HELP! Chicks poured water on themselves!

[chickenlady25XD]

I live in Wisconsin and we have snow already. It is somewhat cold up here (30-40 degrees f.) I have 12 little chicks in my barn and Thursday they poured water all over themselves and they were fine but they have been coughing the last few days and today the poured water on themselves AGAIN! I could hear them coughing from the barn. They are 1-2 months old. We have 12. HELP!

 

[micstrachan]

Can you bring them inside? How old are they, and do they have a heat source? I think they will need some warmth to recover. Vitamins and electrolytes in their water would be good, too.

 

[chickenlady25XD]

I took out the water so they wouldn't know it on themselves again. They are 1-2 months old.The closest to inside is a summer kitchen and it is just as cold. heat source=the sun.

 

[chickenlady25XD]

@HuffleClaw any ideas?

 

[Keeperofmunchkins]

How do they keep getting wet? Could you change the water vessel or their set up maybe? If they are around six weeks and feathered in they should be OK without heat but keeping them dry is a must.

 

[chickenlady25XD]

How do they keep getting wet? Could you change the water vessel or their set up maybe? If they are around six weeks and feathered in they should be OK without heat but keeping them dry is a must.

knock over there water

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you give some details or a picture of their set-up, so we can see what you see? They do need heat usually until they are fully feathered and around 6 weeks old. Are they in a brooder, and how are you giving water? Chick waterers should be set around shoulder height and kept full to keep them from turning over and spilling. I prefer a gallon plastic waterer for that. Some use nipple waterers, but I would stick with a standard waterer in freezing weather.

Whenever chicks get wet they need to be dried thoroughly so they don’t get hypothermia. Coughing can be a sign of a respiratory disease. Wet conditions in a coop can be a good place for mold to develop and aspergillosis is a respiratory infection from mold. Other common respiratory diseases in chicks are infectious bronchitis or mycoplasma (MG.) So I would get things dry, change the bedding, raise the waterers on 2 inch boards or a platform, and provide heat to prevent chilling until they are feathered.

 

[chickenlady25XD]

I will get out to the barn asap but it will be a bit.

 

[HuffleClaw]

More details about the waterer needed. Pictures? Is the waterer lifted off of the ground? If yes, how (brick, cinder block, etc)

 

[chickenlady25XD]

ok here it is not the best pic

More details about the waterer needed. Pictures? Is the waterer lifted off of the ground? If yes, how (brick, cinder block, etc)

waterer in the pic in front