sick poults-help!

[farmgirl77]

This is my first time will poults. They are BRs and about two weeks old. When I got them home (from a feedmill) I noticed a rattley sound in their chests and some had an audible popping sound when they breathed. I was irritated with myself for not insisting on checking out the birds before we left. I had some tetracyclin from my chickens so I have been putting a TINY bit in their quart waterer everyday. The rattling is much better, gone in some. I have two big ones and two smaller (2 male, 2 female?) and the two bigger ones are having trouble. Only one of the four is eating and he seems to kind of choke and gasp after every few bites. The other big one is hunched over with his head pulled back and feathers ruffled and "coughing" every so often. The females are just standing there. They don't look sick, but they do not seem to be eating/drinking. I have noticed over the past few days they haven't been going through much food. Water is getting lower though. I'm feeding gamebird starter. No chickens ever where these birds are. Please help.

 

[ivan3]

Have you contacted the feedmill where you bought them (who supplied them with the birds?). Sounds like you are doing what you can, but the suppliers/sellers need to be made aware of this. I'd be tempted to either return them or cull the lot (you have other, healthy birds on your property?). At the very least I'd sacrifice one for testing.

Sure wish you the best.