PoultryTalk.com

I noticed one or two of my birds sneezing today with clear runny noses - can chickens get colds?

Yes. I have had a lot of trouble just lately. I think it came from a Jersey Giant I bought in. Have been segregating them as they fall ill and at the moment have got a Silver Dorking cockerel very poorley. Just got in from looking after it. It is now starting to eat again. It has taken it off its legs but hopefully he will get better.

Hello, just read your posts about chickens with colds and yes they do get them and can get really ill if not treated. We got some Tylan which is a antibioctic,we brought it from the states they posted it over as you cant buy it in this country without persciption and that would have cost a fortune everytime one of our birds got a cold! It was £5o for a huge tub that will last years! And it works really well, as soon as we hear a sneeze we treat them with that and its cleared up in a few days.
If you goggle it you will find some, hope this helps.

Hi, I took one to our chicken vet, who says its a type of mycoplasma which lays dormant in most poultry stocks in the UK. she thinks its the red mite that has lowered their defences and allowed the bug to reveal itself. They are all on tylan and i am poultry shielding houses vigorously, then sprinkling mitex on the bedding. BUSY!

Hi Pekinfanatic
That would make sense as I have got a lot of red mite this year and I am also cleaning, spraying, and sprinkling mite powder everywhere.

does importing Tylan cost any extra, or is the shipment included in the price?

Where I got mine from I had to pay VAT and a handling charge before it could be delivered

Importing it is the most cost effective way, we paid £50 for 100g tub which will last us yrs and we have hundreds of birds! It beats paying the vet £20+ to see each bird everytime its sick. If you find some i would get it, it works really well.

it sounds like a really good idea, thanks!

Hi, i have only kept birds for 39 years, 3 years studying poultry and avian species at college 24 years in the poultry industry meat and egg management uk and canada. 10 years with HOMOEOPATHY and natural products. i make no medical claims. Always consult a vet. vets out of 7 years studying are lucky to do 6 weeks on birds, we use to get them through our college for 2 weeks. there are some great vets out there who specialise in avian species, power to their elbow. testimonies speak for themselves. happy to help. Keep it natural, always! www.allcreatureshealthcheck.com Colin. call anytime, i will call you back, save your phone bill!

I agree with the above post, resorting to anti-biotics will only result in these treatments becoming no use as the birds will become imune to them. natural remedies should be given where ever possible. There are some great natural products available for poultry now, just some to consider would be www.agrivite.com/thrive.html just keeping these on the shelf ad giving as either a preventative or as a cure in the early stages of illness would be enough to reduce anti-biotic use to a bare minimum.