PLEASE HELP!!! Chicks gasping for air

[Chik697]

I just moved my 5 chicks outside due to 2 acting lethargic I wanted to see how they would behave outside. One seemed to be getting skinny so I knew in my gut I was not overreacting because I’ve never had chicks this “calm”. I switched them over to medicated chick feed and have been putting hydro hen in their water. Today I saw one gasping for air by stretching out its neck and opening its beak with its eyes closed. That’s the best way I can explain it.

This reminded me of the farm I work on who I have seen this repeatedly and the birds drop dead after suffering for a while. This got me very concerned I transmitted something from their very large flock to my chicks. I know disease can spread rapidly when there are over 500 birds like the farm I work on so I always bag my work shoes and wash my hands when I come home before caring for mine.

Doing my own research the only thing that I can relate to my birds symptoms is gapeworm. I’m not saying it was from the other farm but I just wanted to mention it because I found it very familiar (also how I was handling one chick they had that was extremely thin and later saw it gasping for air as well). I’m definitely paranoid for my birds so if anyone knows what this might be please let me know.

 

[The Coop Crew]

@azygous
@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock
I know you’ll have good insight!

 

[nuthatched]

How hot are they?
Are there bs in the water?
What type of bedding?
Do you have any corid?

 

[Chik697]

How hot are they?
Are there bs in the water?
What type of bedding?
Do you have any corid?

Not sure what you mean by how hot but today reached 90 but at their age that should be comfortable with shade and access to water. The other ones seemed fine other than that one out of the two that I was concerned about.

We have well water and other than problems with minerals from the soil and once being a rust color we have gotten it taken care of so I think it should be fine hopefully? (Btw during that time period I was buying filtered water for my flock and I didn’t have those chicks yet). I hope that’s what you mean.

The bedding is straw in the coop.

Yes, I do have corid though it’s a little old so I hope it’s still good. If anything I can buy a new one.

 

[nuthatched]

Not sure what you mean by how hot but today reached 90 but at their age that should be comfortable with shade and access to water. The other ones seemed fine other than that one out of the two that I was concerned about.

We have well water and other than problems with minerals from the soil and once being a rust color we have gotten it taken care of so I think it should be fine hopefully? (Btw during that time period I was buying filtered water for my flock and I didn’t have those chicks yet). I hope that’s what you mean.

The bedding is straw in the coop.

Yes, I do have corid though it’s a little old so I hope it’s still good. If anything I can buy a new one.

Id bring them in to cool down. Are there poops runny?

 

[Chik697]

Aditional info, I only saw the gasping session once and the chick has stopped. Due to what I have seen with birds getting thin and gasping im just a little paranoid

 

[Chik697]

Id bring them in to cool down. Are there poops runny?

No, the poops look healthy. The only thing is I have been seeing some red… I think chickens shed their intestinal lining if I’m not mistaken (I read that somewhere idk if it’s true my birds don’t experience it from what I see) I haven’t seen it this much which also just occurred to me now to be a little concerning.

 

[azygous]

A video of the chick's "gasping" would help. Also, how old are these chicks?

What you might mistake as gaping could be a chick with an uncomfortable crop. Have you felt the crop and massaged it gently to see if that relieves its symptoms?

It would also help to see a photo of its poop.

Is it just this one chick that is having these symptoms or are there others?

What are the chicks being fed, including treats? Are they getting access to grit?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

moved my 5 chicks outside due to 2 acting lethargic I wanted to see how they would behave outside. One seemed to be getting skinny so I knew in my gut I was not overreacting because I’ve never had chicks this “calm”. I switched them over to medicated chick feed and have been putting hydro hen in their water. Today I saw one gasping for air by stretching out its neck and opening its beak with its eyes closed.

Please post photos of the chicks and their poop.

Do you have Chick Grit (crushed granite) available for them?

Do they have clean fresh plain water available in addition to the hydro hen? If not, provide 2 drinkers - one with the electrolytes, the other with plain water.

How old are they?

Could they have been adjusting their crop?

Video of actions are always helpful - upload to YouTube and provide a link.

 

[Chik697]

A video of the chick's "gasping" would help. Also, how old are these chicks?

What you might mistake as gaping could be a chick with an uncomfortable crop. Have you felt the crop and massaged it gently to see if that relieves its symptoms?

It would also help to see a photo of its poop.

Is it just this one chick that is having these symptoms or are there others?

What are the chicks being fed, including treats? Are they getting access to grit?

Please post photos of the chicks and their poop.

Do you have Chick Grit (crushed granite) available for them?

Do they have clean fresh plain water available in addition to the hydro hen? If not, provide 2 drinkers - one with the electrolytes, the other with plain water.

How old are they?

Could they have been adjusting their crop?

Video of actions are always helpful - upload to YouTube and provide a link.

I’m working on posting the video so I will reply with that hopefully soon.

Here are the chicks they are a few weeks now, the black one is about a week younger. One of the buffs was skinnier but now it’s not looking too bad. I swear they are looking better but I just really care about them and want to make sure I’m not ignoring thing’s until it’s too late.

These are the best I can get of the poops. It’s really hard to see in the picture but a lot of them have some bit of red. Once I had them in the brooder and their white waterer had an all red drip stain looking like they pooped blood.

Before moving them outside one buff was thiner then the rest and lethargic. Soon after one Rhode Island Red was lethargic. I moved them outside and that same Rhode Island Red I caught gasping. The other two have been acting normal so far.

I feed them medicated feed currently and they obviously also just have grass. I haven’t gave them anything other than that. I also have chick grit so I just put that available for them as well as another regular water within hydro hen. I’ve been trying to keep things as hygienic as possible by washing their bowls frequently and switching them on new grass/changing bedding as well.

I will continue to keep a close eye and see if I can catch anything unusual. Thank you guys so much for your help!