Sneezing EE, please help

[Sengge]

My EE is sneezing and fear that she would make others sick. What medicine should I use. She is very active and don't seem sick. I have been observing since morning when I saw her sneezing. Should I quarantine her? Thanks in advance for comments - as always

 

[Pathfinders]

Ok, we need a little more info. Does she sneeze all the time? All times of day? Is it possible she is sneezing because she has eaten a bunch of food too fast? (They will do that.)

If she is showing other signs of illness, then you likely will want to medicate.

Is she looking huddled? Does she have frothy stuff around her nostrils or eyes?

It's a really good idea to read this "sticky" thread here, and answer the questions in it, as well as read the links for more info:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/3569/have-an-emergency-disease-please-read-first

Let us know more after you read through that...

 

[Wyandottes7]

I would isolate her from the other birds, just in case she has a contagious disease. Dust, dusty food, and high ammonia levels can cause sneezing in birds, and this may be the cause if she is showing no other symptoms. An occaisonal sneeze isn't much to worry about, either.

However, if she's showing other symptoms, or if more birds start sneezing, you'll have to treat. Give electrolytes and probiotics to help keep her immune system strong (you can give some to the other birds, too). If the disease doesn't get better, treat with antibiotics. If you have a lot of birds, a water soluable antibiotic like Terramycin, Duramycin, or Tetroxy HCA-280 would be a good idea. However, an injectable antibiotic like Tylan50 would be better. Tylan is a great antibiotic for respiratory diseases.

If she does have a respiratory disease, she will probably always be a carrier. Many people choose to cull birds when they get respiratory diseases. However, if you have only a small flock and aren't selling any birds, you may decided to keep them.

 

[Sengge]

Dear Friends

EE about 4 months old sneezing the entire day, once every 5 minutes.

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
Easter Egger (green earlobes and green legs) about 4 months

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
She is very active, till last moment before I put her in the coop, eating well. She always eats more than others that make me feel she might have worms

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Since morning of November 1, 2013– that is when I observed. Could have started in the night.

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
Have not found in the other birds yet, (I have total 9 birds)

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Her sister, a black chicken of same age died a month ago due to respiratory disease. I suspect that she is also a carrier

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
She ate wheat grains and usual bagged feed. Drinking water regularly

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Poop looks dark brown and towards runny

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
No treatment, just quarantined

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I will probably use medicine (terramycin / duramycin) in the drink, tomorrow morning

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
No

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
They sleep on wooden floor with straws and sometimes wood shave

 

[Eggcessive]

What symptoms did the chicken that died exhibit? Sneezing only, unless due to dust, would point to a virus called infectious bronchitis, although mycoplasma gallisepticum (CRD) could also be the cause. Antibiotics won't fight a virus, but it might help prevent a secondary bacterial infection. IB will spread through a whole flock, and it is worse on young chickens than grown ones. There is a decrease in laying among older chickens, and many will get chilled (especially chicks) who may need a heat lamp. Here is some info on different respiratory diseases: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[Pathfinders]

If you're dealing with a virus (for which an antibiotic will be of no use), you can boost your chicken's immune systems and help them ward it off by using an herbal mash. This info is taken from an article on my website: http://www.pathfindersfarm.com/HerbalMash.html (Article

Laura Haggarty)

Make an herbal mash for sick chickens to boost their immune systems.

What you'll need:
Echinacea powder
Astragalus powder
Oregon Grape powder or Goldenseal
Apple cider vinegar
Probiotic powder (acidophilus in a variety of forms)

I like to get my herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs, and choose organic when I can.

This recipe is per bird, mix a batch according to how many birds you are trying to feed, and increase as needed.

Make a hot mash with about half a cup of corn, oats (or oatmeal), and/or barley or a mixture of the three. Add a given amount of grains to cold water and cook according to the type of grain used, as times will differ depending on the grain.

Cook the grains well, until they are soft and mushy. Let cool, (not cold), then stir in the herbs and other ingredients.

Use ½ Tsp of the herbs, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and 1 heaping tablespoon of Probiotic powder PER BIRD.

The mixture may become stiff after adding the herbs, add more warm water if you need to in order for the mash to be mushy but not too soupy.

Feed the mixture to your birds once per day for three days, then rest for one. Then three more, one off, as needed (this is called "pulsing" the herbs.)

You can still eat the eggs while using the herbs, but be aware they may give the eggs a slightly earthy taste.

This will boost your birds immune systems and help them get over any viral diseases they might be struggling with.

Nota Bene:
If you wish, add in some hard boiled, mashed-in-the-shell eggs, it's great for them!
Feed once per day for three days, then take a day off.
Do not feed the mash every day.

Hope this helps!

 

[Sengge]

Thank you friends for great advice and info. The one that died was not sneezing. Within two hours - after being very active the whole day - she sat in the corner and closed her eyes. One of her eyes got infection and she could not open that one - she started making wheezing sounds and died after two days. This current sick EE does not show those signs but sneezing. Well let me see how she will do today

 

[Country4ever]

I wonder if she has something stuck in her throat? I had a hen that seemed to be really sensitive to eating scratch and would sneeze alot until she could get the piece loose. I finally quit giving them scratch as it caused too many problems.

 

[Pathfinders]

Thank you friends for great advice and info. The one that died was not sneezing. Within two hours - after being very active the whole day - she sat in the corner and closed her eyes. One of her eyes got infection and she could not open that one - she started making wheezing sounds and died after two days. This current sick EE does not show those signs but sneezing. Well let me see how she will do today

That must be so very distressing, again, my sympathies.

One question. If you smell the EE's face (nose and eyes), does it smell very bad? I know that sounds weird, to tell someone to sniff their chicken's face, but there are some diseases of poultry that have a very strong and distinctive bad smell.

If she does smell very bad around her face, that will tell us more about what you're dealing with.

 

[Sengge]

So I checked this morning. She is very active, no frost or gooey stuff around nose or beak or eyes. She is eating. I gave her medicine in water. Does not look huddled. Sneezing and coughing more frequently than yesterday, Still quarantined. Poop very normal