chickens i think they have a cold

[sheribeee]

I bought 3 silkie chicken a col wks ago and the all seem to have snotty noses and appear to sneeze. They sometimes breath through their beaks too, not through their nostrils.
Has anyone else come across this? or knows the best course of treatment?
They are lovely birds (escape artists tho) and would like to help them. I clean their beaks every day, and they r eating and drinking fine.
Appreciate any advice. Sheri xx

[terambulan]

could it be bird-flu? call the vet for innoculations.

[sheribeee]

No, it def isnt bird flu xx
Ordinary vets dont deal with poultry, only specialists. All u get told is to wring its neck!! Shame!!

[terambulan]

OK...best chance is to install a heat lamp or find a way for them to 'sweat it out'. Crumble aspirin into their feed and pray.

[terambulan]

Aspirin would be better in their water....more chance of them having it if there is no alternative drink. If you have a syringe squirt some liquid asprin into their beaks (force open & squirt down throat).

Wear specs/goggles to protect ur eyes....should they peck out.

[madboutcats]

i dont think giving them aspirin is a very good idea terambulan as it is a drug for humans, sheribeee it sounds like you are doing the right thing keeping their beaks clean, im no chicken expert and wouldnt know where to start but maybe this horrible wet weather we're having is not helping, i hope they all improve. xx

[sheribeee]

No, they r tiny, bantams, 18 wks old so i wouldnt like to self prescribe. I just wanna do the best for my girlies xx

[madboutcats]

there must be a chicken keepers web site out there somewhere, im off for a trawl to see what i can find for you, and aspirins definately a no no, i dont think terambulan likes chickens very much sheribeee.xxx

[madboutcats]

googled keeping silkie chickens and was given quite a few web stes to check out, one was very funny.
www.rickschicken.co.uk check it out as there is an e-mail address to get in touch with him. the content of his site will make you laugh too even though hes lost some of his girls to badgers..xx

[terambulan]

What special medications are prescribed for animals? Animals, like us, have similar organs, hearts/kidneys/lungs etc. Dosage has to be according to the beasts size.

Some vet drugs....though they wouldn't admit it.....is out-of-date or past stock.

My vet has prescribed similar pain-killers to an animal that I have seen for a person, only re-packaged.

[Noweia]

Terambulan: Some animal drugs are identical to human drugs, but unfortunately by law we have to prescribe the animal ones and not the cheaper human generic ones.

However some human drugs are most defnitely NOT safe in animals and these include paracetamol and aspirin (in human dosages).

Sheribee, you'd be best phoning a specialist poultry vet for advice, as there are a couple of notifiable diseases that can cause birds to sneeze and gape, Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease included. Better safe than sorry!

[sheribeee]

Thanks everyone, i have been on some web sites for info, and seems like they need some form of medication. I will contact my vet on tuesday for anyone who is local that can help.
I am quite angry with the person who sold them, bought 4 of them a poultry auction, where i have bought many other lovely birds ( and my 2 lil ferrets!) and had no probs.
But one of them seemed poorly once i got her home, she died 4 days later.
They were obviously not cared for and it makes me sick to think what people will do just to make a few quid!!
My girlies seem ok, but i would feel better knowing that i have done all i can to help them get better.
Unfortunately u cant touch the birds or get them out of the pens at the auctions to look at them properly, so its not until they get home u might find them ill treated or sick.
I wish some people had respect for these wonderful animals, who most definately have feelings and are in fact very intellegent! And hillareous too xx

[terambulan]

Not wanting to upset u I think your birds have pneumonia. I have experienced same with birds purchased thro Farmers Weekly & markets. Only mine were in larger batches. Few survived but the heat lamp was a great help.

The vets did give antibiotic innoculations but alas too late. Because of the pneumonia I had to burn the poultry sheds (fortunately wood) and rehouse on sterilised land. A huge expense for poultry farming!