POL's with sneeze,cough?

[valeriebutterley]

My girls seem to have developed a slight sneeze. They look beautiful, perfectly healthy, lovely glossy plumage, etc. I do not want to go down the antibiotic road. Will even more TLC work with them?
I thought I would give them a tonic, meal worms, tuna - which is like a magic potion to most hens, and CLO to see if they improved and the cough/sneeze stopped.
Can anybody suggest anything else, please?
I am going to be positive about this and not get down. They have not been anywhere and are really an enclosed flock, so it is probably wild birds, the dratted pigeons for instance, who sit on their pen.
I would be delighted with any helpful advice.

 

[dinosaw]

Do they have foamy eyes and nasal discharge Valerie? or is it just a bit of sneezing at the moment, in any case if you don't want antibiotics then I think you are doing everything you can for them, perhaps give them some ACV in the water and some oats as a nice healthy warming feed, if you want to really spoil them then make it into porridge with water.

 

[valeriebutterley]

Thanks dinosaw,
No foamy eyes (heavens), if it is a sharp and sudden sneeze there is a little bit of spray I've noticed and kept clear.
I thought if I give them all possible help and boosts treatwise, and it does not go, then I will take them to the vet. I know the vet will prescribe antibiotics, and I am not willing to have them, having read a few times previously that you should not eat eggs from a hen that has ever been given antibiotics.
These girls are my new laying flock to be.
Luckily hens let you know when they are ill, fluffed up, still, no interest in pecking and turning the ground for worms, etc.
I am willing for this to be long term treatment of care, and at any sign of deterioration in my girls' condition they will go to the vet.

 

[rick]

In my limited experience I did find that wiping beaks with a saline moistened cotton bud made sure that nostrils were clear and not leading to more problems (Betty's nostrils were blocking up easily if not kept clean)

 

[valeriebutterley]

Thanks to you too, Rick.
Tomorrow's shopping list: ACV, porridge, and salty water. I like simple cures. They all still seem great, apart from the sneeze. Tuna and CLO is giving them the runs though.