Chick in respiratory distress

[swtmarine]

My 3 week old chick is gasping for air and in obvious distress. He makes an occassional whistling sound and is really struggling. What can I do? Please help!!!

 

[kinnip]

I'm sorry baby's sick. You'll need to post more info to get a good answer. There's a sticky at the top of the "Emergencies..." page that has a series of questions that will help better define the problem.

 

[swtmarine]

OK, my chick is a 3 week old Buff Orpington.

He looks like he's trying to cough something up. His neck is stretched out. His eyes are closed. Looks like you'd imagine someone would look if they're choking except for the occassional desperate sounding peep. He has no signs of trauma.

I have no idea what may have cause the situation. He was in for the night and in the morning when we went to put him out with the rest of the chickens he was doing this. He only had access to his starter feed and water through the night.

His poo looks normal.

So far I have held vics vapor rub close to his face and given him a small amount of antibiotic. If I have to take him to the vet then I will but, I don't know of any vets that treat chickens. I live in a city.

During the day his run is covered in straw. At night he has paper towel in the bottom of his area.

I hope that this will help you help me! Thanks!

 

[swtmarine]

He/she is a 3 wekk old buff orpington that was vaccinated within 48 hours of hatching. We hatched him here at home. He lives inside the house at night in a large plastic bin that is freshly lined with newspaper daily. During the day he is outside in a large horse trough, sheltered from the sun. He was eating fine yesterday, but I have not seen him drink or eat anything yet today. He seemed fine last night when he was put to bed.

This morning I went to take him outside , but he was standing in the corner of his bin, gasping for air. The other hens (older, purchased, and vaccinated) were standing seperately from him and all seem fine. There is no known trauma involved, and no open wounds. There is nothing caught in his throat as far as I can tell.

He is standing in the corner of his indoor bin on a heating pad. Currently, he is gasping for breath, extending his neck while opening ihis beak when at full extension. Occasionally there is a wheezy/whistly sound as he breaths and he is trying to chirp each breath, but it is without his normal sound and vigor. His whole body heaves when he is trying to breath, and when holding him- his chest feels a little crackly in the lung area.

We have not tried anything, as we have no idea what to do. It would be preferable to treat him here at home, as I don't even know of a local vet that would be willing to handle a chicken at all.

 

[kinnip]

There are a number of things it could be. Is there any discharge? Are any other birds sick? What was he vaccinated for?
Right now, I'd say the most important thing is to get fluids and some vitamins/electrolytes in him. Use an eye dropper on the beak. Also, separate him from your other birds. A quiet place would likely be best.

 

[swtmarine]

So, I ended up taking him to the vet. She gave him a nebulizer treatment and sent me home with some antibiotics. He started doing a bit better after his nebulizer treatment but it still having a little difficulties. Thanks for your recommendations, I appreciate that people actually answer these forums!!

 

[kinnip]

Terrrific! I hope the little booger gets better fast. You're very lucky to live near a vet that sees chickens.