Sneezing 8 Week Old Chicks

[Teenybeeny]

Hello everyone! Me again! First flock and SOOOOOO many questions!

So, on Sunday, we moved our 7 oldest chicks out to the coop. Today, they've picked up some sneezing. Not all of them are sneezing. It has been a bit chilly and damp here in Maryland, but we do have them set up with a heater to make the transition easier. They are running around, sliding, and flying all over the place. I have "fine" Pine Shavings in their coop as their bedding. I haven't seen any discharge in any of them, and they are eating and drinking just fine. There is one that's gotten a bit lazy, but she is eating, drinking, and plays from time to time. All seem super healthy, other than the sneezing.
Should I be concerned or is this just from dust floating around? I've heard them sneeze occasionally before when they were in their brooder, but never all at the same time. Four of them sneezed in about a 2 minute span when we went out to check on them just a bit ago. It's about 56 degrees right now, but the nights have been in the low 40's.
Hoping for some advice on what steps I should take at this point.
Thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

What is the temperature in the coop with the heat? Sneezing might be due to the fine pine shavings or dust in the feed. Do they have good air circulation inside the coop? Keep an eye on the lazy one, especially if she has runny poos, develops bubbles in an eye, or nasal drainage. Coccidiosis can be common at this age.

 

[Teenybeeny]

The temp in the coop is about 65 degrees. We had sealed off the gable vents because it was much colder than what they were used to on the day we switched them over and cold air was streaming in. They had just outgrown their brooder area, so it had to be done. I have now removed the cover over the gable vents since the temps are supposed to be getting warmer from this point forward and the coop needs circulation. There's still going to be some chilly nights, but I have their heat source in there, and they seem comfy cozy.

I was out there for about the last 30 minutes, and not a single one of them sneezed. I think they were just running around and kicking up dust from the pine shavings before.

As for the lazy one, she always comes out to greet me when I go see them. This last time, I picked her up to check her nasal passages, and she just decided to roost on my arm. She was quite content just sitting there for five minutes. When I tried to put her down, she didn't want to go. She was up, eating, drinking, and wanted to be a part of it. I have one of those treat balls with mealworms in it, and she was an active participant. I have noticed before that she was the one with watery poop when they were in the brooder. I put some Amprolin in their water at that time, and all seemed to clear up. I haven't seen any watery poop recently. I will check again tomorrow morning when I change their water. I also think she is missing the younger chicks that aren't quite ready to move outside yet. She was the protector of them whenever the younger ones escaped their brooder and went to the "big girls" area. She would rather be with the babies, then with the big girls. I think I may have a broody hen in the making! :-(

Probably way more information than was needed. But I've come to learn that sometimes more information is better. Should I treat their water with Amprolin again just as a preventitive?

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Eggcessive]

Amprollium is fairly safe to use, but if the lazy one is eating and drinking, I would probably hold off unless you think it would help. Glad the sneezing has stopped.

 

[Teenybeeny]

Amprollium is fairly safe to use, but if the lazy one is eating and drinking, I would probably hold off unless you think it would help. Glad the sneezing has stopped.

Thank you very much for your reply. I'm usually a mother hen when it comes to things, but I didn't want to "act" to fast and do the wrong thing. I did check the lazier chick again, and thankfully she did a solid poop when I was there. She was also playing with the others, so I'm thinking she was just adjusting to her new world.

I'm watching them on their coop cam right now, and all looks good and I hear no sneezes!

Thanks again!

 

[Teenybeeny]

So today, a completely different chick is sneezing. And I started noticing that a few of them are breathing with their mouth open for like 10 seconds, do this weird swallow thing and then they’re normal. There is absolutely no nasal discharge, no funny sounds in their chest, they’re pooping normally, eating and drinking like champs. They went outside today for the first time and boy, were they scared! Wasn’t sure if it’s stress from leaving their door to the run open for the first time or what. I did put some electrolytes and probiotics in their water today. Figured it couldn’t hurt. Thoughts?

Sadly, lazy chick isn’t lazy at all. Looks like she may have broken her middle toe. It’s skewed to the side and I can tell she’s very careful with it. We’ve splinted it and hoping it heals properly.