3 day old chick - mouth breathing

[JustDawn]

I got my chicks yesterday. 8 of the 12 made it through shipping. One looked funny yesterday. She kept walking backwards and seemed not to be able to settle. I put them under a heat lamp immediately and gave them all sugar water and food. They all seemed to be find by last night. Everyone seemed to be fine though out the day today as well. About an hour ago though, my little white leghorn (not the same one that was acting funny yesterday) started mouth breathing and hasn't stopped. I am very worried about her.

I've given her more sugar water. What else can I do for her?

Thanks.

 

[JustDawn]

She's not mouth breathing like my girls do outside when they are hot. It's a whole body kinda thing. At first it looked like she had the hic cups... Head moves, neck moves, looks like she has something stuck in her throat.... I separated her from my others because they were picking on her.

 

[JustDawn]

I have taken a video. How do I upload a video to this forum?

OK - couldn't figure out how to embed it here so here's the link to the youtube video.

 

[JustDawn]

This is horrible. I feel like I am watching her die.

Does anyone know what I can do for her? My husband just left to get some yogurt for her. She isn't attempting to eat now. She will drink when I put her beak in the sugar water. She is still pooping fine. She's just doing that mouth thing, even when she is sleeping (or trying to sleep). She doesn't stay down long. She seems uncomfortable. I tried to move her away from her siblings but she freaked out. Started running back and forth and trying to jump out over and over. I finally put her bin right next to her siblings. She calmed down and only tried to jump into their bin twice. Now I think she is just too worn out to try.

 

[NewToFarming]

I tried to view your video but it says it is set to private so it doesn't come up. I have my fingers crossed that she will get better! Has she been eating?

 

[JustDawn]

Thank you NewtoFarming,

She was eating, drinking and pooping earlier today like the others. She is the smallest out of the bunch. It doesn't look like panting... it looks like gasping

or like there is something caught. It doesn't stop when she sleeps.

It was my first youtube video. I have fixed it. Try it now

She is not eating or drinking now. I have force feed her sugar water and yogurt. I worry that this is stressing her out even more. How often should I force feed her? I am doing it with a very small dropper. She struggles.

 

[organicfoltzfamilyfarm]

What bedding do you have them in? Does her crop feel enlarged?

If you're using pine bedding something might be stuck in there.

If you're not using the pine shavings we can try to move on from there.

 

[JustDawn]

organicfoltzfamilyfarm,

She is 3 days old. I just had my babies on paper towels because I worry about them eating the bedding. She is tiny. I'm not sure how to tell if her crop feels enlarged. It just feels kinda squishy. She hasn't eaten since this has started except for what I am forcing her to eat.

 

[NewToFarming]

I am sorry I have no idea. My first thought was also that she might have swallowed some bedding but since you aren't using it, it of course it can't be that. I was now able to view your video since you had fixed. Poor little thing. It does look like she is in some sort of distress from something though. I hope someone here can offer some advice for you!

 

[organicfoltzfamilyfarm]

I just posted this on some ones page so hopefully you can use this too.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044