# Sneezing hen



## vanthes2007 (May 29, 2013)

I have a 6-7 month old RIR/NEW Hampshire cross. She has been sneezing since I got her 3 months ago. Away from other hens for 3 days while ran antibiotics through entire flock. No signs of sickness. Just sneezing. Flock does not show sneezing. It's been 100 degrees and up for about a month here in TX. Is this just allergies or crazy hen? No mucus or eye infection. Still eating, laying and drinking. ?????


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Red heads are notorious for allergies....  Maybe she's got allergies...is she dusting a lot? 

I've had one hen wheezing and even sneezing before but it was always for just a day or two, one time after I had added wood ashes to their dusting spot. 

Usually sneezing is caused by an irritant in the nasal passages and usually that irritant is something that is breathed in...if it's been going on for 3 mo. then it's something that is continually irritating her nasal passages. 

Look for something in her environment that is specific to her actions...dusty feed? If she's a hog at the feeder and you have dusty feeds, this could be her problem. Does she have skin mites and this causes her to dust more than the other birds? Are you using moldy or dusty hay in the nesting boxes?~if she sits longer there than other hens, it could affect her more. Cedar shavings in the bedding? Some birds are more sensitive to the cedar oils than others, though this usually causes more wheezing than sneezing. Are you using DE in your coop, feed, or dusting areas? She could be more sensitive to it than the other birds. 

If she is otherwise healthy and you can't identify the cause, it may be something she has to live with. You could rinse her nostrils out with saline nasal spray to see if it helps but, barring that, and/or removing any of the issues described above to see if it gets better, it may just have to run its course.


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