1) What type of bird , age and weight.
BLRWyandotte chick, about 4 weeks old. No clue on weight.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
It seems like his nostrils are not really open enough for him to breathe. When I look at his face I can see the skin between his beak and the corner of his eye puff in and out when he breathes. This puffing in and out is also mirrored on the sides of his throat just behind his wattles. He has small amounts of clear discharge, and when he gets it he shakes his head and it sprays everywhere. It is not constant but does not seem to be associated with drinking. Other than that he seems to be behaving normally.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
I first noticed the discharge yesterday and the weird breathing today.
4) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No
5) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Nothing that I know of.
6) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
He is on chick starter and water. I have been taking them outside on excursions so he has eaten some grass, clover and stuff.
7) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Seems normal.
8) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
I have brought him upstairs and placed him in a big tubbie with food and water to both keep an eye on him and sequester him from the other chicks.
9 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I would prefer not to take him to a vet - I cannot keep a rooster anyway and was planning on giving him away as soon as he was old enough. I do not want to see my whole little flock get sick. But if I cannot treat him myself I will not allow him to just suffer and will probably bite the bullet and see if my vet will see him.
10) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
There really isn't anything to take a picture of.
11) Describe the housing/bedding in use
He is in the basement with the other chicks. I have set up a large dog corral with a cardboard tray lined with painters plastic. Bedding is pine shavings, which is what they have been on from day 1. They have free access to chick starter (non-medicated) and water. I have given them some fine sand in the past to help with the eating of grass and stuff.
I don't know if this odd breathing is something new or something that I just noticed because I was concerned about the discharge. And the only reason I really noticed the discharge was because he flicked it all over me with his head. It is possible I am being an over paranoid first time chick owner - but I don't want everyone to get sick.
I greatly appreciate any thoughts that anyone might have. He has finally calmed down in solitary - it kills me to have him in there alone because he obviously misses his flock badly.
edited to add
I just went back to look at earlier pictures of him, and he has always had more closed nostrils than the other chicks - but there were definite openings. This might be a crazy question - but could the growth of his crazy Wyandotte comb be causing the change in shape of his nostrils? OK - maybe it is too late for me to be online. Thank you for your patience.
BLRWyandotte chick, about 4 weeks old. No clue on weight.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
It seems like his nostrils are not really open enough for him to breathe. When I look at his face I can see the skin between his beak and the corner of his eye puff in and out when he breathes. This puffing in and out is also mirrored on the sides of his throat just behind his wattles. He has small amounts of clear discharge, and when he gets it he shakes his head and it sprays everywhere. It is not constant but does not seem to be associated with drinking. Other than that he seems to be behaving normally.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
I first noticed the discharge yesterday and the weird breathing today.
4) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No
5) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Nothing that I know of.
6) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
He is on chick starter and water. I have been taking them outside on excursions so he has eaten some grass, clover and stuff.
7) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Seems normal.
8) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
I have brought him upstairs and placed him in a big tubbie with food and water to both keep an eye on him and sequester him from the other chicks.
9 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I would prefer not to take him to a vet - I cannot keep a rooster anyway and was planning on giving him away as soon as he was old enough. I do not want to see my whole little flock get sick. But if I cannot treat him myself I will not allow him to just suffer and will probably bite the bullet and see if my vet will see him.
10) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
There really isn't anything to take a picture of.
11) Describe the housing/bedding in use
He is in the basement with the other chicks. I have set up a large dog corral with a cardboard tray lined with painters plastic. Bedding is pine shavings, which is what they have been on from day 1. They have free access to chick starter (non-medicated) and water. I have given them some fine sand in the past to help with the eating of grass and stuff.
I don't know if this odd breathing is something new or something that I just noticed because I was concerned about the discharge. And the only reason I really noticed the discharge was because he flicked it all over me with his head. It is possible I am being an over paranoid first time chick owner - but I don't want everyone to get sick.
I greatly appreciate any thoughts that anyone might have. He has finally calmed down in solitary - it kills me to have him in there alone because he obviously misses his flock badly.
edited to add
I just went back to look at earlier pictures of him, and he has always had more closed nostrils than the other chicks - but there were definite openings. This might be a crazy question - but could the growth of his crazy Wyandotte comb be causing the change in shape of his nostrils? OK - maybe it is too late for me to be online. Thank you for your patience.
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