can a chicken have a cold??

[piglett]

i always make a point of picking up all 8 of my chicks (one at a time)
once i return home from work in the evening.
well last night i moved them all from the brooder to a cardboard box
one at a time & i found 1 to be rather boney
i didn't think much of it but i did take the chick into the livingroom with me to hangout while i was online
i could hear something that just wasn't 100% when it was breathing
it wasn't all of the time but maybe every 20 breaths
it also sneazed 1 time.

fearing for the safety of my other 1.5 week old birds i set up a box with heatlamp along with a food & water dish
for the skinny chick. what can i do ???
i don't dare put it back in with the others (don't want 8 dead birds on my hands)
it's eating & drinking & doesn't have sticky butt

also should i keep giving all of them the medicated feed or should i change to
the 20lb bag of Dumor started/grower it got from TSC?



thanks
piglett

 

[brahmabreeder]

I'd definetly keep the chick separated. Then I would treat the chick with duramycin. Usually when I raise chicks I give them this for the first few days of their lives.

 

[dawg53]

I'm not so sure it's a respiratory issue. She couldve inhaled feed dust causing the sneezing. Pollen, dust and other environmental factors can cause them to sneeze. Since most respiratory diseases are transmittable to other birds, and your other chicks are not showing the same signs as your seperated chick, I suspect it could possibly be environmental.
For now, keeping her seperated is a good idea. Observe her for bubbly eyes, runny nostrils, head shaking, facial swelling...all signs of a respiratory problem. Keep an eye on your other chicks as well.

 

[piglett]

i would like to thank both of you for your input
i'll see if i can get the duramycin at TSC tomorrow , so far just a couple of sneezes & low weight.
the bird is eating but not like the others who just plain go nuts when i add to the feeder.



piglett

 

[speckledhen]

I would disagree with antibiotics. No, chickens don't get colds, per se. They can contract pneumonia, but that is not very common. New environment and dust can make them sneeze, even glues/resins in plywood can do that. The worst thing you can do when you don't know for sure what you are dealing with is treat with antibiotics.

 

[piglett]

I would disagree with antibiotics. No, chickens don't get colds, per se. They can contract pneumonia, but that is not very common. New environment and dust can make them sneeze, even glues/resins in plywood can do that. The worst thing you can do when you don't know for sure what you are dealing with is treat with antibiotics.

well what do you feel is the best course if action then ??

 

[piglett]

well what do you feel is the best course if action then ??

oops of not "if"

i can't edit my posts : )

 

[speckledhen]

Provide the best environment, watch the dust in the feed, make sure the bedding isn't super dusty (pine shavings vary greatly), separate the one you think may be ill, give extra protein, maybe some vitamins and observe.

If you treat what may end up being a contagious respiratory disease, you have set up a cycle of disease and created carriers in the flock that will keep your flock basically sick on an ongoing basis. Sometimes, if a bird isn't strong enough, it's best to let nature take its course. I know that goes against the grain for most people, but with chickens, it's often the best way to make a good, healthy flock. Best to let an immuno-compromised chick pass on than try to keep a weakling going and weaken the entire flock. JMHO. It may just need some extra TLC, maybe just be extra sensitive to dust. I have a hen who is 5 years old and she has always been a sneezer. She is not ill, just has sensitive and possibly not well-formed nasal passages. It's just peculiar to her.

 

[piglett]

the bedding is ceader & it isn't at all dusty,
"sneezy" is now in a box with heatlamp,food & water.
what is a good source or protein for a 2 week old chick?

i'll give this chick 2 weeks , after that i have day old chicks showing up
and there will be NO sick chicks here to infect my english/american orpingtons i can tell you that!!

thanks
piglett

Provide the best environment, watch the dust in the feed, make sure the bedding isn't super dusty (pine shavings vary greatly), separate the one you think may be ill, give extra protein, maybe some vitamins and observe.

If you treat what may end up being a contagious respiratory disease, you have set up a cycle of disease and created carriers in the flock that will keep your flock basically sick on an ongoing basis. Sometimes, if a bird isn't strong enough, it's best to let nature take its course. I know that goes against the grain for most people, but with chickens, it's often the best way to make a good, healthy flock. Best to let an immuno-compromised chick pass on than try to keep a weakling going and weaken the entire flock. JMHO. It may just need some extra TLC, maybe just be extra sensitive to dust. I have a hen who is 5 years old and she has always been a sneezer. She is not ill, just has sensitive and possibly not well-formed nasal passages. It's just peculiar to her.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I would get rid of the cedar shavings. Cedar puts off fumes that can irritate the respiratory passages. Its the reason that it repels bugs. I think I read that a 5% mix of cedar in with pine is ok. Others, please correct me if I'm wrong. I would use just plain pine shavings. If you think their dust content is too high, you can put them into an onion bag and shake the dust out or a colander or some other similar thing.

You can add hard boiled egg yolk to the starter crumbles and that will boost the protein.