Are my chicks going to die? :(. Please Help!

wahnsdlr

Chirping
6 Years
Aug 21, 2014
34
0
77
My son's kindergarten class got some local eggs to incubate for the class, they had extra and sent them home with me. We hatched 6 on Wednesday.
They are four days old. Today I noticed at least three of them are sneezing and panting. We do have other chickens, but these chicks have been isolated in my dining room under a heat lamp. We did take them out for maybe 10 minutes to the front yard today, and I noticed a few panting, but I thought maybe it was the heat and the sun.
They are all eating, drinking, and pooping like normal chicks, I think. (This is my third batch of chicks, but the first I've ever hatched.). But, I'm worried they have something that will kill them, especially since they are so young.
I have tylan 50 injectable, is that something I should consider giving them?
Thank you for any advice you lol can offer.
 
I've put drops of vet rx on each chick. No changes. Also, gave them, scrambled eggs for breakfast. I'm hoping this will help.
If anyone has experience or advice, I'd love to hear it.
Can these things just run their course without intervention?
 
It is a big plastic tote. I'm using a 250 watt heat lamp. They are on pine shaving as bedding, but I like to cover it with a layer of paper towels, which I change daily.
This is the same set up as I had with a batch of chicks I oredered from a hatchery in February.
This afternoon I raised the lamp as the temperature directly under the light was closer to 105 - though they had plenty of space to move out. Now the temp is 92-95 ish. I'm guessing the temperature of the room is warmer now than in February, which maybe makes a difference with the heat lamp.
I haven't seen any of the chicks panting and have only heard a few sneezes. Not sure if the vet rx helped or not.
Would it being too warm cause sneezing?
 
I keep my chicks in the house in the big long plastic tubs sold to store xmas trees. I save wire racks/shelves from old stoves and refrigerators, and place one across the tote. Then I put my heat lamp reflector on that with a regular light bulb. Heat lamps are too hot. I usually start with a 75 watt bulb, then a few days later go to a 6o watt, then to 40 watt. Eventually to no bulb.

Your chicks probably were getting too hot. I never check the temps under my chicks. I just watch how they act. If they huddle together under the light-too cold. If they move out and stay away from the light-too hot. If they are comfortable they should be running around, eating, drinking, playing, etc.

Sometimes the chicks will get dust or water in their noses and will sneeze. Your heatlamp could have been causing the bedding to put off fumes or something. They can be very dangerous. My husband put one over some younger birds outside one winter and he had it too close to the fresh bedding and I found it had scorched the bedding and was smoking. If I had not found it when I did, it would have ignited.
 
When my pheasant chicks small they also sneeze every time but also eating and drinking so only I check their temperature and activeness that's all
 

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