ChickInnMama
Songster
- Feb 21, 2022
- 114
- 125
- 123
Hi,
I wasn't sure whether to put this in this forum or the sick forum, but I'm not sure they're sick. We got 3 chicks almost 6 weeks ago and they were about 3.5 weeks old when we got them. We have a brooder for them inside and we kept them inside for about 3 weeks and then started putting them outside in a run area. The 3rd day we had them we noticed bloody stool, we treated them with Corid and that cleared right up in about 2 days, we did 5 days at the full amount and then halved it for 14 days as advised and all seems well with that. I just noticed a few days ago that one of the chicks is "gaping" on and off, it's not all the time but I do see her do it here and there. We had their little run away from our hens for weeks to make sure they were healthy before we put them into the chickens run area. Last Thursday (so just 4.5 days ago) we moved their little chick run into the hen's outside enclosed area so they can get used to each other but the hens can't get to them. Then because we are supposed to get a ton of rain this week, yesterday we moved the chick's run into the hen's actual run (where they can be closed up, they do have a lot of outside space that is fenced in as well and thats where the chicks were before). Yesterday I noticed they were making a weird noise, almost like a "honking" type of sound and my husband and I went and checked on them and they seemed fine, just making some new noises. Then when we went to bring them back into their brooder for the night I thought I kinda heard them breathing a little heavier than normal. This morning I noticed my chick gaping again, and when my son helped me take her out to check her crop I felt she was also breathing heavier than normal, almost wheezy maybe but quieter than a that? If that makes sense? Like someone breathes with a stuffy nose... just a little heavier and l louder than normal. Only the one chick does the gaping thing, opening her beaking and kinda stretching her neck? I've only seen her do it maybe 10 times over the last 4 days, but I don't stand their watching them for hours either. I also think it's note worthy that about 3 weeks ago we switched them to unmedicated feed because I want them on organic feed and we didn't find any organic that was medicated. Should I put them back on medicated feed? They are not outside today because we are supposed to get torrential rain and we thought it was best to leave them in their brooder for the day. Could they have caught something from the ground in the hen's run areas? They've been pretty easy and healthy other than bloody stool for about 2 days... they get along and they are pretty chill. We have a Black Copper Maran, Brahma/Americauna (the one that's gaping) and an Easter Egger. Other things that might be noteworthy: they have regular pine shavings from TSC in their brooder, they have fresh water daily, organic (non-medicated) feed and they have access to chick grit. When outside they are on dirt that has only a small amount of none tall grass if any, the ground inside the hen's area where they are now has dirt, mulch, dried leaves and small rocks etc. We are in Florida and it has been super hot outside, when they come in at night to the brooder they are in the air conditioning. We haven't moved them out to the coop yet because we have to introduce them and know they're safe and we leave for vacation next week and I just thought we would wait until after that, in addition to that, we have a chicken hawk that lives in a tree above the coop who cannot pick up my hens but could pick these girls up because they aren't hen sized yet. Just to be clear, only one chick is doing the gaping thing here and there but I feel like I'm hearing all 3 breathing a little heavier. Thank you for any advice!
I wasn't sure whether to put this in this forum or the sick forum, but I'm not sure they're sick. We got 3 chicks almost 6 weeks ago and they were about 3.5 weeks old when we got them. We have a brooder for them inside and we kept them inside for about 3 weeks and then started putting them outside in a run area. The 3rd day we had them we noticed bloody stool, we treated them with Corid and that cleared right up in about 2 days, we did 5 days at the full amount and then halved it for 14 days as advised and all seems well with that. I just noticed a few days ago that one of the chicks is "gaping" on and off, it's not all the time but I do see her do it here and there. We had their little run away from our hens for weeks to make sure they were healthy before we put them into the chickens run area. Last Thursday (so just 4.5 days ago) we moved their little chick run into the hen's outside enclosed area so they can get used to each other but the hens can't get to them. Then because we are supposed to get a ton of rain this week, yesterday we moved the chick's run into the hen's actual run (where they can be closed up, they do have a lot of outside space that is fenced in as well and thats where the chicks were before). Yesterday I noticed they were making a weird noise, almost like a "honking" type of sound and my husband and I went and checked on them and they seemed fine, just making some new noises. Then when we went to bring them back into their brooder for the night I thought I kinda heard them breathing a little heavier than normal. This morning I noticed my chick gaping again, and when my son helped me take her out to check her crop I felt she was also breathing heavier than normal, almost wheezy maybe but quieter than a that? If that makes sense? Like someone breathes with a stuffy nose... just a little heavier and l louder than normal. Only the one chick does the gaping thing, opening her beaking and kinda stretching her neck? I've only seen her do it maybe 10 times over the last 4 days, but I don't stand their watching them for hours either. I also think it's note worthy that about 3 weeks ago we switched them to unmedicated feed because I want them on organic feed and we didn't find any organic that was medicated. Should I put them back on medicated feed? They are not outside today because we are supposed to get torrential rain and we thought it was best to leave them in their brooder for the day. Could they have caught something from the ground in the hen's run areas? They've been pretty easy and healthy other than bloody stool for about 2 days... they get along and they are pretty chill. We have a Black Copper Maran, Brahma/Americauna (the one that's gaping) and an Easter Egger. Other things that might be noteworthy: they have regular pine shavings from TSC in their brooder, they have fresh water daily, organic (non-medicated) feed and they have access to chick grit. When outside they are on dirt that has only a small amount of none tall grass if any, the ground inside the hen's area where they are now has dirt, mulch, dried leaves and small rocks etc. We are in Florida and it has been super hot outside, when they come in at night to the brooder they are in the air conditioning. We haven't moved them out to the coop yet because we have to introduce them and know they're safe and we leave for vacation next week and I just thought we would wait until after that, in addition to that, we have a chicken hawk that lives in a tree above the coop who cannot pick up my hens but could pick these girls up because they aren't hen sized yet. Just to be clear, only one chick is doing the gaping thing here and there but I feel like I'm hearing all 3 breathing a little heavier. Thank you for any advice!
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