Any sign of illness coming from your chicken will be concerning to any person who is raising a flock of chickens, and the bird sneezing when eating is also concerning.
This article looks into why your chicken is sneezing when eating.
Chicken sneezing when eating:
Humans usually sneeze when we start to suffer from respiratory illnesses, this is actually similar for chickens. Here is what you need to know if your bird is sneezing when eating:
It’s a nasal blockage:
While your bird may certainly start sneezing if it has a respiratory illness if the bird is only sneezing when eating then the issue is likely an irritation in the bird’s nasal passages.
If your bird is eating its feed in a rusty old bar then this could be one of the reasons why the bird is sneezing, your bid may also be raising dist in its feed or dander when eating and this could be causing her to sneeze.
Because the bird’s nostril is near the bird’s beak the particles from the bird’s food or dust from the feed may be getting into the bird’s nostrils and causing the bird to sneeze.
Sneezing helps the bird clear things out of the bird’s delicate respiratory system. If the bird’s upper respiratory tract is irritated then this can cause the bird to sneeze. Any small particle, like dust, or feed in your case, can cause this irritation and cause your bird to sneeze.
What to do:
If you know that the bird is sneezing on occasion or know that the bird is exposed to dust or feed particles when it eats then you don’t have to worry, this is normal.
Sneezing does happen to birds on occasion and is not a cause for alarm. Just observe the bird when she sneezes to see if she seems to be in distress more than usual, if she is not in distress and continues eating then you don’t have to worry.
If she seems to be in distress even after eating then you can start to worry.
When to worry:
You’d only need to start to worry if the bird starts showing signs of having a respiratory illness along with all this sneezing.
Signs of a respiratory illness in chickens, along with the sneezing, include coughing, a decreased appetite, lethargy, wheezing, reduced egg production, labored breathing, discharge coming out of the bids eyes or nostrils, a loss of condition, swelling at the bird’s eyes or beak, and a change in the birds comb or wattle color
If your bid starts showing these symptoms along with the sneezing then the bird may actually have a respiratory illness. Listen at the bird’s chest checking for rattling or a congested sound when the bird is breathing, if you hear this then take the bird to the vet.
The vet will examine the bird and test for a respiratory illness. Once the vet has diagnosed the bird your bird will be given the appropriate medical treatment.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Why Your Chickens Head Doesn’t Move, How Do Wild Chickens Survive In The Winter?, Why Is My Duckling’s Neck Swollen?, Duck With A Twisted Foot, Chicken Shaking Head And Walking Backward, Do Chickens Shake When Scared?, Chicken Limping After Dog Attack, Chicken Trembling Legs, Rooster Shaking Legs
