Lethargic chick gasping for air?

[ScratchScratchPeck]

I have 6 seemingly healthy 2 day old chicks that I left alone today to go run errands. I come back 2 hours later and one is in facing the corner, laying down with eyes closed, seeming to gasp for air or choking with her head up. I thought maybe she was cold bc it was an unlit part of the brooder, but she kind of squirmed and chirped at being held. I tried to check if there was anything lodged and she puked a little bit of water on me. Breathing is average. Colder than average. Opens eyes only on occasion. Does not like me moving her around (chirps and kicks). I’m using the large flake shavings from TS, Heatlamp and bulb from TS, and have fresh water and chick crumble in feeders. What could this be? The first chick to hatched in this batch died suddenly on her back, as well. Not sure if this is the same issue. I have the same exact set up except for a smaller brooding container as the last time I hatched chicks and none of those 19 died quite like these ones are

 

[casportpony]

How is your chick?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Lethargic and gasping are usually signs of being too hot. The brooder may be too small for the heat source. Check the temperature under lamp and ensure there is room to get away from heat. Raise the lamp or replace the bulb with an incandescent 60, 75 or 100W.

 

[ScratchScratchPeck]

How is your chick?

She sadly passed. The others are thriving, though. Thankfully.

 

[ScratchScratchPeck]

Lethargic and gasping are usually signs of being too hot. The brooder may be too small for the heat source. Check the temperature under lamp and ensure there is room to get away from heat. Raise the lamp or replace the bulb with an incandescent 60, 75 or

Lethargic and gasping are usually signs of being too hot. The brooder may be too small for the heat source. Check the temperature under lamp and ensure there is room to get away from heat. Raise the lamp or replace the bulb with an incandescent 60, 75 or 100W.

There are hot and cold spots so the chicks are able to choose their comfort level of warmth. The other 5 are doing fine, this one was just not thriving. I held her for the last two hours of her life and her symptoms never changed

 

[CloneFly]

I recently rescued 5 sick chicks and that's exactly what happened to mine! One would barely open her eyes, wouldn't eat and began gasping and spitting up sticky, clear liquid. The second I found on it's back, (still alive) with its head lolling about and it was also gasping. The final one died in my dad's hands after a quick onset of weakness and began gasping. All 3 were fine that morning. The temp was fine too... hope you ca figure out what was wrong, I'd really like to know as well! Thankfully I still have 2 that are doing well so far. We'll see what happens though.

 

[Whylillies]

Hi My chicks are about five days old and this morning when I went to tend to them one of them was weak and acted like it was gasping for air and did not make any noise. I looked at it to try too find out what was wrong. I fed it some water with a eye dropper and it swallowed the water. Unfortunately it died a few hours later. I would really like to know also what caused it. Although the chick seemed to be the runt of the liter.

 

[casportpony]

Hi My chicks are about five days old and this morning when I went to tend to them one of them was weak and acted like it was gasping for air and did not make any noise. I looked at it to try too find out what was wrong. I fed it some water with a eye dropper and it swallowed the water. Unfortunately it died a few hours later. I would really like to know also what caused it. Although the chick seemed to be the runt of the liter.

Welcome to BYC and sorry for your loss. It's possible;e that it had a yolk sack infection, but without a necropsy, there is no way to know for sure.