Breathing Trouble...

[WiseOwl5]

Hi. Today we went to a sale in our area to pick up some chicks and ducklings. We got some Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, some Golden Laced, and some Silver Laced, all about 1-5 days old and there are 8 total. When we got them home they were droopy, but we got some sugar in there water and they perked up. However, an orangish one is breathing faster than the others, almost panting actually. He seems to be breathing heavily. They are not warm, because the thermometer says 95 degrees Fahrenheit. I put my ear up to it and didn't hear any clicking noises (I've heard that could be what's wrong). Please help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome to BYC!
Panting can be a sign of distress, moving stress or being to hot in chicks.
Make sure they have room to move out from under the light (heat). Ideally one spot in the brooder should be warm while the rest is cool.
Offer some vitamins/electrolytes like Sav-A-Chick or Nutri-Drench to the panting chick.
While 95 is a general starting point for brooding, paying attention to the chicks actions will help you determine whether or not they are too hot. If they avoid the light (heat) like the plague it's too warm, if they are all piled under it - too cold. They should be happily playing in and out of the warm to cool areas.

Can you post some photos or a video of the chick in question?

http://hencam.com/faq/chick-care/

 

[WiseOwl5]

Well, I can't get them Sav-A-Chick because I live 1 hour from town, but I can post a video later.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Well, I can't get them Sav-A-Chick because I live 1 hour from town, but I can post a video later.

Then continue the sugar solution.

 

[WiseOwl5]

Ok, I will definitely do that. Thanks. He seems to be doing a lot better.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hopefully it was just moving stress. Some chicks get stressed when being moved from one place to another or from being handled.
Glad to hear he seems to be improving.
Keep us posted.

 

[WiseOwl5]

We do have electrolytes that I found that are for animals. They are for "chickens, swine, cattle, sheep, and horses" but I'm not sure if that will help. It's a weird brand though, Vetoquinol Electrolytes Plus or something. Would that do the trick? I'm just so worried for the little guy. He survived the night though.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Eclectroytes or sugar do not solve problems. What they do is energize the animal so it's active and eating feed. The feed is what solves problems. That said, I have and use electrolyte and vitamin powder. By directions it's something like 2-3 tsp to a gallon of water. When chicks first hatch that's what is for water to drink in brooder for first few days. I use it again in heat of summer.

If your chick continues to be panting it's a sign of too much heat. If you've a infrared bulb it will be hotter than your thermometer reading. It's like being heated by the sun on a cold day. The ambient temp might be 50F but your warm. That's infrared heat. Something to keep in mind.

 

[WiseOwl5]

I've noticed that he shrieks and chirps louder than the others. Very weird.

 

[WiseOwl5]

Well, it died. Here is what happened: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1102943/injured-chick-cant-get-up-help#post_16965158 So sad when a pet dies.