3 week old chicks stretching out neck and widing mouth once in couple minutes what is wrong

[JASONMrtz]

My 3 week old chicks are stretching there necks and widening there mouths I dont know what to do to help Im a beginner at this and they dont do it repeatedly they do it once in couple of minutes but they eat drink like normal but I just want to know what could be happening and what to do please comment need help!

 

[Kiki]

Hi there!
What do you feed them?

Are they in a brooder still, if so, what size is it and what is the temp of it?

 

[Mickey67]

I'm interested to hear any answers, but also, I am new to chickens and mine do that sometimes I did not anything of it. They are about 10 -12 weeks now ( hard to keep track) but seem perfectly healthy

 

[chickendreams24]

Does it look like they're stretching their necks and almost yawning?

Are their crops full when they do this? Or after eating/drinking?
You're feeding starter crumbles correct?
You may want to offer them chick sized grit now if you haven't before.

Sounds to me like they are just adjusting their crops which is very normal.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Fungal infections of the respiratory system can cause that behavior. There are other diseases too that cause that behavior also, but I think most of this behavior absent other symptoms can be fungus. Hot humid weather, moldy conditions, bad feed, leads to fungal problems for chickens. I just found a whole bag of scratch in my shed ruined because of mold. It got a bit hot and moist and that was it. Whole bag is dusty looking and smells. Glad I was paying attention before I gave it to birds.
Watch out in summer months because heat and humidity can mold your bedding, your feed, etc. Birds can easily become infected. Hard to cure.

 

[JASONMrtz]

Hi there!
What do you feed them?

Are they in a brooder still, if so, what size is it and what is the temp of it?

I feed them corn and I don't remember the other food becau

Fungal infections of the respiratory system can cause that behavior. There are other diseases too that cause that behavior also, but I think most of this behavior absent other symptoms can be fungus. Hot humid weather, moldy conditions, bad feed, leads to fungal problems for chickens. I just found a whole bag of scratch in my shed ruined because of mold. It got a bit hot and moist and that was it. Whole bag is dusty looking and smells. Glad I was paying attention before I gave it to birds.
Watch out in summer months because heat and humidity can mold your bedding, your feed, etc. Birds can easily become infected. Hard to cure.

I'm not sure if it is that and if so what can I do to help the chicks?

 

[Kiki]

Corn is BAD. They need a complete chick feed. Have you been giving them grit with the corn?

Read this:
http://articles.extension.org/pages/69065/feeding-chickens-for-egg-production

 

[JASONMrtz]

Does it

Corn is BAD. They need a complete chick feed. Have you been giving them grit with the corn?

Read this:
http://articles.extension.org/pages/69065/feeding-chickens-for-egg-production

Really I never knew that because once I gave them corn to see and once I put it both of them ran and ate the corn really fast I was surprised and now I'm surprised they can't eat corn and not sure if they eat grit because I usually let them outside to eat pebbles and stuff but I will go get grit today to see if anything changes but they act normal right now.

 

[Kiki]

Corn is like chips. Of course they are going to eat it first, who wouldn't.
It's just not a complete feed and can cause all kinds of problems if it is the only thing you feed them.
Did you read that article?

 

[chickendreams24]

@KikisGirls

I think you quoted the wrong person.
I know full well what feed they need lol