Snotty noses!

[charlielavin]

What's good to treat a chicken's snotty nose? Just been out with them and realised they all have snotty noses. No sneezing as yet.

Oh dear think I must be the worst poultry keeper ever - if it's not lice, its snotty noses

Charliex

 

[charlielavin]

Just an update i've ordered some respite in the hope that will work. I've put AVC back in their water so that helps too.

Thanks again for all your help on this board, its been a huge lifeline!


Charliex

 

[Davidd]

Hello, are they sneezing? or is there any bubbling eyes or raspy breath? Or is it just discharge from the nostrils? What kind of bedding are you using?
regards, David

 

[charlielavin]

Just snotty noses - no sneezing, rasping, or bubbling eyes (well of this first thing this morning). I use wood shavings. I thinking I might have been over zealous with the poultry ark maid, it has lime in it and may its upset them. I also I have covered the house with diatom and don't think that's helped either..... though it does says to use an awful lot!

 

[foxy]

Diatom is good stuff, it can be dusty though, and potentially excerbate an existing problem, which I think you may have if all your chooks have the same symptoms. To make things easier you can mix Diatom with water and "paint" just on the nooks and crannies. Soak well with Poultry Shield or similar and leave to dry. Dust extracted shavings are good, and brands like Easibed,Hemcore and Rapport essentially designed for horses are excellent as they are specifically for horses with respiratory problems.

Check ventilation is good, not stuffy and there is no condensation in the house, in a good quality house there shouldn't be an issue.

I mentioned an existing problem, snotty beaks are usually a sign of an upper respiratory problem which is best treated with antibiotics prescribed from your vet. Hope your hens sort themselves out soon!

 

[charlielavin]

I mentioned an existing problem, snotty beaks are usually a sign of an upper respiratory problem which is best treated with antibiotics prescribed from your vet. Hope your hens sort themselves out soon!

Thanks again for the advice. I've been hanging on to see if this respite stuff will work, but should I just bite the bullet and get on to the vet? Not sure how I'll get them all down there though. It's not the car journey, its the trying to catch them I am yet to master!

Charliex

 

[charlielavin]

Would anyone recommend herban? It's not that I don't want to take them to the vet, it's just I'm very new and I read that they can build up a tolerance to terrimycin, tylan and baytril - I just want to make sure I'm not giving them medicine when they don't need it. No sneezing still, one of the light sussex seems a bit lethargic today, but went mad for the mealworms I gave them. Checked their eyes best I could and perhaps saw a hint of a bubble in the other light sussex, but not really sure being a novice (and do have a tendency to over worry on these things - see number of posts!).

I spoke to the lady who I bought them off and she said it's probably a cold - can you guess I'm being indecisive

What should I do for the best?

Cx

 

[Davidd]

Hi, sometimes being out in the wind can cause a bubbly eye- it's not always a sign of illness- if they seem well and are breathing normally i would try and relax and not worry too much I know it can be hard for some novice keepers- they tend to look for symptons/signs that are not really there- having read of other peoples experiences. Chickens rarely have serious illness- if kept in the right conditions and fed the right food- i have 200 birds at the moment and around 120 all year around- in the past 4 years i have lost 3 hens i think- so not many and i very rarely use a vet- having said that one of my ganders has just finished another course of antibiotics- but that is an exception rather than a rule- my birds get no treats, have the correct food, free range, are wormed only twice a year, checked for lice and red mite- i don't use any ACV, herbal remedies, respite, poultry spice, herban ,etc or anything else- never have and probably never will
Just try and "chill out " a little and enjoy your new hobby and your girls It's a wonderfully rewarding pastime- and a very fast growing one
regards, David