Sneezing hen - need help

[redbarnmeadows]

I have a Bourbon Red hen who is sneezing with virtually each breath. What do I do? I swabbed some VetRX on her beak and neck the other day but it seemed to have no effect whatsoever, so I haven't done it again because she seemed traumatized by the handling and I don't want to make her worse. She has no apparent drainage from her nose or eyes. Any suggestions? The other two hens and the tom are all apparently fine.

 

[chicmom]

Hmmm maybe she has a cold.....like bronchitis....respiratory.....I would isolate her and put some duramayacin in her drinking water, with some vitamins/electrolites too......

Good luck!

Sharon

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

First thing to do is isolate her. I wonder if she has something caught on her throat, beak, lungs? I have never seen one sneeze constantly. You are going to have to check again and see if there is something caught. You can listen to their lungs by putting your ear on the back between the wings. That puts you about over the lungs. Most respiratory problems show signs, swollen face, discharge, weezing raspy breathing. The medication for that is Tylan powder

http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=2&mscssid=HKS7AXN997F99GCMFV1B9UPSPKCT2S03

Steve

 

[redbarnmeadows]

I have already separated her, and I will try listening a bit closer to her this afternoon and check her beak and throat more closely. I ordered some oxytetracycline (Tetroxy HCA - 280) from Jeffers earlier today as I also have a chicken hen with bumblefoot and I figured that might cover both. Will that be okay to use? The Tylan was only available in a large container that would probably last me for decades. The oxy was cheaper and I ordered 2 packets of 9.87 oz.

 

[redbarnmeadows]

Thank you Steve for those suggestions. I checked her out again and now I'm both relieved and perplexed. Her lungs sound perfectly fine, but on closer inspection of her face, her nostrils look about 80% packed with what looks like dirt. I know turkeys are dumb, but could she really have been stupid enough to rub her face in the dirt so much as to pack both nostrils? When I picked her up she was breathing entirely through her mouth, but she doesn't sound raspy and nothing is swollen. Her mouth and throat are perfectly clear. It just looks like plugged nostrils. When I went out again this evening to close doors and close everybody up for the night, she was sitting quietly on her perch and not sneezing, but she was still mouth-breathing.

So the next question is what to do. I'm afraid if I try to clear her nostrils out she might aspirate on whatever comes loose, but that might happen on its own anyway, right? Maybe if I hold a tissue in front of her face and tell her to blow . . .

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

I've noticed that if a turkeys face is wet, mostly hens, will rub their faces in dirt to dry it. My gobblers dont seem to care. My hen does this alot though. Just a suggestion

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
You could try a Q tip and a saline solution and try to clean them. That would be a 2 person job since you would want to hold her almost upsidedown so it will drain out. From putting peepers on Pheasants (there is a keeper pin the slides thru the nostrils) the nostrils are open to each other so you could actually get in there and dig around to clean them (I fun job i'm sure) . One other thing is how did the dirt get packed/caked in there? There may have been a nasal discharge and dirt got wet and packed, so need to be on the look out for that.

Steve