Help. What is wrong with my chicks?

[BluebirdHomestead]

Some respiratory disease can be carried without symptoms until stress is introduced,
then disease can overtake a less than thrifty bird.

I still wonder if your brooder heater was/is sufficient.
Long shot but any chance that heat lamp you are using is not for livestock(teflon coating).

So, my gut tells you that you are right about this. That they were carrying the disease and then the stress of transport made it active. So my question is this, if I get chicks from elsewhere, will they just catch it from mine and it’s pretty much hopeless?

 

[Kiki]

So, my gut tells you that you are right about this. That they were carrying the disease and then the stress of transport made it active. So my question is this, if I get chicks from elsewhere, will they just catch it from mine and it’s pretty much hopeless?

Lysol is pretty good.
I'd spray EVERYthing down with it before you bring any new birds home.

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

Lysol is pretty good.
I'd spray EVERYthing down with it before you bring any new birds home.

I definitely will. But will my current birds (if they live) be carriers for life and always infect new birds?

 

[Neggative]

I had one of my chicks do this to. it died about a day later, it was doing the rock back and forth thing. but never did really figure what was wrong with it.

 

[Pennys Mama]

Should I move the chicks inside??? I hate hate hate the red heat lamp and am scared I’ll burn my house down but I could move them into a bin inside with a heat lamp

This is another option, and I'm sure the risk of fire is considerably less with the ceramic heat emitter. I have 2 of them that I use, just to keep the temp up a bit. I haven't tried to use them on newly hatched needing 95°, but just above some outside & above my hospital pen.

 

[Skippersnh]

Wait I may be wrong but I thought read heat lamps let off a toxic fume or something

 

[ValerieJ]

Just now catching up. Based on your desire to have more chicks, but not buy them, I guess I would get the chicks from the same breeder and give them the antibiotics like the veterinarian recommended. If you have another thermometer to use, you should use it to see if the one you are using in there is accurate. Heat is very important for the day olds.

Really this is a decision for you to make. You are doing so much better than I would with the sick and dying chicks. Those of us who free range, or semi free range, know we risk loss to predators.

I do think bringing them into the house might help. Do you have a spare bathroom or a laundry room to keep them in? Of course then you would have to keep them safe from any cats and dogs you have.

 

[Skippersnh]

And toddlers lol

 

[Kiki]

I definitely will. But will my current birds (if they live) be carriers for life and always infect new birds?

The vet is running a test correct?
Wait until he tells you what the results are.

 

[aart]

I don’t know who installed it. It was there when we moved here. It’s not in the same room.

Then I'd not worry about CO(carbon monoxide)...especially if the boiler room is 'tight'. ETA to Correct gas symbol

Should I move the chicks inside??? I hate hate hate the red heat lamp and am scared I’ll burn my house down but I could move them into a bin inside with a heat lamp

Nah, I wouldn't turn the boiler/heat off either.

Wait I may be wrong but I thought read heat lamps let off a toxic fume or something

Only if it's not approved for poultry...food warming lamps have a 'safety' coating against breakage, those are the ones that can kill birds.