Distended belly, clicking noise when breathing

[Dovya]

Hi guys -

I just lost a 3-week old chick. Symptoms were open-beak rapid breathing (and she'd make a clicking noise when breathing in), her tummy seemed distended, and lethargy - any idea what it could have been? are the rest of my chicks at risk (they seem fine)? And what recourse is there for vet services for a small backyard chicken owner? What do you do when your chicks aren't doing well?! I am so sad to lose her -(

 

[Eggcessive]

Did it appear that she had air under her skin, or was the belly swollen between her legs? Clicking can be seen with a respiratory problem. I once had a 2 week old chick who suffered a bump or injury, and had a ruptured air sac on the right side of the body, also causing clicking with each breath.

Was this chick hatched in an incubator, or did you get her from a feed store, breeder, or hatchery? Was the chick having normal poops? Sorry for your loss.

 

[Dovya]

I think it was having normal poops - hard to say, now. I ordered all the chicks from Privett Hatchery. We got 25 - this is the third I've lost. They arrived through the mail at a day old and seemed to be okay but two developed this kind of breathing issue. The third died last week - she was just increasing lethargic and then just passed. I'm keeping them under a heating lamp in my bathroom, with good ventilation, pine shavings, fortified water and medicated chick feed... I think I'm covering all the bases.