1 week old chick gaping - STILL NEED ADVICE PLEASE-see pg 3 for status

[verlaj]

I have a 1-week old Buff Wyandotte that I took out of the brooder tonight just to handle it and noticed that it was gaping while breathing. It also makes an occasional coarse chirp and shakes its head. I did not notice this before I took it out of the brooder.

It is one of 19 chicks received last Thursday by mail from Ideal. They all have seemed fine - eating and drinking, although the Wyandottes are smaller than the other chicks.

They are in my den in an open-top brooder with heat lamp, heat adjusted by rheostat depending on the behavior of the chicks, fed chick starter with coccidiostat, water, and now on pine shavings bedding (paper towels initially). They all got sugar water for the first 2 days after arrival, then water with vitamins for the next 2 days.

I have isolated this chick into a separate brooder box, temp at 95 degrees, and I put a packing peanut cockerel in with it for company, because the Wyandotte got frantic when it was isolated. It is still eating and drinking. However, it is still doing the open-mouth breathing on inhalation and the raspy chirp with a head shake.

Could it have something caught in its throat - maybe in the excitement when I was reaching into the brooder? All the other chicks seem perfectly fine. Any ideas of what the problem could be and what I should/can do?

Thanks.

 

[Renee]

Can you look down its throat and see if anything is stuck? I had problems with my chicks eating the shavings so I had to put them back on paper towels. It may have a pine shaving stuck in its throat or crop.

 

[verlaj]

I'll try. I was afraid of stressing it more. I'll check now.

 

[verlaj]

I got a good look in there and I can't see anything in the mouth or gullet. She looks awfully perky to have an infectious problem, but I do see some dry dark discoloration around her nostrils. The other Buff Wyandottes do not have this, so I think she had some kind of a nasal discharge. There certainly isn't any wet discharge now.

 

[verlaj]

Saw another post about a chick with similar signs and people were suggesting an impacted crop. My chick's crop is soft and fluctuant. I gave it a couple of drops of olive oil orally anyway, in case there is a piece of shavings in its esophagus or crop. The chick is pretty strong. Please let me know if you think of anything else I can do.

 

[jenjscott]

how is baby today, I found your thread looking to help one of my own, hope yours does ok.

 

[valentinebaby]

I had a chick that kept opening and closing its mouth and called the breeder who suggested it was because she was the smallest, it was probably getting packed on the bottom of the chicken pile and was gasping for air! I didn't think this little one would live, but now I believe the breeder was right. "Billie" is still my smallest Buff Orpington, but LOVES to be held. Good luck!

 

[ChickBond 007]

Quote:
These symptoms sound exactly like what happened to my little week old flock about 10 days ago. I lost 8 of the 15 during this round of respiratory illness. Here's how I got it under control once I understood what was going on.
Isolate sick chicks. Treat them with 1 drop of PolyViSol infant vitamin drops 3 times daily. They will not like it.
Change the water of the entire flock to a mix of Duramyacin and Quick-Chick or other electrolyte. (I mix Duramyacin in one jug, quick-chick in another, then put it 50%-50% in to the waterer.) Remember that Duramyacin only lives 8 hours, so remix it and change water frequently.
Keep flock very warm. An increase in temp helps fight bacterial infections.
Good luck.

 

[chickabator]

could it be too hot? I have had chicks to do this and lowered the temp in the brooder and they quit. They almost looked like they were panting. They were fine after that for some reason they did better when I had brooder around 85 instead of the 90 at a week old. just a suggestion.

 

[GaDawg]

I had a three wk. old do this, and I treated with Poly-vi-sol (without iron) and chick grit. She was fine 3 days later.
2 to 3 drops, 3 x a day

then I added a dropper full to my other chicks water just for good measure.