Maple, my 4 week old SS, has survived a severe respitory infection/pneumonia! Last Saturday afternoon when I got back from taking my daught to urgent care for strep I noticed my 3 older chicks sitting on top of Maple keeping her warm. My poor Maple was gasping for air eyes closed and didn't move. I'm not really quite sure if this was from impacted crop with pine chips or if she gotten wet when they knocked over the waterer off the blocks.
I should of had her culled, but dh nor I couldn't do it. I held her in a blanket for two days while she lay there gasping, then I put her in the warm brooder with the heat lamp. I know I shouldn't of done that due to being a second set of chicks in there. I took my chances and Maple frequently was under the light. Maple immediately started sneezing every two seconds starting last Monday along with gasping for air. I could feel a fever as she was very hot to the touch. It was a miracle that Maple never lost intrest in food or water. Her feathers have been fluffed out the entire time.
I went out and got antibiotics and poly vi sol vitamins. I use probiotics as well. I've been treating her and the whole flock with everything. I decided to add an extra drop of vitamins inside her beak yesterday to see if there was any improvement. With in an hour Maple had stopped gasping for air and stopped sneezing! A true miracle! I'm not exactly sure if the vitamins helped or if she is getting better. I also decided to give everyone hard boiled egg yolk every couple hours with sand/grit.
Today Maple is chirping and alerting others of noises and constantly foraging for food. She still is not sneezing and she is flying around the brooder. I'm so gratefull she is alive and doing much better. Her feathers are still a tiny bit fluffed. It's been an extremely stressful week with the sick one. No one else got sick, luckily. I'm really surprised she pulled through due to her pine chip eating addiction.
I should of had her culled, but dh nor I couldn't do it. I held her in a blanket for two days while she lay there gasping, then I put her in the warm brooder with the heat lamp. I know I shouldn't of done that due to being a second set of chicks in there. I took my chances and Maple frequently was under the light. Maple immediately started sneezing every two seconds starting last Monday along with gasping for air. I could feel a fever as she was very hot to the touch. It was a miracle that Maple never lost intrest in food or water. Her feathers have been fluffed out the entire time.
I went out and got antibiotics and poly vi sol vitamins. I use probiotics as well. I've been treating her and the whole flock with everything. I decided to add an extra drop of vitamins inside her beak yesterday to see if there was any improvement. With in an hour Maple had stopped gasping for air and stopped sneezing! A true miracle! I'm not exactly sure if the vitamins helped or if she is getting better. I also decided to give everyone hard boiled egg yolk every couple hours with sand/grit.
Today Maple is chirping and alerting others of noises and constantly foraging for food. She still is not sneezing and she is flying around the brooder. I'm so gratefull she is alive and doing much better. Her feathers are still a tiny bit fluffed. It's been an extremely stressful week with the sick one. No one else got sick, luckily. I'm really surprised she pulled through due to her pine chip eating addiction.
Last edited:
