5day chick labored breathing- Tylan dose?

[kiraboo]

Hi everyone! Hoping for some advice. I recently brought home 4 leghorn chicks from my son's classroom hatching project. They were 4 days old and once I got home, I noticed one with labored breathing (not open mouth, no discharges/sneezing, was eating, normal droppings)... its butt just moved in and out more, and more rapidly than the others. Hoping it was stress, but it's not.

It's slightly worse today and more lethargic than the other crazy chicks running around. I've given it a bit of Nutridrench, electrolytes in water, and made sure it was drinking. Not eating as well today and will probably isolate it. I have Tylan 50 injectable... would this be advisable? I have the tiny insulin syringes and can give IM/SQ injections (was a vet tech), but is a 5 day old chick too small? Should I give it orally? Dosages? Any other things I should do? Guesses as to what's wrong? Mycoplasma?? I'm out in the country with nothing but feed stores for supplies. Thanks for any help!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

I was gonna say incubator chicks should not have any exposure to illness and medicating was not a good idea in my opinion.

But as I read your post, I realize SOME things can pass to the egg.
My next best guess would be a genetic deficiency causing other system failures resulting in the labored breathing??

Isolation is pointless IMO, because all have already been exposed... especially if it was something that passed through the egg.

Sorry I can't be more help. I do indeed hope to learn something by participating. Hopefully you will get some better answers.

 

[kiraboo]

Ok, thank you... I was kind of thinking that they weren't exposed to anything, but know very little about hen to egg transmittable diseases. Yes, they all have been running around together and it'd probably do better with its buddies than being left by its lonely self. Thanks so much for your input. I'm wondering if giving Tylan orally as a "just in case" would be a bad idea? Or perhaps I should just stick to supportive care... ugh, I hate not knowing.

 

[chickens really]

I would just ensure its eating and drinking...It might be too warm or a bit stressed...Wait a bit and watch it..

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Ok, thank you... I was kind of thinking that they weren't exposed to anything, but know very little about hen to egg transmittable diseases. Yes, they all have been running around together and it'd probably do better with its buddies than being left by its lonely self. Thanks so much for your input. I'm wondering if giving Tylan orally as a "just in case" would be a bad idea? Or perhaps I should just stick to supportive care... ugh, I hate not knowing.

I personally stick to supportive care instead of throwing meds at what I don't know and possibly causing more issues. Antibiotics kill even beneficial stuff. There are many things (virus) that antibiotics won't even touch and so they just take a toll on the system. Though they may treat secondary bacterial infections that arise as a result of the weakened immune system.

I also probably would only offer support because a weak chick will be a weak adult and more susceptible to other infections, thereby inviting disease to live among my flock. I rather have them pass sooner than later. And note just because they hatch does not mean they all live. Sometimes they do fail after several days. But I am breeding and have much time and $ invested in my stock. So I can't afford the losses. Your goal may be different than mine and that's completely OK! No matter what anybody tell you (yep even me) do what makes the most sense to you in YOUR situation. And if it doesn't work try something else.

Do you have any vitamins on hand? I see you do, Nutri drench isn't my favorite because it doesn't contain any B's which are essential for energy support IMO. What are you feeding? What is the temp in your brooder? Is there room for them to cool off?

If you haven't been watching for pasty butt, it can happen and it's deadly very fast. So keep your eyes open for that.

One thing I will do for a chick who is really suffering is offer a raw egg yolk from my own flock. It's easily digestible and loaded with nutrients and micro nutrients, enough so that chicks live off of their absorbed yolk for the first 3 days after hatch.

As far as being too small, I know they vaccinate some chicks for marek's/coccidiosis during the first 24 hours after hatch.

I agree the chick would be much less happy without his little buddies.

 

[kiraboo]

I also have some Rooster Booster Vit B12... I'll be sure to give that. They are eating Manna Pro medicated chick starter. They are indoors (about 75F) with my broody silkie mama that adopted them, with a heater plate as a backup. She's doing a great job. There's plenty of room for them to self-regulate and I've been going in and making sure everybody is eating and drinking every couple of hours. Some had pasty butt while in the classroom but are now all poop free and I've told the teacher what to watch for.

Pretty sure it's not heat or environmental stress now... now that I've done some reading, I'm super worried about Mycoplasma. Out of 30 eggs, only 18 hatched, and 16 survived... I never even gave vertically transmitted diseases a though. The teacher reported back to me that 2 others have labored breathing (including 1 we treated for splay leg... needed assisted hatching). Great, and now my silkie is possibly exposed. *sigh* My adult 1.5yr old mixed flock of 15 were all vaccinated, MG-free hatchery chicks. Wondering if I should keep these separate and just give them to the school garden/coop (which is now empty).

I'm not worried about financial losses but would hate to see my flock get sick, but would like to try to save this little guy. The kids would be devastated to see it pass away... although they know it happens.

Thank you SO much for all your help and input! Any other suggestions will be welcomed with open arms.

I personally stick to supportive care instead of throwing meds at what I don't know and possibly causing more issues. Antibiotics kill even beneficial stuff. There are many things (virus) that antibiotics won't even touch and so they just take a toll on the system. Though they may treat secondary bacterial infections that arise as a result of the weakened immune system.

I also probably would only offer support because a weak chick will be a weak adult and more susceptible to other infections, thereby inviting disease to live among my flock. I rather have them pass sooner than later. And note just because they hatch does not mean they all live. Sometimes they do fail after several days. But I am breeding and have much time and $ invested in my stock. So I can't afford the losses. Your goal may be different than mine and that's completely OK! No matter what anybody tell you (yep even me) do what makes the most sense to you in YOUR situation. And if it doesn't work try something else.

Do you have any vitamins on hand? I see you do, Nutri drench isn't my favorite because it doesn't contain any B's which are essential for energy support IMO. What are you feeding? What is the temp in your brooder? Is there room for them to cool off?

If you haven't been watching for pasty butt, it can happen and it's deadly very fast. So keep your eyes open for that.

One thing I will do for a chick who is really suffering is offer a raw egg yolk from my own flock. It's easily digestible and loaded with nutrients and micro nutrients, enough so that chicks live off of their absorbed yolk for the first 3 days after hatch.

As far as being too small, I know they vaccinate some chicks for marek's/coccidiosis during the first 24 hours after hatch.

I agree the chick would be much less happy without his little buddies.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings Kiraboo,

Welcome to BYC.

I would not medicate unless you know what you are medicating for.

What is the temperature?

Are you feeding them medicated chick feed?

If the chick is showing lack of interest in food, look at the poops. Is there diarrhea or loose stools? Does the chick have a pasty butt? You said the poops were normal, what about now?

If the chick doesn't eat continuously, it will become weak quickly.

You also describe the chick as lethargic today.

The chick is already showing some of the symptoms for Coccidiosis. Because it is the most common disease in chicks, and the chick does not have upper respiratory symptoms: nasal discharge, wheezing, sneezing, etc.

I would start to treat for Coccidiosis, the sooner the better. Treat all the chicks since this is contagious.

These are my thoughts, hope they are helpful.

God Bless!

 

[kiraboo]

Greetings Kiraboo,

Welcome to BYC.

I would not medicate unless you know what you are medicating for.

What is the temperature?

Are you feeding them medicated chick feed?

If the chick is showing lack of interest in food, look at the poops. Is there diarrhea or loose stools? Does the chick have a pasty butt? You said the poops were normal, what about now?

If the chick doesn't eat continuously, it will become weak quickly.

You also describe the chick as lethargic today.

The chick is already showing some of the symptoms for Coccidiosis. Because it is the most common disease in chicks, and the chick does not have upper respiratory symptoms: nasal discharge, wheezing, sneezing, etc.

I would start to treat for Coccidiosis, the sooner the better. Treat all the chicks since this is contagious.

These are my thoughts, hope they are helpful.

God Bless!

Temperature is under a silkie mama hen that adopted them... have a heater plate as a backup. Droppings are normal... nobody has loose stools, nobody has pasty butt. I have Corid on hand as well but didn't suspect it as they're on mediated feed, have had a clean brooder, and I didn't think respiratory distress was a part of coccidiosis. I will be encouraging eating hourly today, and have baby bird formula and gavage tubes should tube feeding become necessary.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Sounds good.

Most literature I have read, says Coccidia presents at about 3 weeks of age. But, when I brought home my 2 day old chicks, one became lethargic and started to show lack of interest in food and water, at 4 days old. It died suddenly at day 5. Then, the following day another died with the same symptoms. There was no bloody diarrhea.

I quickly took the remaining 3 chicks to the Vet, he examined a fecal sample. And, they were found to be infected with Coccidiosis. I was surprised about the diagnosis. But, they recovered quickly with treatment. They recieved, Albon orally.

Maybe you could do a fecal float test, to eliminate this possibility.

So, this is just something to be observant for...medicated feed isn't always effective.

I have also, had new pullets successfully treated for mycoplasma upper respiratory.

I'm sure everything will be OK, as you are working very hard at it.

Those chicks are so blessed to have you as their keeper!

God Bless!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I also have some Rooster Booster Vit B12... I'll be sure to give that. They are eating Manna Pro medicated chick starter.

The medicated feed will be cancelled out by the B, though I think thiamine is B2... Anyways, if using medicated feed and vitamins, that is where I think nutri drench MIGHT shine.

Yes they can still get cocci even on medicated feed and might have to be treated.

It isn't that cocci is contagious... it's in every single chicken poo. Some chicks will have weaker immunity and succumb easier and faster. Some will never show symptoms and be fine.

I don't know how hen pens chicks had coccidiosis in such a short amount of time when it takes six days for symptoms to present and longer than that for death to occur. My best guess is that it was actually genetic (not all chicks who hatch make it) and and yes cocci is going to be always present, an overgrowth is when there is a problem. But who am I to argue with her vet?... I still don't buy it... chicks don't even start to poo for a little while and they don't get their land legs on them and start pecking at stuff until after the first day minimum, more like day 2. So to say coccidiosis AND death occurred by day 5... I'm not buying it!

Silkie mamas are a lot of fun!

Hope your whole flock pulls through. And thank you for sharing... I myself breed and someone recently asked if I was NPIP but am not. She said she had to cull her whole flock for mc/mg, which I didn't realize at the time could be transmitted through the egg. Chicken keeping is an ongoing learning process, keeping us on our toes! And I think this has been an important lesson for ME in biosecurity.