what to be looking for... she seems to be better this morning, will observe her during the day to see if that's dissipating.

maybe blocked sinus??​

 

[PoultryPedia]

Quote:
Yep.

OK--I'm not actually sure about rats, but he is beyond amazing with mice

 

[Wild Chicken]

YAY for Antoinette

They sure do tug at your heart strings don't they? Crazy birds!!

I'm glad she's doing better!!

 

[chickerdoodle]

techno doll--lost my Internet for a few days and am at the local coffee shop to check up on your hen and I a soooo happy she is better!!

 

[jessierose]

Shooting rats with a .22 is most satisfying. There is nothing good about those little suckers.
If that's not an option, consider the RatZapper or something similar. It draws them in and kills instantly. We used it to get a GIANT rat that lived in our house before us. He didn't get the memo when we bought the place, I guess.

 

[technodoll]

I'd looove to shoot them dead, believe me!

Maybe that's why they mostly sneak around at night... *shakes fist at four-legged bastids*

Antoinette is up and down, she is better one day and sneezing the next - not sure what is happening... Monday will be a week she's in the house and I have gone through one roll of paper towels a day so far just for picking up her endless poops! She is eating and drinking and pooping nonstop... that must be a good sign, yes?

 

[1Chick Magnet]

so glad to hear your hen is improving. I would keep her in the house for 10 days on meds. I would be very careful about returning her to the flock. you do not want everyone else to catch the same thing. keep a close eye on everyone for a while. treat others if necessary. scrambled eggs are a great source of protien and you can slip in a little yougut without the hen noticing. kind of like egg salad. my girls love it. mix in a little of the dog food too if you need to alter the taste.

 

[technodoll]

Update... Anoinette has been in the house and on antibiotics for 8 days now... 2 to go!

She is still sneezing but not as frequently and her nose seems dry (dry sneezes as opposed to thick wet ones with nasal discharge).

She eats like a bottomless pit and has to poops to prove it, she even laid an egg this morning - the first in 8 days!

Since the weather has been phenomenal the past few days, she has been free-ranged for a bit and brought to the barn for a couple of dust-baths: you would have thought she was in spa heaven, OMG did she ever make a mess LOL!

She goes back to the coop on Thursday, if she gets better and shakes this sneeze: YEY!! if she starts to get ill again, it's back to the house for another 10 days of antibiotics however different ones this time (got a recommendation from Dr Brown on what to use).

From the bottom our our hearts, Antoinette and I thank you for all the support, encouragement and advice!

BYC members ROCK!

 

[Wild Chicken]

YAY Antoinette

I'm glad she's feeling better, and I'm glad that you got in touch with Dr. Brown, isn't he wonderful

 

[Tailfeathers]

I hope she pulls thru and recovers fully soon with no future problems. Here's something I ran across either on BYC or someplace else. Thought it might be helpful to those wondering about rats:

Getting Rid of Rats

Mix peanut butter with Just One Bit pellets. Spread a thick layer on a brick and put an upside down milk crate over it. Put something heavy on top and set these out at dusk - when the rats are most active. Check on them in the morning and it's pretty much a guarantee they will be empty. Do this each night until there is bait left in the morning. Rats have a hierarchy and the most dominant feed first so you want to be sure everyone gets a chance to feed.
Works like a charm....

I know an exterminator who has given us great advice on killing rats. We wiped out 100s using these methods.

Rats are very intelligent and have good memories. They will figure out what is killing them and avoid it. You may be wise to do the peanut butter thing, or remove the bait for a while and then resume it. They LOVE peanut butter!

Traps are effective, but there is a trick using them with rats. He says to put them out with bait (peanut butter) UNSET for at least a few days so they "trust" the food source. Then once they have taken the bait, set the traps. Use more than one strong good quality trap, and remove the body ASAP, like I said, they remember! And they are very strong, so get a good trap, not the cheap ones.

Another trick is to put out antifreeze in a bowl for them. Give them something salty to eat if they don't drink. The little buggers love it and of course it will kill them.

It goes without saying that these methods all work, but on more than just rats, so keep other nice creatures away from this stuff! Also, beware of cats and dogs eating the sick or dead rats.

God Bless,