Help! Barred Rock Babies!

[Alissa Streight]

Hey Everyone!

So, being the chicken mama I am, I’m worried. I’ve got 2, 3 month 22 day old barred rocks. I had more of many different breeds, but the neighbors dog ended that.

Anyways, one of my girls had a sneeze. It is so small that I wouldn’t have noticed it if her head didn’t bob when it happened.

They go into the coop every night. It has a heat lamp on one side, 1 foot of shavings, and the window and doors are closed every night, with ventilation out of the top to keep out the draft.

I’m not sure what to do, as this is my first time wintering chickens and my girls aren’t very old.

Any suggestions on what is going on are welcome!

 

[Akrnaf2]

Hey Everyone!

So, being the chicken mama I am, I’m worried. I’ve got 2, 3 month 22 day old barred rocks. I had more of many different breeds, but the neighbors dog ended that.

Anyways, one of my girls had a sneeze. It is so small that I wouldn’t have noticed it if her head didn’t bob when it happened.

They go into the coop every night. It has a heat lamp on one side, 1 foot of shavings, and the window and doors are closed every night, with ventilation out of the top to keep out the draft.

I’m not sure what to do, as this is my first time wintering chickens and my girls aren’t very old.

Any suggestions on what is going on are welcome!

Welcome to BYC!
One sneeze in one chick??

 

[Eggcessive]

How cold is it where you live now? Chickens who are almost 4 months old do not need heat in their coop, and even a fully feathered 6 week old does not. It can actually cause respiratory diseases by increasing their breathing rate due to overheating. So, I would make sure there are no direct drafts, but good overhead ventilation near the roof, and get rid of the heat lamp. If you use a heat lamp during the night, and then the next morning when they go outside, it will be hard to tolerate the cold. I would only consider warming my coop if temps were near zero, and most folks in colder area don't even worry about that unless it is 20 below.

Chickens do sneeze occasionally if they get dust or feed into their nostrils. One sneeze would not concern me. A chicken sneezing evey few minutes when not eating, would, and then I would suspect a respiratory infection.

 

[H&Hchickens]

Has she had more sneezes since then? Has any of the other chicks got sneezes too? If not i wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[Alissa Streight]

It is more then one sneeze, probably one every 3-4 minutes?

It goes down to -20 here at night, and about -11 during the day, and since there is only two of them I am worried about being able to warm themselves.

 

[H&Hchickens]

Maybe keep them in the coop under the heat lamp more often? Or if you can, just the one that's sneezing? (The only reason I say "If you can" is because my chickens were inseparable at that age)

 

[Alissa Streight]

Maybe keep them in the coop under the heat lamp more often? Or if you can, just the one that's sneezing? (The only reason I say "If you can" is because my chickens were inseparable at that age)

Yea they are definitely inseparable. After the neighbors dogs ate the majority of them, they are definitely scarred, and cling to each other like a safety blanket.

I’m just not sure what to do.. if I’m just overreacting or if I should actually be worried.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would worry about keeping warm if they were only weeks old, but these are almost grown chickens, with feathers all over, right? It may take some quick tapering down over a few days, but before really cold weather sets in, I would get the heat lamp out. Sorry that you lost some of your chickens with the attack.

A chicken with a respiratory virus such as infectious bronchitis would sneeze about every minute or two. Just keep an eye out.

 

[Alissa Streight]

I would worry about keeping warm if they were only weeks old, but these are almost grown chickens, with feathers all over, right? It may take some quick tapering down over a few days, but before really cold weather sets in, I would get the heat lamp out. Sorry that you lost some of your chickens with the attack.

So they don’t need a heat lamp at -20? Even though there is only 2 of them? Sorry just attempting to clarify

 

[Eggcessive]

So they don’t need a heat lamp at -20? Even though there is only 2 of them? Sorry just attempting to clarify

Okay, sorry I didn't see your temps. Yes, I would use some form of heat if it is below zero. Do they actually go out when the days are -11? The folks that live in those cold of places must have a rough time. You had not posted wihere you live in your signature, sorry.