Advice on cleaning nares

[Tweetypie]

I've got a minor problem. Barbie is still sneezing all the time, even at night. It's been going on for 2 months. I am now certain she has a blocked nose. It looks closed. I've tried cleaning it with a damp clean cloth a few times but not since I noticed she is in a moult. I don't want to hurt her by picking her up. When I did try last weekend, she wouldn't let me near her head or nares, so I'm not sure what to do, aside from taking her to the vets to see if they can help. Any advice from your own experiences greatly appreciated.

 

[rick]

You could wrap her in a towel Tweetiepie, If your quick and careful then I think the risk to new pin feathers would be minimal. Of course, once she knows that is the plan then catching her in the first place might get more difficult. After they have gone to roost is the best time.
My undersize CLB Betty had very small nares which blocked easily. Regular sailine solution wipes and even very (very) gentle squirting with a pippett to mosten the blockage over several days worked.

 

[Marigold]

I think you said she's had this ever since the hot dusty weather a few weeks ago? If she's eating, drinking etc and seems perky otherwise, and if none of the others are doing it, it's unlikely to be a bronchial infection as she's vaccinated, so Rick's idea sounds good. A vet will probably give you antibiotics to 'be on the safe side' but I don't know if they would do any good, and I expect you'd want to avoid that anyway. Is she breathing through her mouth at all? If not gasping, then she must be getting enough air through her nostrils to manage with, ie they're not totally blocked. So if you think she's tame enough to wrap in a towel and bathe her nares, then this can't do any harm and may well help her.

 

[Tweetypie]

Hi Marigold and Rick. I can easily pick her up she's very tame and doesn't mind, but she won't let me near her head. I'll try wrapping her in a towel, but will wait til next weekend when I have more time. She's been like it for 3 months. She doesn't gape and is a happy hen. I agree regarding antibiotics, but thought a vet might sedate her to clean her nares to find out why she is constantly sneezing. She seems to sneeze at least once every 30 seconds, most of the time. Imagine roosting next to her? It would be like a snoring husband ?. I'm still shocked she's laying an egg almost every day...

 

[rick]

A trip to a good vet would probably be worthwhile for an opinion. Sedating birds is difficult and risky and I don't think it will be a reasonable option but vets are very good at handling heads and beaks, like when they grip the lower mandible to get a good look down their throat (Ive tried this myself and just about managed but it requires speed, knowing the forces that mustn't be applied and a confident hold.) Not saying you need to do that, just an example of when a veterinary comes in handy.
You don't have to go in for the antibiotics - if suggested.