Sneezing silkies... not sure if I should call the vet or let them be.

[Smileybans]

I have 5 9 week old silkies that have a heater outside in 30 to 15F weather. I noticed they sneeze when they leave the heater and their nose runs. I’m assuming the sneezing is from their nose running. Is their nose running because they left the heat and aren’t hardened off? I’m turning their heater down little by little to get them used to the cold. But I want to make sure the sneezing isn’t anything serious. They hardly sneeze at all when in front of the heater. Maybe once in an hour. But when not in front of the heater it’s constant. Is it the heat or should I get them checked out?
The rest of the flock seems to be okay. But I hear some sneezes from everyone else now and then. Maybe four sneezes in a total of four hours from everyone else.

 

[Aapomp831]

At 9 weeks the don’t need supplemental heat, especially if they’re fully feathered. Idk what’s causing the sneezing, but chickens don’t get colds like we do. They only sneeze from dust being kicked up, or from respiratory diseases. I would remove the heater completely; as long as they have a well ventilated coop to go into they are fine. Cold doesn’t effect chickens, moisture does. Your heater may be creating unnecessary humidity.

 

[Smileybans]

At 9 weeks the don’t need supplemental heat, especially if they’re fully feathered. Idk what’s causing the sneezing, but chickens don’t get colds like we do. They only sneeze from dust being kicked up, or from respiratory diseases. I would remove the heater completely; as long as they have a well ventilated coop to go into they are fine. Cold doesn’t effect chickens, moisture does. Your heater may be creating unnecessary humidity.

The heater is under one of those small prefab coops. In the run area. But you might still be right. I noticed the sneezing had started after Christmas. Before Christmas we got 3 feet of snow. Xmas eve and Xmas it was in the 50s so all the snow melted. Could the fact that the snow melted then the ground froze cause it? Or the heater is keeping the moisture from the ground from freezing? The heater sits on the ground under the prefab coop. Which is open on all but two sides. So the wind doesn’t get them.
I’ve never owned silkies, it’s my first year with chickens all together, and I just wasn’t sure about them in my climate. I had read on some blogs they need heat and on others they don’t. That in really cold climates it’s good to have a heater for silkies because they don’t have normal feathering. I’ll take the heater away though if it’s the problem. I just want to be sure they don’t have a respiratory disease. I had read about sneezing in chickens and that’s why I came here before calling the vet.

 

[Smileybans]

@Aapomp831
Turned the heater off today and heard way less sneezing when they left the huddle of each other. You were probably right. Rookie mistake on my part.

 

[Aapomp831]

@Aapomp831
Turned the heater off today and heard way less sneezing when they left the huddle of each other. You were probably right. Rookie mistake on my part.

Good I’m glad!