Should I MEDICATE or not???

[countrychick14]

Ok, I have 16- 9 week old chicks. They are an assortment. I noticed when I went out this morning and again a few minutes ago that there are quite a few that are sneezing. They don't have watery eyes, their stool is normal looking. They have been eating and drinking well. There is no discharge out of their nostrils. I had my regular girl Happy fly up on my lap to get her treats. Nothing abnormal except the sneezing. They have not been outside yet. They are in a poultry coop that is 12 ft by 12 ft. They are on pine shavings, have been since day one. I have been keeping 2 of their windows open on our mild days. We live in south western Ohio though, so the non-rainy days have been few and far between. They have had some grass, that I pick fresh for them everyday. They are on medicated chick feed still. I give them chick grit. Today was the first day I gave them leftover baked potato. I cut it up and put it into their treat basket. I don't think that would of made them sneeze though. I am just trying to tell you as much detail as possible. So, should I give them some tetracycline....or hold off and wait? They had tetracycline once before after I received them because they had a rough delivery in the mail. They were 3 days old and I kept them on it for only 2 days. GEESH>>I don't know what to do. Sorry for the rambling.

 

[Erica]

If they were my chicks, I would wait. Giving antibiotics without knowing for sure that they have a bacterial illness is generally not a good idea. It can help lead to resistant germs, and in any case antibiotics can't help if it's viral.

If you see other symptoms like runny nostrils or rales (rattles, gurgles etc) then I feel that would be the time to consider treatment.

In any case it may not be an illness. The open window might have created a draught that stirs up the dust. How often are they sneezing? Do you have any other reason to suspect a disease (e.g. do they come from a diseased flock)? What about the shed, is there an ammonia smell from droppings? (Ammonia will certainly make them sneeze...)

Sorry for all the questions countrychick14, but more information helps with advice...

Good luck,
Erica

 

[silkiechicken]

Medicating just because is a big no no, because that usually means when you need it to work, it just wont.

Sneezing is usually dust related, and growing chicks make a TON of dust with all the feather shaft sheaths flaking off.

If sneezing is with discharge and other symptoms, it is almost always going to be viral, in which case antibiotics will once again not be that helpful.

Antibiotics are best for bacterial infections or risk of bacterial infection from things like cuts, scrapes, dog bites, surgery, or punctures from the chicken doing something it didn't know it shouldn't do... like land on the tines of a pitchfork.

 

[countrychick14]

I agree with you about the information. I don't mind telling you more. I have around 4-5 inches of shavings under them. I do rake the shavings everyday. I cleaned it all out last week and put new down. My girl Happy was setting on my lap for around 10 minutes and she sneezed once. I listened to her chest and didn't hear any gurgling. There is definetly a breeze in the coop. I thought some fresh air would be good for them. They are all feathered out. I don't keep any heat on them anymore. Our nights have been getting down to around 40. My coop is insulated, I don't keep the windows open at night. I thought after they got their feathers they shouldn't have any heat on them anymore. It doesn't have a strong ammonia smell in their coop. I bought them all from Murry McMurry, I have no reason to think they have been exposed to anything. The coop was sterlized before we put them in it. They have been in the coop for 6 weeks. Overall, in 20 minutes I probably heard 6 or 7 sneezes from different chicks. I'll wait on the medicine. I don't like to give it to them unless it's necessary . Thanks for answering this Erica.

 

[countrychick14]

You also silkiechicken!