# Do my chickens have allergies?



## Wyandotter (Dec 13, 2015)

I was with my chickens when my chicken Yellowfeet was dust bathing with another hen. Yellowfeet started making this weird moning sound which sounded funny at first because I thought it was one of my hen's unique warning calls for Hawks. I went over to Yellowfeet and petted her she got up shook the dirt off and was fine, the strange sound stopped right away and hasn't happened since then. 

She's also been sneezing a lot as well as some of my other chickens. And she's scratches her face a lot. My Dominique has a strange sounding voice, it's sounds like se has mucus in her throat.

I stuck my head in the chicken coop and Yellowfeet sneezed and her really wet sneeze went all over my face. A few of the others are sneezing but not as much as Yellowfeet who keeps itching her face... These symtoms sound like when I have a allergy.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

A bird can have an allergy but you won't have a full coop of non related birds with the same thing. If it's not illness then it is probably environmental.

Is it dusty? Do you live in an area that a bunch of harvesting or plowing is going on? Are you using hay in the coop? (thinking mold)

The face scratching could be an indication of mites. You're going to have to check her closely to see if that is what is going on.


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## Wyandotter (Dec 13, 2015)

It is dusty. There's a lot of farming in my area and they are harvesting a lot of crops at the moment. Should I get vet rx to help them?

Also I have straw in my coop, it got kinda wet and is still wet. Now that I think of it my chickens were digging in it a lot a few days ago, for bugs I guess. Should I remove the wet straw?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Yes, and yes. And check for mites.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

No, to the Vet RX. Basically it's snake oil. I've investigated that product and its ingredients, there is nothing there that does a thing to improve health.

You would be better off using shavings for bedding. It is cleaner and dryer than straw. 

I would stand back and watch for a while. Right now with all the harvesting going on around you chances are it's the dust from that affecting them.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Wyandotter said:


> It is dusty. There's a lot of farming in my area and they are harvesting a lot of crops at the moment. Should I get vet rx to help them?
> 
> Also I have straw in my coop, it got kinda wet and is still wet. Now that I think of it my chickens were digging in it a lot a few days ago, for bugs I guess. Should I remove the wet straw?


It could be mold/fungus spores from wet bedding causing the sneezing. Damp or wet bedding harbors parasites including capillary worm eggs. Keeping everything dry as possible is of vital importance with chickens. Also it's possible she couldve inhaled a feed granule which might be lodged in a sinus cavity causing her to sneeze and scratch her face. Pollen is another factor.


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