Gurgling, panting, spitting up bubbly liquid?!? I NEED HELP ASAP!

[SilkiesForEver]

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
D'uccle Bantam chick, about a week, I'm not sure how much it weighs.

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Runny nose, gasping (for air?), side by crop inflates.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Since I got it. (Not sure if it was acting this before I got it.)

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
Yes, just not to the same degree.

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No, it just wants to sleep.

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
No, I dont know.

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Chick starter with grit. Water with Sav a chick in it.

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Normal.

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
No treatments.

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Completely myself.

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
I'll see if I can get one.

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Plastic bin for brooder, wood chips for bedding, and brooder lamp.

 

[Kim95037]

Aww just wee little ones. Have they improved or is their status about the same? The only thing I could think of to do is to maybe try some antibiotics along with the other things I mentioned earlier. Today, my chick that has been the sickest was eating some crumble for the first time, which I think is a good sign. Her gurgling seems to have cleared up, but her cheep sounds different. Im so paranoid now, I dont want to get my hopes up too high. I also gave them some cottage cheese which they seemed to really like which is a good source of protein too. It sounds like your're dialed in pretty good with your brooder and such, and also it sounds like this isnt your first batch of chicks, so you know what your're doing, its just hard to deal with these guys when they come down with something. Even if you dont want to use a vet, antibiotics I think for the most part are pretty cheap, you may be able to have one just prescribe something for you or at least recommend something, it depends on the vet. Theres lots of threads on this site about the different types of antibiotics that you can use, and a lot of them you can purchase yourself. Did you get these chicks from a different source? I went into San Jose and bought some supplies and the people there told me that they had been reccomending that people not buy chickens from a place in Gilroy where I picked up a couple of chicks (and the one with the IB that started this whole nightmare). It turns out a lot of people have ended up with some very sick chickens. Im kicking myself for not being patient and waiting until my usual place got more chicks. These guys dont even vaccinate for Merecks, which is STUPID, it only costs 4 cents per chick. IB can wipe out an entire flock. I was reading on the internet a lot of commerical places cull large quantities of chicks they even think might have been exposed to IB. Small backyard flocks however, obviously are different.

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Yeah they are just little babies.

The one that first showed signs is improving (Clearer eyes, not so much discharge coming from her nose), but the other one is not improving. Now she is doing the same things to the same degree, if not worse. Also I just noticed their breath smells really bad. Its not them, its their breath. It smells like baby poop/soured milk.

I don't know what this could mean but, I'm really concerned.
Someone told us that giving them Arnica in their water might help. So we're going to the store to pick some up.
We went out to Elverta/Pleasant grove area to pick them up. The lady we got them from had very nice birds but, horrible coops! I think they may have picked it up from their coop or something like that.
Thank you!

 

[Kim95037]

Bad breath is a sign of sour crop, do a search for a thread on sour crop! I know there is a ton of info on this site about that. Im at work and this computer sucks, its super slow. Hope you can find some answers to help your little ones.

 

[Kim95037]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/692018/sour-crop

 

[SilkiesForEver]

I read though the thread and one feels like it may have sour crop (squishy, water balloon feel). The other barely has a crop.

I don't want to regurgitate her if she doesn't have a sour crop and damage her insides.
I don't know what to do!!

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Their poop sticky but in normal form. I think if they had sour crop it would be watery?

 

[SilkiesForEver]

I'm sorry to say that one of our little babies past away today.

She was the one that was just starting to show the symptoms. The other one is hanging in there, and I'm determined to keep her alive. I'll keep you posted.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I am also battling sour crop. It will get better with treatment. What treatments have you tried??

 

[SilkiesForEver]

I have put Arnica in their water (they perked up immediately after they had some), and I put some Sav a chick in their water also. I don't know why she died....She was the one I thought was doing better.

I don't think its sour crop, but I'm not sure. Please help me!