Very worried!!! Chicks breathing fast and making a clicking noise...

[Tansie]

Hi, just thought I would let you know the chick hatched and is doing great after hours of watching it is make sure it was OK, I eventually worked out that the clicking sound was actually the internal and external membranes sticking together and pulling apart with each breath of the chick. I increased the humidity and it stopped I'm a first time hatcher and I was worried about EVERYTHING
Here is the same chick two days later

 

[Faraday40]

Hi, just thought I would let you know the chick hatched and is doing great

after hours of watching it is make sure it was OK, I eventually worked out that the clicking sound was actually the internal and external membranes sticking together and pulling apart with each breath of the chick. I increased the humidity and it stopped

I'm a first time hatcher and I was worried about EVERYTHING
Here is the same chick two days later

Glad to hear things worked out.
Chicks are very hardy.

 

[actsup2]

I have a Buff that is about 2 weeks old - for the past 4 days she acts like she is gasping for air. i've been reading this post and we went out last night and got antibiotics for the water, but she wont drink. she will eat a little, but i never see her drink. i tried to get her to drink this morning but i'm afraid to force any water down her, bec i dont want to drown her. we have 6 new babies, i read putting one by itself can cause it to be depressed and die - so...and i may be wrong - i put my buff in a different box with another one of my babies. i'm honestly fighting tears. we just lost our 4 girls to the AZ heat (they were almost 2 yrs old) - and now i fear i may lose a baby. is there any other info i can have ???? she seems to be struggling a bit more today. Thank you

 

[Quail lady]

I don't know if there's anything you can do besides warmth and antibiotics. If you go to a vet they might inject them?

 

[Tansie]

I would phone a vet and see if someone can see her. Make sure the temperature is right and that she isn't too hot or too cold. What bedding are you using? If you can get her gently, press her side against your ear and try and listen to her breathing. A chicken's lungs are actually just under their back rather their their front so try and listen near there

 

[Faraday40]

I have a Buff that is about 2 weeks old - for the past 4 days she acts like she is gasping for air. i've been reading this post and we went out last night and got antibiotics for the water, but she wont drink. she will eat a little, but i never see her drink. i tried to get her to drink this morning but i'm afraid to force any water down her, bec i dont want to drown her. we have 6 new babies, i read putting one by itself can cause it to be depressed and die - so...and i may be wrong - i put my buff in a different box with another one of my babies. i'm honestly fighting tears. we just lost our 4 girls to the AZ heat (they were almost 2 yrs old) - and now i fear i may lose a baby. is there any other info i can have ???? she seems to be struggling a bit more today. Thank you

Not sure, but have you checked for impacted crop? If you are hearing it breathe/wheeze/click, then yes it's respiratory. Keep it warm, add electrolytes in water, & hope for the best.

If a chicken opens its mouth & stretches- like a yawn w/o noise - then it's adjusting its crop. (Sometimes head shaking could also be crop.) A few times here & there might mean she ate too much. Not a big deal. If she's doing it constantly for a long period of time then you might suspect crop. Remove feed (but keep water) for about 4 hrs. Gently feel the crop before & after. If it flattened out, then things are moving through & working OK. If still hard &/or full, then keep food out for another 2 hrs. While waiting research impacted crop & sour crop.

 

[actsup2]

Not sure, but have you checked for impacted crop? If you are hearing it breathe/wheeze/click, then yes it's respiratory. Keep it warm, add electrolytes in water, & hope for the best.

If a chicken opens its mouth & stretches- like a yawn w/o noise - then it's adjusting its crop. (Sometimes head shaking could also be crop.) A few times here & there might mean she ate too much. Not a big deal. If she's doing it constantly for a long period of time then you might suspect crop. Remove feed (but keep water) for about 4 hrs. Gently feel the crop before & after. If it flattened out, then things are moving through & working OK. If still hard &/or full, then keep food out for another 2 hrs. While waiting research impacted crop & sour crop.

i've seen her eat but even after she eats - if you touch her crop it's basically flat - i know she's not eating much - and i put some water on a spoon and held it near her...her beak touched the water and she moved it like she was drink , but she wasn't really. i know she's not yawning - she continually opens and closes her beak like she is trying to get air. she actually laid down for a minute and slept without doing it, but that didn't last long -she woke up fighting to breathe. she will walk around when i take her out of her cage but not for long. the other girls have already grown so much and she's not. she's lighter weight than they are and a little smaller. i so appreciate everyone helping me. i know i sound like a big crybaby - but i really dont want to lose her. it was so hard losing my other 4 girls.

 

[actsup2]

well - our little Sugar is still hanging in there. we've been giving her antibiotics in her water but she only seems to drink if we put it in a spoon and guide her beak to the water. I've seen her eat a little - she is so much smaller than the other 5 now. very light weight. still gasping. some here are saying that she's acting a little better but i'm not sure. my fingers are crossed - im so proud of her. whatever the issue is...she's a fighter for sure

 

[Tansie]

well - our little Sugar is still hanging in there.  we've been giving her antibiotics in her water but she only seems to drink if we put it in a spoon and guide her beak to the water.  I've seen her eat a little - she is so much smaller than the other 5 now. very light weight.  still gasping.  some here are saying that she's acting a little better but i'm not sure.  my fingers are crossed - im so proud of her.  whatever the issue is...she's a fighter for sure

Did she come from a smaller egg? Apparently small eggs have small chicks hatch out. I've only hatched 4 eggs though so I don't have a massive amount of experience. I think just keep doing what you're doing, if she is drinking and eating now, even if it is just a little bit more, then she must be improving even if it is very slowly. Just keep loving her and letting her know that you care

 

[bloopiedoopie]

Did anyone figure out what was happening to these chicks? I have a 4-5 day old that's doing the same thing.