Chick sneezing shaking head and gaping help.

[MotherCluck44]

This is the third time I've raised a flock of chickens and the first time I've ever dealt with an illness of any form.
I have 12 chicks ranging in age from 2 weeks to 6 weeks. 3 days ago, I noticed one of the chicks sneezing constantly and everyone doing some head shaking or twitching. To be safe, I added denegard to the water that day. Yesterday morning the chicks sneeze was worse and louder and she was doing alot of gaping as well. I quarantined her on a puppy pad to eliminate any dust or anything.
Then I noticed another one sneezing as well. I added it in with her and an hour later noticed another sneezing as well. I'm new to this site but I'm desperate for help. I'm going to try to add a video.

NO leakages or bubbles from eyes
NO leakages from nares
Poop is normal
Everyone is eating and drinking

I do not want to cull and start over if it's not something life long. I'm just having a hard time figuring out the illness. This is day 3 of denegard and I dont see much improvement as far as the sneezing goes.

 

[featherhead007]

I had a pullet with similar trouble. be sure to keep the sick away from the healthy.
Sadly When I said "had" I meant it!

 

[Eggcessive]

First look at a possible environmental issue such as dusty feed or bedding or other allergen. Frequent sneezing can be a sign of infectious bronchitis, a corona virus which is the most common respiratory disease. It does not respond to antibiotics, and it lasts around a month in chickens. If you should lose a chick, try to get a necropsy by your state vet—that is a good way to identify the disease. Make sure to prevent water spills which can cause mold and fungal pneumonia.

 

[MotherCluck44]

First look at a possible environmental issue such as dusty feed or bedding or other allergen. Frequent sneezing can be a sign of infectious bronchitis, a corona virus which is the most common respiratory disease. It does not respond to antibiotics, and it lasts around a month in chickens. If you should lose a chick, try to get a necropsy by your state vet—that is a good way to identify the disease. Make sure to prevent water spills which can cause mold and fungal pneumonia.

I was grinding feed down to almost powder form I wonder if that's it. She in fact is sneezing less today and I had put a second chick in with her yesterday as a guinea pig to see if it would catch it to figure out if it was contagious. It hasn't, so now I'm leaning towards air quality since they were in an 8x10 closed up laundry room. I've moved then all out to my old coop that's been boarded up to give them better air quality with some brooder plates. This should make them better if it is in fact air quality. Also I stopped grinding feed and they're not on crumble. The reason they weren't originally is because they would kick out every single crumble to leave nothing but dust and would fight over it. Idk at this point I feel insane.

 

[featherhead007]

I was grinding feed down to almost powder form I wonder if that's it. She in fact is sneezing less today and I had put a second chick in with her yesterday as a guinea pig to see if it would catch it to figure out if it was contagious. It hasn't, so now I'm leaning towards air quality since they were in an 8x10 closed up laundry room. I've moved then all out to my old coop that's been boarded up to give them better air quality with some brooder plates. This should make them better if it is in fact air quality. Also I stopped grinding feed and they're not on crumble. The reason they weren't originally is because they would kick out every single crumble to leave nothing but dust and would fight over it. Idk at this point I feel insane.

Being insane is a prerequisite on this Backyard Chickens Forum!

 

[Eggcessive]

So what are they eating if not on crumble? Hopefully the better air circulation will help. I have never had to grind crumbles for baby chicks. I have had a dozen or so bantams, and even they could eat the crumbles right away.

 

[MotherCluck44]

So what are they eating if not on crumble? Hopefully the better air circulation will help. I have never had to grind crumbles for baby chicks. I have had a dozen or so bantams, and even they could eat the crumbles right away.

It was the same feed just ground down a bit. I've switched them back over time full crumble. They were just wasting it all before to just eat the powdery bits. I currently have silkies, wheaten marans, ameraucanas, one cochin bantam, an isabella leghorn and an isa brown. It's not that I thought they couldn't eat it as much as they actually wouldnt.

 

[MotherCluck44]

Alright yall, I've got a digital thermometer and humidity gauge and the air is SO DRY. it was 35 percent and dropping. I have a humidifier going to bring it up a bit above 50 percent. Since I've had it running for about 25 min I haven't seen any head shaking or heard any sneezing. I had also noticed their skin was dry looking too. They are in my small laundry room that doesnt have heat so there isnt any real ventilation besides the air purifier I have in here.

I've been at such a loss because they were doing things to try to clear their sinuses but with ZERO drainages at all. And every respiratory illness or disease I read includes that which is why I've been so desperate into figure it out.

I'm in here watching them and MY nose is irritated from to dry air and I noticed my sons nose is irritated if he spends any amount of time out here. So, we shall see. But everyone please cross your fingers that I have healthy chicks and I can leave the looney bin..oops I mean laundry room... for more than 5 seconds.

 

[Eggcessive]

Glad that you may have found the problem.

 

[MotherCluck44]

Glad that you may have found the problem.

I still see head shaking today but they're stinky. So the bedding needs changed. Once my toddlers are asleep, I'll do that and see if it helps.