sneezing hen

[castrbl]

my hen has been sneezing all day and occasionally scratching at her head. shes acting fine other than that, eating well, running around but last night she had been waking up scratching her head but that was it and its normal for her to wake up and move around. nothing too concerning but i was trying to figure out the sneezing and read about respiratory issues and got myself paranoid. just squeaky sneezes.

 

[Cragg Klefor]

my hen has been sneezing all day and occasionally scratching at her head. shes acting fine other than that, eating well, running around but last night she had been waking up scratching her head but that was it and its normal for her to wake up and move around. nothing too concerning but i was trying to figure out the sneezing and read about respiratory issues and got myself paranoid. just squeaky sneezes.

Hi @castrbl
I would take a look in her mouth, in her ears to make sure nothing irritating. Other than that, if no other symptoms are present I would just keep an eye on her to be sure. If bubbly eyes, coughing, wheezing or any changes to her breathing appear I would suspect a respiratory problem. but not until then. Best wishes!

 

[castrbl]

How old is your hen, and how long has the sneezing been going on? Have any of your other chickens had any sneezing? Can you describe your coop and it’s ventilation? Have you looked her over for evidence of lice or mites under her vent or around her neck and wings? Sneezing every few minutes can be a sign of a virus called infectious bronchitis. But usually other chickens in the coop get it fairly quickly, sneezing, with clear nasal discharge, and may slow down in laying or have wrinkled egg shells.
Mycoplasma or MG may have mild symptoms such as sneezing or lethargy, but many times it causes bubbles in one eye or pinkeye. Some sneezing may be due to poor air circulation, dust in the feed or coop, high ammonia levels, or mold from wet conditions. Here is a good link to read about most of the common respiratory diseases:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

i only have my one hen and she lives in my house. shes almost 5 months old and it started yesterday but it seems to have stopped today so i guess it was just a little cold

 

[Wyorp Rock]

she gets whole grains, veggies, worms and crickets. i figured out the source of the sneezing and its just a cold.

Chickens don't get colds

Do you provide her with a nutritionally balanced poultry feed?
She may be lacking in nutrition.
At 5 months old, I would feed her chick starter - you can buy small bags at Tractor Supply, this way it doesn't get old or rancid.

Whole grains, veggies, worms and crickets make fine treats. Make her main source of nutrition the poultry feed and offer one of these things daily in a small amount.
When she comes into lay, provide her with oyster shell free choice for added calcium.

Make sure she has a source of grit (crushed granite) so she can process foods properly.

 

[Eggcessive]

Chickens can live in the wild eating bugs, grasses, and any other things they can find, but they may not be well nourished. Most sources about poultry state that they need about 20% protein as youngsters, and 16% protein for layers. The commercial chicken feeds contain well balanced nutrition with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids required to get the best health. If you feed corn or certain grains, you are not even going to get half of the protein they need, much less the other nutrients required for good health and maximum egg production.

It is just like a person who eats Cheetos, fries, candy, and Mountain Dew all the time—they will probably live, but they may not be very healthy.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

i got her on a growing feed and fresh veggies and grass and not many bugs at the moment since its been really cold but once it heats up she'll get lots. she is a lot better, after the sneezing she had a period where she just got excessively hot and in result ended up losing some feathers but thats done shes all good now and is growing them back and shes back to normal. she only lost a few feathers.

I'm glad she is better.

 

[BuffOrpington567]

My chicken does that a lot in cold temps. Nothing to worry about apart from it cnntinuing in warm temps

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is your hen, and how long has the sneezing been going on? Have any of your other chickens had any sneezing? Can you describe your coop and it’s ventilation? Have you looked her over for evidence of lice or mites under her vent or around her neck and wings? Sneezing every few minutes can be a sign of a virus called infectious bronchitis. But usually other chickens in the coop get it fairly quickly, sneezing, with clear nasal discharge, and may slow down in laying or have wrinkled egg shells.
Mycoplasma or MG may have mild symptoms such as sneezing or lethargy, but many times it causes bubbles in one eye or pinkeye. Some sneezing may be due to poor air circulation, dust in the feed or coop, high ammonia levels, or mold from wet conditions. Here is a good link to read about most of the common respiratory diseases:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[Cragg Klefor]

i only have my one hen and she lives in my house. shes almost 5 months old and it started yesterday but it seems to have stopped today so i guess it was just a little cold

Ah good Well then I would do as I said in last post. I hope all goes well from here

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree that she needs to be on a balanced chicken feed, chick grower or flock raiser, and then layer when she begins to lay eggs. She is probably old enough to start on layer feed now. You may find that trying to feed a balanced diet with whole grains and the other treats is impossible, and she may end up with a vitamin or mineral deficiency. They also can have a tendency to get fat or suffer from fatty liver disease. Glad to hear that her sneezing has stopped. Chicken may sneeze from environmental reasons, but they don’t get colds. Good luck.