8 Weeks old Chick breathing very hard! I can see her whole body move while she is breathing!

Tanya22

Songster
5 Years
Oct 23, 2018
234
369
171
India
Please please help me out! I have been treating my 2 chicks for coccidiosis and finished their treatment yesterday. The older one has been very sick for 2 weeks now and she also has growth problems. Her legs are also very weak and she just moves to eat and drink.
I have given her vitamins before and have started again today. But please tell me why is she breathing so hard? Is it a respiratory problem?
I have not seen her have runny nose or eyes but she is overall very weak. Her breathing really scares me as compared to her sister it is very very fast!
 
It may be infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) but I would not know for sure does she/he have these symptoms: gasping, coughing, sneezing, tracheal rales, and nasal discharge. Here is some reading. Good luck!
Bronchitis Symptoms, Treatments & Causes Merck Manuals - Lung ...https://www.msdmanuals.com › Home › Lung and Airway Disorders › Acute Bronchitis
She sneezes sometimes but not too much. I have not seen any nasal dischatge or coughing or gasping. Just she is breathing very very hard!
PS Thank you for the link!
 
Labored breathing is not a good sign. Can you see any bubbles or drainage from her eyes? Where did these chicks come from? A breeder, a feed store, or a hatchery, or did you raise them?
 
Labored breathing is not a good sign. Can you see any bubbles or drainage from her eyes? Where did these chicks come from? A breeder, a feed store, or a hatchery, or did you raise them?
Actually we found her on the road and she looked barely a day old then.
I offered her some water and food today as she was not able to walk up to it and she seems to have improved a bit since then. Her breathing is still a bit labored but less than before. I also gave her some scrambled eggs to eat.
She has no bubbles or drainage from the eyes or nose. I have been keeping a very close eye on her and her sister ever since she got sick. These two only sneeze sometimes.
 
Are you feeding her a chick starter grower feed? You can add some warm water to a small amount of chick feed to make it wet and mushy, which may get her to eat and take more water. A little chopped egg in moderation can help. Some chick vitamins in the water, or a couple of drops orally of poultry NutriDrench can be good for a few days. How old would you guess she is, and does she have many feathers yet? Do you have them uder a heat lamp or other heat source? Pictures can be helpful.
 
Are you feeding her a chick starter grower feed? You can add some warm water to a small amount of chick feed to make it wet and mushy, which may get her to eat and take more water. A little chopped egg in moderation can help. Some chick vitamins in the water, or a couple of drops orally of poultry NutriDrench can be good for a few days. How old would you guess she is, and does she have many feathers yet? Do you have them uder a heat lamp or other heat source? Pictures can be helpful.
I have started giving her and her sister medicated feed since some time back. She is 8 weeks old and very small. But after I started giving her medicated feed she has grown a bit, gained weight and also shown new feathers! But she doesn't have as many feathers as her sister who is 6 weeks old and still bigger than her.
The doctor says that she has a vitamin deficiency. I have started giving her Proviboost (1 drop diluted in 2-3 drops of water) today and will be giving it to her for 7 days continuously.
She does drink water nicely and I saw her get up and drink some a few minutes back. You don't know the relief I felt!

For a heat source I have a heater place in the room where my girls' box are kept. I switch it on when the temperature dips below 25 degrees.
 
Are you feeding her a chick starter grower feed? You can add some warm water to a small amount of chick feed to make it wet and mushy, which may get her to eat and take more water. A little chopped egg in moderation can help. Some chick vitamins in the water, or a couple of drops orally of poultry NutriDrench can be good for a few days. How old would you guess she is, and does she have many feathers yet? Do you have them uder a heat lamp or other heat source? Pictures can be helpful.
I just took this picture.
 

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When she was younger, do you have them under a heat lamp? Usually, they need extra heat when they do not yet have feathers, up around 6 weeks of age. But she still does not have good feather growth yet, and probably needs some warmth until they all grow in. 25 degrees celsius is equivalent to 77 degrees, so that is good. Do you have any idea what breed of chicken she may be? Are her legs thick? Just asking, since some meat chickens have thicker legs, poor feathering, and may suffer leg issues. Do you have a picture of her from the front showing her legs?
 
When she was younger, do you have them under a heat lamp? Usually, they need extra heat when they do not yet have feathers, up around 6 weeks of age. But she still does not have good feather growth yet, and probably needs some warmth until they all grow in. 25 degrees celsius is equivalent to 77 degrees, so that is good. Do you have any idea what breed of chicken she may be? Are her legs thick? Just asking, since some meat chickens have thicker legs, poor feathering, and may suffer leg issues. Do you have a picture of her from the front showing her legs?
From what the vet says she might be a broiler. I use to place a heating bad wrapped in cloth as her bed and she loved sleeping on it! Her legs have started thickening just a bit since the medicated feed and the cocci treatment but they are very weak.
My doctor has told me to spray her for mites as her skin is very reddish in some parts and I will be doing that tomorrow. Do you think they can cause something like this?
 

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