Please Help! Sneezing babys

[Horsefly]

I had made a post about this and some other things in the raising baby chicks section but as they have gotten worse I will add it here. I have 15 broiler chicks around 6 days old and a lot of them are sneezing. It started around 3 days old with just one chick and now there are at least 4 sneezers (could be more it's hard to tell which chick it is). Today thay sound sort of raspy and kind of gurgle when they breath. I have been all over the Internet trying to find a solution and can't get any help. The sneezes sound wet? Like when one gets to much water and sneezes? As far as I can tell they don't have any discharge out of eyes or nose and the infected ones are generally just as lively as the rest. When they all sleep I rarely here the sneezes but the slight gurgle is still there. while awake though it's all sneeze. This is my special project and Im worried about them. I just set up another cage to seperate them so will do that as soon as it warms up, then Ill have an exact count of sneezers.

 

[pips&peeps]

MS

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/203405.htm

 

[Horsefly]

Thanks for the link but I have to admit quite a bit of it went over my head. What exactly am I suposed to do for them right now? Just isolate? They chicks don't have any swellings or marks on them just the sneezing. Could the pine shavings they are on be affecting them?

 

[Horsefly]

I seperated them this morning and onld found 5 that didn't have any hint of sneeze or rattle. They still are sounding worse, it sounds like they are congested or something but they don't seem to gag or have runny noses. 5 are really bad and the other 5 are still just sneezing. This is my first encountered illness in chickens so Im not well versed in what to do. Is there a broad spectrum drug of some sort I can give them? I really need some help here to save them.

 

[Horsefly]

Just an update today if anyone was interested. They actually sound the tiniest bit better today but it could be my imagination. I have been googling this alot (though it seems I'm the only one with this problem) and have found some people use vet RX to help with resporatory issues. Would that work with my chicks? I have been giving them a scrambled egg with oatmeal and plain yogurt evry other day.

 

[ranchhand]

The reason you're not getting many responses is because no one really knows what to tell you, not being ignored. Respiratory issues are hard to guess.

I honestly don't know what to advise you to do. I would search some more here, and perhaps see if there's someone at you feed store who actually knows about chickens and can advise you. I'd be thinking about antibiotics for all of them, but I can really say that's the right thing to do. I raised chickens for years before I found BYC and had to just wing it several times.

Where did they come from? I'd definitely be talking to them about 6 day old chicks being sick.

Good luck.

 

[ranchhand]

Do a search top right for sneezing chicks- there's a lot of tedious reading there, but you may find what you need.

 

[bubblebean11]

Get some oxine AH, you can buy it online at revivalanimal.com
http://www.revivalanimal.com/store/p/283-Oxine-Fogger-and-Oxine-AH.aspx
Use it in the water everyday. You can put it in a squirt bottle diluted and mist it in the face of the sick birds or get a cool water humidifier and put some in it. I had the same prob and this did the trick. It also keep the waterers from getting slimy and stinking. It helps keep the birds from spreading whatever it is that they have. It is a fungicidal/bacticidal/viracidal takes care of all of the bases. They use it in commercial poultry too. Safe for the birds and for you to breathe as long as you dont activate it with the citric acid crystals.

 

[Horsefly]

Ranchhand- Thanks for the interest, I know not many people know what to tell me. I've searched BYC several times and it seems anyone with sneezing chicks leave an unfinished thread without a dignosis or solution, I do admit it has been frustrating me some. But still I'll keep at till my chicks are well. I'm not sure the exact supplier of these chicks as I got them through my 4-H club, when we picked them up there were well over 1000 chicks in the truck so it's somewhere large.
Bubblebean11- I'll definately look in to getting some oxine AH. I'm going to the feed store later today and see if they have it, if not I'll see if my parents will let me order it. Is it okay to give this to the well birds also? Thanks, its nice to be finally able to do something.
One question, could lack of proper ventalation cause respatory problems? I dropped the temp a few degrees last night and uncovered the cage some and they seem slightly better.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Oxine is very safe. I use it to clean and sanitize, both in the house and the barnyard. Where I work, (hospital) it is used, as well.

Ventilation is VERY important. Poultry have an extrememly sensitive respiratory system.

Good luck with your chicks.