New chick sneezing even after a week of VetRX, seems otherwise fine but in quarantine.

[LovesteadMama]

Too many times good intentioned human intervention cause more health problems than if the human would just let nature take its course.

I tend to agree with this type of sentiment. What would you have done? I haven't done all that much. Quarantined her and gave her some chicken vick's I wouldn't have felt comfortable leaving her with the rest of the flock in case she spread anything to them though. It's my first time with chicks in the brooder so I want them to survive and all that good stuff

 

[LovesteadMama]

Are you using Flake (coarse) shavings or fine shavings? If fine shavings, that is possibly the problem. I once made the mistake of buying fine shavings for nest boxes when the feed store was out of flake. Never again! There were small dust particles floating throughout the coop, & those were only the ones i could see. I knew that couldnt be good for either the hens or me to breathe. Its possible the one chick is having an allergic reaction to either the shavings or hay, but also possible she inhaled a fine shavings particle(s).

Also, hay doesnt per say Cause mites, just gives them a happy place to live and multiply. Plus, hay is much harder to keep clean than flake shavings. If it were me, i would remove the hay and fine shavings (if fine is what you are using.) Replace with flake shavings only, & see if her symptoms clear up.

So I took a second look and I DO have fine shavings! Not what I thought I got! I switched them out and we will see what happens now! Thanks for that suggestion

 

[LovesteadMama]

Mareks disease would be out of the question here. She is too young for symptoms to show up, and the symptom of sneezing is more a sign of irritation. Switch back to pine shavings, as hay or straw can hold in moisture. Mites can be brought into a coop in straw, but hay or straw doesn’t cause mites. If her nostrils become caked, then clean them off with a wet cloth or Qtips. If they look normal, there is nothing to worry about. Put her back with the others, or you may have a problem getting them to accept her. It doesn’t sound like she has a serious issue.

Ok! Well that's comforting. She has escaped quarantine twice now and ended up back in the brooder with the other chicks so maybe that's best. I also don't want her to hate me for always putting her by herself

 

[LovesteadMama]

I agree with @Eggcessive. It's possible she inhaled feed dust or dust from shavings. I've had it happen. You can put a little water in their feed to make a mash to keep feed dust to a minimum. Try not to use shavings from the bottom of the sack where small particles and dust settle.

It would be best to put her back with the others. I've added 3 day old chicks into a group of 1.5 week old chicks in a brooder without any problems at all, that's not a problem.
One possible issue could be your attempts to use deep littler method with your chicks. It might work for your adults, perhaps not with chicks. Personally, I'm dead against deep litter method.

I agree with @Eggcessive. It's possible she inhaled feed dust or dust from shavings. I've had it happen. You can put a little water in their feed to make a mash to keep feed dust to a minimum. Try not to use shavings from the bottom of the sack where small particles and dust settle.

It would be best to put her back with the others. I've added 3 day old chicks into a group of 1.5 week old chicks in a brooder without any problems at all, that's not a problem.
One possible issue could be your attempts to use deep littler method with your chicks. It might work for your adults, perhaps not with chicks. Personally, I'm dead against deep litter method.

I've been making their feed into a mash and someone pointed out that fine shavings could be the problem. I thought i had flake but I don't! Could be the culprit. I'll put her back and hope for the best! I'm curious why you're against deep litter? And what do you do instead?

 

[Myrshine]

I’m pretty certain that it’s the dusty shavings causing all your problems- as birds have a fragile and sensitive to a lot. If the shavings make my boyfriend have sneezing fits, I’m pretty sure it’s causing your chicks sneezing fits.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

@LovesteadMama , if your chick's constant sneezing doesnt clear up "soon", tag Eggcessive or Dawg53 & ask either about dosing your chick with children's benedryl. Both Eggcessive and Dawg53 are very knowledgeable as far as medications and dosages that are safe for chickens. (I know benedryl is safe for chickens, should only be given once, then wait 24 hours before re-dosing if necessary. But not sure about the dosage amount, especially for a 2-week old chick. Or if benedryl should even be given at all to a chick that young). Hopefully her sneezing will soon cease, and meds will not be necessary.

 

[dawg53]

@LovesteadMama , if your chick's constant sneezing doesnt clear up "soon", tag Eggcessive or Dawg53 & ask either about dosing your chick with children's benedryl. Both Eggcessive and Dawg53 are very knowledgeable as far as medications and dosages that are safe for chickens. (I know benedryl is safe for chickens, should only be given once, then wait 24 hours before re-dosing if necessary. But not sure about the dosage amount, especially for a 2-week old chick. Or if benedryl should even be given at all to a chick that young). Hopefully her sneezing will soon cease, and meds will not be necessary.

Thank you for the nice compliment from both @Eggcessive and myself.

You are correct in that chicks should NOT be given children's Benadryl. It should only be given to adult birds with anything involving the swelling of the trachea to cause death by suffocation, particularly insect stings involving venom.

I suspect the sneezing in this instance is due the chicks living environment.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

@dawg53 , i'm gonna ask this question for the op's knowledge as well as my own; do you expect the chick's sneezing will cease once the extremely dusty Fine shavings are replaced?

 

[dawg53]

@dawg53 , i'm gonna ask this question for the op's knowledge as well as my own; do you expect the chick's sneezing will cease once the extremely dusty Fine shavings are replaced?

It would depend how much the chick inhaled and the effects it has in air sacs, trachea and lungs, and how long the chick could clear it out on her own.
It would be the same if I were to inhale dust and I started sneezing. How long it would take to clear my system etc...
I know my sneezing would eventually stop if the cause is eliminated, same for the chick.

 

[LovesteadMama]

I’m pretty certain that it’s the dusty shavings causing all your problems- as birds have a fragile and sensitive to a lot. If the shavings make my boyfriend have sneezing fits, I’m pretty sure it’s causing your chicks sneezing fits.

You're probably right. Makes practical sense, especially since I have 4 other chicks from the same feed store brooder and they're fine. I switched to the flake yesterday so we'll see! Hopefully that was the cause.