Hi all, for a year or so i have noticed my birds sneezing and scratching around there head area. I have treated for canker, and used doxcycline as i had a bit of resportary last year with young birds, but birds are still doing do it. They look fine in them selves and flying well round the house and did well from very hard channel races last year. I also gave them ivomec last year as i thought it could be some sort of mite. Does anyone have any ideas to what could be causing it. Thanks for reading. Mass

dont know reqlly, if you have treated with doxycyclin it would have cured most ailments i would have thought.........is your loft dusty.....?

just a bit of dust mate, you could always try sliepsanol (not sure of spelling) but this natural product will initially make them snot & sneeze............but will certainly clear all mucus, dust, powder etc

do you use loft white or deep litter

Do your birds go out much or do they get a bath it all most sounds like you have too much bloom on your birds and it is affecting their nostols

Hi ya ginger, My birds have started going out the last month or so. I did give them a bath today, but it was there first in a long while. I think you might have a point with the bloom, because when i go in the loft i always come out covered in blom.

whats your ventilation like...........?

Hi ya david. my loft isnt that dusty i have a mesh door on all day so think ventilation is ok

Hi lightning dont use deep litter, but have started using loft white in the last couple of weeks, but this has been going on alot longer. My friend has sliepsanol so might give that a go.

David could be right it sounds like you wont to put some vents or lovers close to the roof you should only get bloom when you handle the birds you must have a circulation of air

I have 2 big vents bottom front of loft plus mesh door on all day. And at back of loft i have a 4inch gap just under roof running the whole lenght of loft which is 10ft, Do you think i need more vents.

It sounds allright to me a lot of lofts/sheds have this polycarbonet on the front which I dont like I have it on at the moment to keep the easterly rian out it will be off by the 1st april in the front I have 4 2ft louvers and plaster lath about half the loft 32ft long and I dont get too many problems I am just trying to help what I have said about air it may not have anything to do with it

Hi ginger thanks for reply. I will add a few more vents tomorrow, as i have some lying around in the shed. im no expert but it seems to me like they have some sort of mite around there head area, but have tried most things on the market. I was given some youngsters last year and within 3 days they were scratching. I started with 10 youngsters raced 5 races only lost 3 and even picked up a couple of cards, so im sure its nothing serious. Even at my old address i had a 8ft by 6ft loft with 8ft by 6ft avery so they had plenty of ventilation. I think it will be a waist of time getting them tested. Well i will try more vents and see how we get on.

did you say they are sneezing .......?

yes sometimes they sneeze when they scratch.