Chick making weird noises

[CindyRM]

Two week old EE just started making this noise. Her breath sounds a bit raspy if I put my ear up to her chest.

We’ve had her and the others for a week. Brooder is pine shavings. Heat seems fine. Eating an organic non-medicated feed. Drinking and eating as normal.


Treatment?

 

[Eggcessive]

Did you mean to post a video? Those need to be posted to YouTube or Vimeo with a link posted here. What does the noise sound like? Is there any sneeze or snicking, or wheezing? Where did the chicks come from? Do you see any runny or bubbly eye or swelling of the face? Do you have any antibiotics? I would first make sure that it is not a dust problem with the feed or bedding, or a wet area that has molded, and that your overhead ventilation is good. About the only antibiotic that is available without a vet is Tylan 50 injectable, which can be given orally. That will not treat a virus, but could treat mycoplasma (MG.)

 

[CindyRM]

Argh.... video is taking forever to process.

It sounds like a quack/kazoo. I purchased the chicks from a local farm who gets them from a hatchery. Not sure which one. No runny eyes or bubbly nose. No wetness at all (they use a water nipple). The pine is a little dusty but to me it’s just normal dust. But I’m moving them to paper towels now to see if that helps.

 

[Eggcessive]

It can be common for an occasional sneeze. Sometimes they will get a high pitched wheezy sound when breathing in and out called stridor. That can be from a piece of feed in the airway, or something like mucus or swelling. Many times stridor disappears in a few hours, but if it is accompanied by frquent sneezing and watery eyes it could be an infection, such as bronchitis or mycoplasma. Brooder pneumonia aspergillosis from wet bedding and mold) can cause symptoms as well. If it persists more than a day or two, you could call the breeder, or a vet, or just get some Tylan 50 plus a few syringes and needles. For a chick, Tylan 50 dosage is 0.1 ml (given orally) by removing the needle from the syringe, 3 times a day for up to 5 days. Tylan 50 is a cattle antibiotic found at feed stores and is used in chickens as well.

 

[CindyRM]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.metacafe.com/embed/11861533/chick-breathing/" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>



Here we go. The quack noise is at the very end, the wheezing can be heard throughout.


Edit to add...I just found out the shavings were from an open bag that’s been in the garage for 9 years. Hoping it’s just from dust.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would cover the shavings with paper towel strips until you can change them later today. I would make sure the chick has clean nostrils in case there is mucus blockage. He appears lethargic, so I would take him out and have him drink so water and try feeding some watery chick feed with bits of cooked egg. I even drip water on the egg for more fluids. Repeat this several times today. Keep her warm as well. The problem I have with getting chickens from another person is that you never know if they have had a respiratory or other disease in their flock before. But hopefully, this is just because of the dust.

 

[CindyRM]

Update...
I don’t think it’s shavings, she’s still sneezing and has a raspy breathing occasionally. She’s eating and drinking and enjoying the frequent scrambled eggs. She is a little lethargic compared to the others.
I’m in Ca and can’t get Tylan. I can get Doxy (fish) and that’ll get here tomorrow. TSC had a balm for poultry respiratory issues and that’s seems to lessen her symptoms a little. Sick chick got a dose of Nutra-drench yesterday and this morning and it’s in the water of all the others.
I have a call into the farm. I trust that they aren’t dealing with their own respiratory issues and passing along those chicks, their bio-security is amazing and with New Castle stuff in CA they’ve shown themselves to be extremely vigilant in bird health.

New questions...
I don’t know if I’m going to be offered another chick. At what point do I just exchange this chick and stop trying to get her well myself?
Any idea how long I need to be worried about the others contracting this? Incubation time?

 

[Eggcessive]

Doxycycline will treat the same things as Tylan, including mycoplasma (MG.) If they have another chick the same age, I would add it asap, so that when they start the pecking order issues in another week or two, things will be calm. My guess is that if this chick survives, it may be stunted or not reach it’s potential. But it doesn’t hurt to treat it. If it responds to the antibiotic, that would be great.

 

[CindyRM]

Update!

As of Monday morning the sneezing and coughing had stopped. No wheezing so I held off on the meds and just continued the Nutri-drench and salve daily. Im adding Nutri-drench to the water for the rest of the girls every other day. As of today the sneezing is 99% gone!

I have Tylan coming from out of state, hopefully I won’t need it!

 

[Eggcessive]

Glad that the symptoms have stopped for the most part. Hopefully, they are getting better.