Hi Tracie,
It's too early to know. Almost all backyard flocks get various respiratory diseases from the wild bird population. In most cases, it will go away on its own and you'll not have another issue with those symptoms unless they get stressed. One reason why chickens brought into your place from others is that stress reaction. On an off note: The 'organic' chicken people have led to the commercial raising of chickens in darkness, no fresh air, open sky, etc. If you give your chickens access to fresh air and open space, they will pick up things from the wild bird population. So now the issue comes to whether it is severe or not. There are numerous threads on byc regarding this but IMHO: just pick up some Oxine and run it through the humidifier in their coop for a half hour a day for 7 days. It should help tremendously as well as adding it in minute quantities to their drinking water.
Respiratory issues is not an 'if' but a 'when' with chickens. They have such gentle respiratory systems which is why ventilation is more important than almost any other factor we have control over.
Don't stress too much just learn. It's hard to tell a sick chicken because they hide symptoms so well. I remember the first time a couple of my chickens got the crud and i freaked out. I called my Mom and asked her and she said just not to worry but she was Mom and what did she know, right? Then I went to BYC and was scared out of my mind at all the things it could be...with a few people recommending culling the entire flock for what he believed, he did not know for sure, was CRD. ***? A little drastic when he wasn't even sure.
That said, your babies could be suffering from infectious bronchitis. Don't freak as it just has to take its course. I had my chicks vaccinated from it although the chicks born here with most likely get it. There is really not much you can do as rodents can bring it in as can wild birds. Once again, Oxine can help.
Anyways, just don't freak out. Chickens get respiratory issues very easy. If you add too much DE, you can get symptoms. Treating before you know for sure what it is can cause problems. Most of the really severe things are noticeable, 'oh sh!t' things like crud or bubbles in the eyes, labored breathing, no desire to move, etc.
When I was a young girl, the chickens were never mine and because of that, I didn't worry if a chicken had a cold -no, they don't get colds but back then I believed they could- or was broody. It wasn't my responsibility so I just collected eggs. It becomes intensely real when they are your responsibility. At some point, I think I believed that my chickens have had every major disease there is. I was making symptoms fit, etc. But they were fine and healthy and my eggs were prolific, even in winter.
I guess I'm just saying don't stress so much. Make sure their poop is normal, pick up some VetRx and if you need a few ounces of Oxine to do the water treatment, just PM me. Bairo has an excellent page on tons of things.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/ailments-such
and one on Oxine. Oxine is known to the alternate health community as MMS and is used internally. So there shouldn't be any fear of having it around your chickens. I had one girl sounding really bad and gave her a few doses and it cleared right up.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/bairos-member-page scroll down for his oxine information. I use the stuff all the time for cleaning around the house.
edit: realized that my quote around organic could be taken the wrong way. IMHO: by making chickens organic, they have taken from them the ability to see the sky and breathe fresh air. I am not talking small flocks but commercially raised. They are kept in virtual isolation, many places even with their own air supply to prevent infection from the wild bird population. Chickens will pick up things from the wild birds, which is why backyard flocks always have crud circulating that commercial places dont. Commercial places have biosecurity protocols in place. So sorry if it sounded snarky. It wasn't my intention.
