Hi Guys,
I know this issue comes around the forum on a fairly regular basis....so i apologize for bringing it up yet again, but i need some specific reccomendations for possible respiratory infection treatment, for *7 week old chicks*
My girls are 7 weeks old, and i have 5 in total. 2 Salmon Faverolles, 2 EE's and 1 Welsummer. They have been in their chicken tractor for 2 weeks now. Their coop has pine shavings in it. They are closed up at night and get access to their run during the day. They are vaccinated for Mareks, they are on medicated chick starter and get 1 TBS of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar in their gallon of water every few days or so. They don't get many treats, scrambled eggs every once in awhile and the occasional yoghurt or a sprinkle of flax seeds.
I try and spend some time in their run with them every evening around dusk before they go up. They usually settle down on me and nap a bit and get petted. Tonight i noticed that one of my Salmon Faverolles (Weezah) was breathing through her mouth while falling asleep. Upon closer inspection, she has a tiny bit of bubbling in her eyes and clear fluid coming from her nose. It does not smell bad, and there is no swelling in her face. She is acting 100% normal. I inspected all the other girls, and they all look fine. I have had issues with them sneezing occasionally since they were very small, but was told this was pretty normal.
The weather has been rainy and very humid. We have had a lot of temperature fluctuations in NC lately, and it has been really windy the past two days. They have a heat lamp in their coop at night.
I have read up on the respiratory problems a little, and do realize that an antibiotic only will treat a secondary infection- not a virus. I know everyone has different feelings about this, but i do want to try and treat Weezah. These girls are a "pet" backyard flock of 5. However, i am not planning on taking her to a vet, so would like to try this myself. I have not seperated her from the flock yet, it seems like these things are so contagious that i should treat them all, right?
It's so ironic, because just this morning i placed an order for the "chicken health handbook" and i also ordered some VetRX and food grade DE. Of course, they won't be here for a week. So much for being prepared in advance!!
I have been making a shopping list so that i can build up a first aid kit based on the reccomendations from ThreeHorses on a previous first aid thread. Right now all i have is the poly-vi-sol without iron. I will start giving them all a drop tomorrow.
Poops look pretty normal, as far as chicken poo goes....it's hard to tell the cecal (sp?) poop from diarrhea. I have noticed a few really runny poops that were dark brown, not orange like the usual cecal....but no blood. And when i look at the "normal" chicken poop page....it seems like everything is normal. I have not actually seen Weezah poop since i noticed the problem. I will be watching her like a hawk tomorrow though!
All of them are acting happy, healthy, perky and hungry....
SO.....my questions are:
What meds would you reccomend? Terramycin? Tylan? I have never done an injection, but am more than willing to learn.
If i should use an injectable, what size needle should i get, and where should the injection be adminstered?
Is it safe to use meds with them being on medicated chick starter?? Should i take them off the starter?
I don't have a scale, so do not know how much my girls weigh yet. They are only 7 weeks old, so i'm guessing the dosage should be different?
Would you treat all 5 of them, just to be safe? I have heard sneezing from several of them.
I have a southern states, tractor supply and good ol' country feed store around here....so i can go tomorrow to get whatever you guys reccomend.
Thank you in advance for your responses. I try really hard not to ask a question without searching for answers on previous threads first....
I adore my girls and really hope i can tackle this!
Andrea
I know this issue comes around the forum on a fairly regular basis....so i apologize for bringing it up yet again, but i need some specific reccomendations for possible respiratory infection treatment, for *7 week old chicks*
My girls are 7 weeks old, and i have 5 in total. 2 Salmon Faverolles, 2 EE's and 1 Welsummer. They have been in their chicken tractor for 2 weeks now. Their coop has pine shavings in it. They are closed up at night and get access to their run during the day. They are vaccinated for Mareks, they are on medicated chick starter and get 1 TBS of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar in their gallon of water every few days or so. They don't get many treats, scrambled eggs every once in awhile and the occasional yoghurt or a sprinkle of flax seeds.
I try and spend some time in their run with them every evening around dusk before they go up. They usually settle down on me and nap a bit and get petted. Tonight i noticed that one of my Salmon Faverolles (Weezah) was breathing through her mouth while falling asleep. Upon closer inspection, she has a tiny bit of bubbling in her eyes and clear fluid coming from her nose. It does not smell bad, and there is no swelling in her face. She is acting 100% normal. I inspected all the other girls, and they all look fine. I have had issues with them sneezing occasionally since they were very small, but was told this was pretty normal.
The weather has been rainy and very humid. We have had a lot of temperature fluctuations in NC lately, and it has been really windy the past two days. They have a heat lamp in their coop at night.
I have read up on the respiratory problems a little, and do realize that an antibiotic only will treat a secondary infection- not a virus. I know everyone has different feelings about this, but i do want to try and treat Weezah. These girls are a "pet" backyard flock of 5. However, i am not planning on taking her to a vet, so would like to try this myself. I have not seperated her from the flock yet, it seems like these things are so contagious that i should treat them all, right?
It's so ironic, because just this morning i placed an order for the "chicken health handbook" and i also ordered some VetRX and food grade DE. Of course, they won't be here for a week. So much for being prepared in advance!!

Poops look pretty normal, as far as chicken poo goes....it's hard to tell the cecal (sp?) poop from diarrhea. I have noticed a few really runny poops that were dark brown, not orange like the usual cecal....but no blood. And when i look at the "normal" chicken poop page....it seems like everything is normal. I have not actually seen Weezah poop since i noticed the problem. I will be watching her like a hawk tomorrow though!
All of them are acting happy, healthy, perky and hungry....
SO.....my questions are:
What meds would you reccomend? Terramycin? Tylan? I have never done an injection, but am more than willing to learn.
If i should use an injectable, what size needle should i get, and where should the injection be adminstered?
Is it safe to use meds with them being on medicated chick starter?? Should i take them off the starter?
I don't have a scale, so do not know how much my girls weigh yet. They are only 7 weeks old, so i'm guessing the dosage should be different?
Would you treat all 5 of them, just to be safe? I have heard sneezing from several of them.
I have a southern states, tractor supply and good ol' country feed store around here....so i can go tomorrow to get whatever you guys reccomend.
Thank you in advance for your responses. I try really hard not to ask a question without searching for answers on previous threads first....
I adore my girls and really hope i can tackle this!
Andrea
