5 week old lethargic buff Orpington

[Krista0967]

My sweet 5 week old buff Orpington has been off the past couple days. Not social with the rest of her flock as usual. Will just stand for long periods of time breathing heavily and droopy eyed. Is very poofy, I thought that was just her breed but maybe she’s holding her wings out a bit? I thought maybe it was heat stroke from the heat lamp I have on at night but I haven’t seen her drink water. She will eat. Is very light though. Didnt notice it at first because she’s so poofy but definitely lighter than the other Orpington I have. She also makes a clicking sound I am 99% sure she is making herself with her beak as I only hear it when she moves her beak. And that’s the only time she opens her beak. Maybe it’s from her breathing? So hard to tell. Her peep is raspy. she is also a little shaky. I read maybe to make her an Electrolyte drink but I’m not sure how much and how often. I’m new to raising chicks. Please help this little one.

 

[Mylied]

Can you put your ear up to her chest and listen to her breathing? Any eye or nose discharge? Comb pale? Droppings look ok?

 

[hayley3]

My sweet 5 week old buff Orpington has been off the past couple days. Not social with the rest of her flock as usual. Will just stand for long periods of time breathing heavily and droopy eyed. Is very poofy, I thought that was just her breed but maybe she’s holding her wings out a bit? I thought maybe it was heat stroke from the heat lamp I have on at night but I haven’t seen her drink water. She will eat. Is very light though. Didnt notice it at first because she’s so poofy but definitely lighter than the other Orpington I have. She also makes a clicking sound I am 99% sure she is making herself with her beak as I only hear it when she moves her beak. And that’s the only time she opens her beak. Maybe it’s from her breathing? So hard to tell. Her peep is raspy. she is also a little shaky. I read maybe to make her an Electrolyte drink but I’m not sure how much and how often. I’m new to raising chicks. Please help this little one.

Some of those symptoms are a sign of heat stress? How hot is it where you are?
You can buy chicken electrolytes which is what I did. There is one called Sav A Chick and another one and you just read the instructions.
You can search on the internet for different mixtures to make but it's really easier to buy it and not have to worry about the exact proportions.

 

[Krista0967]

I don’t hear anything in her chest. After doing more research I’m pretty sure it’s a respiratory infection. Maybe a mild one right now? The symptoms I’m relating to that are being fluffed out and poofy, standing still while breathing heavily, not eating or drinking much I’m worried she’ll soon stop. Lethargic. And I think the clicking may indeed be from her breathing. It’s not very often. I do see her beak is slightly open as she breathes. I have her in a box in my bedroom and she will eat a little when encouraged and I am helping her drink water. I did put a small bit of sugar, salt, and baking soda in the water. I also added a drop of oregano oil, read about that in a chick magazine. Her condition this morning is the same. It’s not overly warm for her...I put her and her small flock the same age in their hen house at 4 weeks and put the heat lamp on at night. Considered the heat lamp is maybe too warm it hits about 80 degrees f directly under the lamp. It’s about 70 in my bedroom. But again she isn’t drinking water so I’m not sure heat stroke is the problem. The others are fine but now I’m more concerned with if it’s a respiratory infection is it possible this will ruin my whole flock? Is it inevitable the rest have caught it and will follow?

 

[Krista0967]

Can you put your ear up to her chest and listen to her breathing? Any eye or nose discharge? Comb pale? Droppings look ok?

I posted a longer reply but forgot to say yes her droppings are fine. No discharge. Her comb seems fine? They are all so young yet their combs are still just the color of their bodies except the roosters is red. So it’s light colored yeah but it’s always been a small light comb yet.

 

[hayley3]

I don’t hear anything in her chest. After doing more research I’m pretty sure it’s a respiratory infection. Maybe a mild one right now? The symptoms I’m relating to that are being fluffed out and poofy, standing still while breathing heavily, not eating or drinking much I’m worried she’ll soon stop. Lethargic. And I think the clicking may indeed be from her breathing. It’s not very often. I do see her beak is slightly open as she breathes. I have her in a box in my bedroom and she will eat a little when encouraged and I am helping her drink water. I did put a small bit of sugar, salt, and baking soda in the water. I also added a drop of oregano oil, read about that in a chick magazine. Her condition this morning is the same. It’s not overly warm for her...I put her and her small flock the same age in their hen house at 4 weeks and put the heat lamp on at night. Considered the heat lamp is maybe too warm it hits about 80 degrees f directly under the lamp. It’s about 70 in my bedroom. But again she isn’t drinking water so I’m not sure heat stroke is the problem. The others are fine but now I’m more concerned with if it’s a respiratory infection is it possible this will ruin my whole flock? Is it inevitable the rest have caught it and will follow?

Did you remove the heat lamp? You still have her in the box ? How big is the box?
@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock

 

[Krista0967]

No heat lamp in the box. It’s a small box, could walk a small bit if she wanted to but she also doesn’t really move...I can try and find a bigger box. It’s open but she doesn’t try to jump out or anything even though she easily could, and would have last week. I’ve been perching her on the edge of the box when I feed her. She has food and water in her box but barely uses them so I feed and give her water on my own as well. Literally just stands still in the box otherwise. doesn’t even chirp. She’ll chirp a little when I handle her.

 

[hayley3]

Where are the other chickens? Do they live in a coop? Do they free range or live in a run? What state are you in and what's the weather like?
Are all the chickens the same age? Did you get them from the same place?

 

[Krista0967]

I ordered all 7 as chicks from l&m fleet supply. A mix of breeds. One rooster. They are all in their house with a small run as of maybe a week ago, we plan on making a bigger run once they all figure out to go back up stairs for bed which they just succeeded doing on their own yesterday. And we’ve been letting them out in the yard supervised here and there. They’re just too small yet but will be free range all day when big enough. Taking the lamp out when they reach 6 weeks so any day. The weather is very humid, I live in Northern MN and we’ve recently been getting thunderstorms. 70s during the day so we keep the lamp off plus they aren’t upstairs during the day anyway. 40s and 50s at night.

 

[hayley3]

No one has diarrhea? Do they have grass to free range on?
Hopefully @Eggcessive or @Wyorp Rock will know more...It sounded like heat stress but if she is not outside or you don't have a heat lamp on her anymore, I am clueless. Eggcessive has some experience with respiratory illnesses, I'm sure.
You might try some poultry nutri-drench to give her some extra support.