Chicks sneezing a lot but otherwise look... fine?

[Critter Crazed]

I have 10 Silkie chicks that are 10 days old. I use pine shavings for bedding and I feed them medicated chick starter. They are kept in a box with a heat lamp and the temperature is about 96 F. They are kept in the basement which is heated/air conditioned.

It started out as one chick sneezing but now I see the others sneezing too.. Every minute or so you here a sneeze when you are down there. I don't know what it could be. I've observed them a lot and they all seem perfectly healthy as far as I know. This is my first time raising chicks so I really don't know. They are making that happy chirping noise and putzing around the brooder like chicks do. They are all eating and drinking. Poop looks fine and normal.
Will this progress into anything? I'm going to the feed mill today to get some poly vi sol or chick vitamins to boost their immune system. Should I get them anything else? I just thought I'd ask before I went.

Also I have seem one yawn a lot....
Could this be gapeworm? Or just a cold?
I could really use some answers. I'm a worried chicken mama.

 

[threehorses]

They're too hot. 10 days old they should be around 90 at this point. It's possible that the heat and any moisture from spilled water is causing mildew issues. I'd lower their brooder heat a bit.

You can get some VetRx and swab their nares and rooves of their mouths with it diluted with very warm water. Heat the VetRx, just a small bit, first before mixing so the oil mixes with the water. Use a seperate q-tip for each baby. Use one end for their nares, the other for their beak.

You can give them the enfamil in hopes of boosting their immunity, certainly. With little babies that old, I'd probably just use a drop. You can also give them a little yogurt treat to boost their guts in case they are having any drainage from their sinuses into their mouths. This will also help if they're coming down with something by making sure their bacterial gut load isn't compromised. (Plus they love it.)

Then I'd just watch and see if anyone starts to have labored breathing.

 

[Matt A NC]

How's the ventilation and chick dust? If not enough ventilation their own "dust" can cause sinus problems that eventually leads to brooder pneumonia if not dealt with.

I would do as the previous person said and lower the temp a bit and try the VetRX. Make sure they have proper ventilation.

Also using mild bleach water, dampen a rag and go over the side of the brooder and the top. This will get alot of the dust that they have produced. It may be a good idea to change their bedding and clean the bottom of the box too.

Matt

 

[Critter Crazed]

Thank you very much. I thought they were supposed to be at 95 F? I'll raise the lamp!

I've been looking for unflavored yogurt for a while but I just can't seem to find it. I'll try and look harder though. I've heard they love that stuff and it's really good for them. I must get it! Lol.

I called someone and they said that pine/aspen shavings could make them sneeze. So I'm also going to go get a bale of hay. And some vitamins.

Thank you!

 

[Critter Crazed]

I change their bedding every two days and ever day I fluff it up and turn the bedding over so it's cleaner. I think that produces a lot of shavings dust too.. Hopefully the hay will solve that. I will use mild bleach water and wipe down the sides a bit.

Thank you for the help. I love this site!

I don't know if I can get the VetRx you guys are talking about but I will try.



Edit to say: The heat lamp is highered. I got some poly-vi-sol and some hay.

They aren't sneezing as much today. Probably because yesterday I changed their bedding and they were sneezing a LOT. Today I just kind of fluffed it up. When I change it I do notice a ton of dust. That is my guess at the cause of the sneezing.

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
Actually pine/aspen will make them sneeze less than the mildew of hay will. Hay, in my experience, leads to a lot more cases of coccidiosis.

Best thing to do is take the bedding before you put it in with them - put it in a cardboard box and stir all the dust out of it. (Wear a dust mask.) Then put it in with them by taking it off the top. (Dust sifts down to the bottom if it's left).

Hay is less absorbant and the moisture it leaves encourages cocci.

Oh the temps, you start at 95 for the first week and reduce 5 degrees every week thereafter until you reach around 75-72 degrees or until the birds are fully feathered, whichever comes first. So this week they're at 90 degrees. 96 with humidity can be quite hot.

And don't worry about not doing everything perfect. Some of us (points at self) had to learn the hard way like using hay for bedding, and having chicks die from too much heat, etc. I'm glad at least we can help steer you on a better path.

And I totally agree with Matt's post btw.

 

[Critter Crazed]

Okay thank you.

I was talking with the person I got the eggs from (I hatched them myself) and they brood a LOT of chicks! So I figured he'd be pretty experienced and I listened to him and bought the hay. He said that mildew from the shavings could cause more sneezing than hay. The opposite of you... So I'm so confused right now. @_@ Lol. Anyways I already bought the hay so I'm going to use that and see if the sneezing stops or what. Hopefully it stops! I got some poly-vi-sol but no yogurt. Where is plain yogurt?! Sheesh! Lol. I put a few drops in their water because they would not let me get near them with the eye dropper.

I'm hoping to get some yogurt and mix it in there and feed that to them when I can. They seem to be pretty happy right now. I'm very greatful.

I'm just worried if this could increase to something else. I worry about EVERYTHING lol.

Can't get any VetRx by the way. My dad barely wanted to get the poly-vi-sol. I bet he thinks they are 'just chicks' but I yell at him everytime he says that lol. They are my babies!

 

[threehorses]

Plain yogurt is usually well hidden. lol The big things are at the bottom of the display, the plain is usually up and maddeningly to one side.

On the hay - you can try it, it's a change. The thing with pine is that they're so dry that they... how to put it - the moisture evaporates out more quickly. He would be right about pine if alot of water gets in or they pack. Hay it would drain down more. It's just that much hay already has some spores of mildew in it (as we find as horse people) and pine doesn't have as much in my experience.

Try them both and tell us what you think; it could be useful to others.

If you absolutely can't find the yogurt, by the way, you can sometimes find acidophilis tablets or capsules in the vitamin section of the grocery store or pharmacy. Those are very useful, and you can take them as well after a cold or any time there's stomach distress.

You just crush the tablet, empty the capsule, and use on top of their food.

Oh cute on the dad.

that's ok - you can actually just use q-tips and warm water and clean their nares (nostrils) a little and that will help them.

I'm glad to hear about the babies being appy - they're adorable, aren't they? And don't worry too much about the chickens. They can have lots of problems, but if you get the basics down that's most of it - keeping them on mostly a complete feed, keeping them eating and drinking, etc. And you have a wonderful bunch of people here to help you.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

You can also find commercially prepared probiotics. I use Probios for all of our animals.

 

[threehorses]

I absolutely ADORE probios dispersible powder. For around 8 dollars, you can get the smallest bottle but it lasts ages. It keeps well in the refrigerator and you only use about 1/4 teaspoon per bird. Because it's powder, you can do anything with it - mix with water to give directly, sprinkle on food, mix in a teaspoon of something you know they'll hog down, etc. The only way I don't recommend its use is left in the drinking water. It's not economical that way.

It's a product you can use even if you're using -mycin or -cycline drugs. And I've used it on day-1 babies. Brilliant stuff.

Thank you, Farmer Kitty!