Sick baby chicks

[agemme12]

Hi everyone! So seeking some advice. We currently have 7 adult hens and but recently got new baby chicks about 18 of them, all different female breeds. They are now 7 almost 8 weeks of age. We had them in a brooder since day 1 and weve weaned them off the heat lamp etc and had them spend sometime outside and then moved them to the smaller coop outside. It has plenty of air flow and has something to block any wind. They have a nice warm house they can go in at night. So I notcied that one of my babies had reddish eye and wasnt really eating much. Not very energetic. I brought her back in to a warmer house and set up a spot for her. I noticed she had bubbles coming from her nose, had a bit of wheezing and sneezing. I gave her chick probiotics in her water and kept her warm. She is now very energetic and this is day 6 of her being in our house. She still has red eye, as well as sneezing. Shes also contantly pecking her own feathers. There are no more bubbles coming from her nose but defintley has other cold symptoms. Anyway just a few days ago I noticed another baby hen had even worse swollen eyes. She eats and drinks is energetic but now shes with the first one in our bathroom. She has all the coughing and sneezing and red eyes and her poop ( i know they smell as it is but the runny ones are awful) Here are pictures of them? I also spoke to a vet and she said keep them in there give them probiotics but if i brought them to a vet it would cost a ton to run tests. I didnt know what else i could do or what else is an option and i don't want to return them into their flock but i also don't want to think the worst .

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

I would think it’s either a cold or a flu like disease. Treat your whole flock with antibiotics and antivirals to prevent more sick chickens. The symptoms you are describing point to a mild case of whatever they have and they will probably live. Try and feed them some save-a-chick stuff to help their bodies fight the disease.
Best of luck

 

[agemme12]

Thanks. What kind of antibiotics should I be giving them? Is this something I need to get from a vet? Ive had chickens for few years now and never had to give any antibiotics.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Try giving them sulfaquinoxaline or sulfamethazine. Really most medicines that start with sulfa- will do. They are anti-bacterial and also help fight against viruses and parasites. You can buy them at most farm stores and they normally have instructions for poultry.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Side note:
What breed is the left bird? Your birds are just so pretty

 

[agemme12]

Aww thanks so much really appreciate the info! Honestly I can't tell what breed they are yet! I know that sounds crazy. We bought an all female mix 18 chicks and so far ive figured out I have a few rhode island reds, a polish chick, and few americauna and australops and orpingtons but I have white and grey birds with blue eyes and they are beautiful!

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

They are so pretty I’m getting jealous

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So I notcied that one of my babies had reddish eye and wasnt really eating much. Not very energetic. I brought her back in to a warmer house and set up a spot for her. I noticed she had bubbles coming from her nose, had a bit of wheezing and sneezing. I gave her chick probiotics in her water and kept her warm. She is now very energetic and this is day 6 of her being in our house. She still has red eye, as well as sneezing. Shes also contantly pecking her own feathers. There are no more bubbles coming from her nose

few days ago I noticed another baby hen had even worse swollen eyes. She eats and drinks is energetic but now shes with the first one in our bathroom. She has all the coughing and sneezing and red eyes and her poop ( i know they smell as it is but the runny ones are awful)

Where are you located in the world?
Can you post some photos of the poop too?

The sunken eyes could be an indication of Mycoplasma, but without testing it's hard to know.
An antibiotic like Tylosin (Tylan) can help treat symptoms of Mycoplasma. You will need to order it online.
Since the birds are young and have just now been going out within the last few weeks, it may be a good idea to treat them for Coccidiosis as well - hard to know for sure. A lot depends on behavior and poop. A fecal float can help with that, otherwise treating them might not be a bad idea.

For the eyes, general care is to flush with saline and apply an eye ointment or plain neosporin.

Do keep in mind there are other respiratory diseases that chickens can have besides Mycoplasma. Infectious Bronchitis and ILT (viruses) and Infectious Coryza are a few others.
Viral diseases usually have to run their course, but antibiotics can treat secondary infections.
Infectious Coryza which causes severe facial swelling and is accompanied by a foul odor can be treated with Sulfa drugs.
Also know that respiratory diseases are contagious and make birds (those that have been sick/recovered and those exposed) carriers of the disease, most for life with the exception of IB which is around a year.

Do what you can to keep her drinking and eating, keep the eye flushed out several times a day and mucous cleared up too.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

https://www.jedds.com/shop/tylan-soluble-100-g/
https://www.jedds.com/shop/corid/

 

[agemme12]

We are in MA. I know the weather hasn't been too warm. But we had put our big hens out at 6 weeks years ago. We have the entire coop for the babies secluded and air flow but blocked from all wind and in the sun.

The poop has been normal poop until recently its now runny and smells soo bad. Like the runs. My friend is a bird vet and she said it looked like conjuctiva but told me just do probiotics. They are very energetic, eating and drinking non stop. We do have tylan I had bought that as precaution but never used it. I keep hearing about VetRX..can they have that? Ill have to order the other stuff. All the saline drops I find are medicated.

 

[agemme12]

Should I treat all the babies? and if so what should i give them besides probiotics in their water?