# Upper respiratory infection?



## Courage (Sep 21, 2013)

This morning I noticed that one of my hens sneezed and shook her head, spewing snot out of her nostrils. Should I be worried? I will be if this continues, but for now I'll just keep an eye on her.

Could this be an upper respiratory infection?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Does sound not good. Put her some where away from the others and observe. Make notes about what you see and hear. The others have already been exposed so you might see more of it. But you need to analyze what you're looking at and the best way is to isolate.


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## Courage (Sep 21, 2013)

Ok, should I lock her in the hen house and turn the heat lamp on, or would that just let the virus (or whatever) spread all over the hen house? Ok, sounds like a bad idea to me...

Ok, I know what I can do, I'll just close the gate between the two yards... Would it be safe to do that, or is a barrier of wire good enough? Never mind, bad idea as well...

I'll put the dog crate in the area near the house and lock the others in their yard. There we go! XD

Anyways, how should I treat it? I'll look in my books when I get home, but for now - advice?


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## Courage (Sep 21, 2013)

Ok, she's fine now. She's acting completely normal now! I'll let you guys know if anything changes.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Good, crossed fingers that she stays that way.


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## Courage (Sep 21, 2013)

Last night it was cold and pouring down rain, and I found that the door to the coop had somehow gotten closed! All three chickens were huddling outside the door soaking wet, not smart enough to go under the house to stay dry! So I opened it up and connected the heat lamp so they would be warm and dry out.

But none of the chickens have showed any further signs of sickness, so hopefully the sneezing was just a one-time thing.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

To prevent that door closing thing happening again rig it so it doesn't close unless you close it. Because of difference in the coops, one I had a stop on the door to keep it from closing. The other, the door swung open and was latched to the wall. The wind can catch them just right and suck them closed, birds chasing after something can knock them closed.

And your birds proved what creatures of habit they are. It was time to go in and that's exactly what they were going to do except for the closed door.


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## Courage (Sep 21, 2013)

The main door is almost always closed, but it has a little "hatch" that opens and has a hook that hooks onto an eye bolt on the main door. It won't close unless I close it, so I have no idea how it got closed.

Yes, they were being good and listening to their instincts, but they could have at least realized that a dry area was less than six inches away from them... My chickens are crazy, but I love them!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It sounds like one of them knocked it loose. Are you using a regular hook & eye kind of latch? If so, there is a hook that has a safety catch on it that can only be opened when you slide the latch back to remove the hook. I used several of those in the places that were questionable on the small doors and getting knocked off.


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## Courage (Sep 21, 2013)

Yes, it's a normal one, but they couldn't knock it loose because it opens up an latches higher than they could possible reach. Anyways, it was just a one time thing and not really important. I'll see about getting that kind of latch that you suggested. Thanks, anyways!


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## clairerobinson73 (Aug 28, 2013)

I have 5 chickens and they are all doing the same! They also have watery bubbly eyes....most people saying mycoplasma but the farmer whom I bought them from has given me a cocktail to put in their water...I'm hoping this will help :-(


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Without knowing what it is, no way of knowing its the right thing.

BTW, no more birds from that farmer, he has it in the flock.


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## clairerobinson73 (Aug 28, 2013)

Ok,thanks for your help:-(


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