# sneezing and rattling hens-anyone know what can be done??



## stu-hens

Had 3 hybrid hens for 18months,no problems,i have just extended the hen house and added 3 point of lay hybrids to the flock.Having the usual problem introducing them but after a week they have just started going in the house together at night and the bullying as reduced dramatically.However my concern is after a couple of days 2 of the new hens started sneezing but seem otherwise ok,then 2 of my older hens started sneezing,then the next day i came home to find my goldline hen standing on her own and sneezing and rattling really bad breathing and not interested in treats.

I am worried the new hens have introduced something and now all are sneezing.I have put tonic and mintamix solution in the water supposed to help respiratory disease,nugget my goldline seems alot brighter today eating and drinking and looking much better but she is still making horrible noises breathing and i can hear her sneezing in coop at night.

I dont have anywhere to separate even if i wanted to but is this some kind of infectious disease or just a cold i'm not sure what to do for the best??

Any advice or experience of these symptoms??

Thanks.


----------



## Energyvet

Homeopathic treatment for birds says:

Where there is respiratory trouble, rattling of mucus in the chest or throat and gasping for breath. Eyes are often partly closed with weakness in body.

Ipecacuanha (ipecac root) Ipec. 30 C or 30 X. Duration of action 7-10 days.


----------



## Energyvet

That's the remedy. You can put it in the drinking water. Like 5-10 pellets. Don't touch the pellets with your hands just use a paper funnel. You can get these at human health food store, 1 bottle for less than $20.


----------



## stu-hens

Thankyou for your advice I will try to find some definitely as the boss hen today is poorly,think she has been hiding the symptoms and all are sneezing.Today I have cleaned out the coop top to bottom,fresh bedding and changed the perches to give more space between them and I have cut out a 3inch by 18inch slot below roof line to give them better ventilation.Also added some tonic to their water.They have been scrapping for a week but settled down a lot now,partly due to ring leader feeling under the weather I think.I don't want to lose any of my original girls,the 3 I bought seened to be sniffing on first day so think they brought it with them but didn't see any signs at the poultry centre so what can you do.Cheers for help.


----------



## stu-hens

I can't seem to be able to get ipechuanna root anywhere here,in health food shop they looked it up and told me its for nausia and vomiting??

I bought something called nutri drops and been giving with pipette to the worst hen last 2 days and she is at least coming out of house but standing in a corner with eyes shut and looks cold ,a 2ns hen is turning worse now too, i hope they dont all get worse,all sneezing !

Getting more hens is not looking like such a good idea now


----------



## Energyvet

Its not the root you are looking for, it is the homeopathic remedy. Generally homeopathic medicines are liquid infused into tiny sugar pills that you can crush up or place in water. So, you aren't looking for like an herbal preparation which would be for nausea and vomiting. You are looking for the homeopathic activity that can be very different. 

Whole foods, Wild oats and other more local stores will carry these medicines that are called remedies. They are available over the counter in low doses. I cannot prescribe penicillin or antibiotics over this forum. But I can tell you what will work in an alternative methods fashion. If you want antibiotics, then you will need to bring your chickens to the local veterinarian. If you are lucky, there will be one close by who will see chickens or at least birds. 

I wish you luck with whatever you choose. I hope that your chickens kick this thing that is making them not well. I'm sorry that you are frustrated because you want to help and don't have the tools. I get that.


----------



## stu-hens

Thanks again, thinking they need antibiotics but probably cost a fortune and taking them there pretty stressful itself especially when you have a 2 seater sports car

Your suggestion makes sense to me just cant find it anywhere


----------



## 7chicks

Well, you could toss em in a pet carrier and strap em on the roof.  Sorry, couldn't resist. Did you try Amazon? They have everything under the sun on there and you can get things shipped fast on there.


----------



## TinyHouse

Here's one place:

http://www.rxhomeo.com/pharmacy/homeopathic.php?act=viewProd&productId=87&pName=


----------



## Energyvet

Thanks Tinyhouse! Excellent. You made it all so easy!


----------



## anderson8505

I don't know where you are, but if they are to the point of rattling you should seriously consider antibiotics. Tylan 50 is an injectable but if you are uncomfortable with that (like I am) it can be given orally. I use 1 cc for large fowl, 1/2 cc for bantams, once a day for 3-5 days usually does it. Don't eat the eggs while using antibiotics. If you let the rattling go, you may soon find dead chickens.


----------



## stu-hens

I feel you are right, however taking a chicken to a vet when i work full time and the likely cost means i have been trying other solutions.


----------



## cogburn

7chicks said:


> Well, you could toss em in a pet carrier and strap em on the roof.  Sorry, couldn't resist. Did you try Amazon? They have everything under the sun on there and you can get things shipped fast on there.


Make a chicken trailer.. Hey! There's an idea.. (Lightbulb above my head).. Just joshin with ya, I hope you can get it under control fast.. I know respiratory disease in chickens is stressful on them, really hard on em.. Keep an extra eye on her..


----------



## anderson8505

Antibiotics can be purchased at many feed stores. No trip to the vet necessary. There are very very few vets that know anything at all about chickens anyway!


----------



## aussiechicks

I recently had the same affect my coop 3 hens sick one pretty bad off, I usually jump straight into antibiotics but this time I upped the dosage of apple cider vinegar (un pasteurized) and within 2 days they are all good.


----------



## stu-hens

Are most of you folks from america because as far as i'm aware you cant buy antibiotics off the shelf in the uk and vets are expensive and not much use with chickens.

I'm trying apple cider vinegar this week,fingers crossed.


----------



## fuzziebutt

Stu, truth is that without antibotics, it looks grim. If you have any in the cupboard that you haven't finished taking yourself, or know someone who does, I would dissolve half of one a day in a gallon of water, and let all drink from it all day. And seperate the sick ones from the well ones, as the sick ones will contaminate the well ones. It is an upper respiratory infection. If apple cider vinegar helps, then fantastic. But still look for some antibotics somewhere.

And yeah, here in the States, we can nearly go to the corner and pick them up with out a prescription for livestock.


----------



## stu-hens

Thanks for the advice, have ordered ipecuhuana from US as not available here so will take a while.


----------



## 7chicks

How long did is it suppose to take for the ipec to reach you? Where are you located? I know here in the US where I'm at, we can get Duramycin-10 from any livestock feed mill store. It can be used for swine, calves, poultry. Used for respiratory diseases for poultry. 

Keep us on how you are making out. Good luck stu-hens.


----------



## stu-hens

ok so my ipecacuanha has finally arrived from usa website (looks like its actually come from india).Directions are for humans and says 4-5 pellets dissolve in the mouth and repeat 3 times a day 30mins after food.

Using for hens can i just put them in water,if im at work i cannot repeat through the day and i have a 4 litre water drinker so how many pellets do i put in and what about if i have apple cider vinegar in the water is it ok to mix or better to just put ipec on its own in water and for how many days??


----------



## stu-hens

Okay, so ipec here and been putting 10 tabs in a 4 litre drinker of water and crushing them up ,from previous posts it was reccomended for 7-10 days .

My goldline hybrid is the worst , sneezing and been moulting aswell ,hoping this is going to help.

Question? I have some tonic called lifeguard which contains vitamins and minerals and reccomended to help with moult and at times of stress and in poor condition,can i add this to the water at the same time as the ipecuana or will this destroy the effect of the homeapathic medicine in the water??


----------



## Energyvet

Stop ipecac and just do vitamins. Might be too much ipecac at this point.


----------

