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Sneezing chicks and MG flock

bhawk-23

Crowing
Premium Feather Member
5 Years
Apr 12, 2020
1,245
1,725
306
East Central Illinois
Hello all! I have a MD and MG flock.
I put my MD vaccinated 3 week old chicks outside in their own coop and run within the large coop and run last Monday. I started a dose of Denagard for the whole flock, including the chicks, that Wednesday. We are on day 6 of treatment and the chicks are a full 4 weeks old today. I was outside this morning and heard 2 sneezes while feeding the chicks.

Question:
I reduced their heat slightly last night and had them out in their run for a few hours during the sunny 60's degree weather yesterday. Should I bring the heat up and just allow them the option to go outside? I know they will stay inside in their heated coop mostly. Is it advisable to continue to feather them out (which they are doing nicely) or just baby them during the next few cold days? Our weather should warm up again later this week.
I do have one girl sneezing in the flock but she has been on and off my "watch super close possible euthanize" list for a few months.

Other than that all 5 chicks, are active, social and eating well. I know they can decline fast though.

All advice, experience and thoughts are welcomed and appreciated!
 
I would just use the normal temperatures for your 3 week old chicks that you would on any other flock, unless they show signs of a respiratory disease. For me that would be around 80 degrees with a cooler area away from the heat source. Are they outside in a coop, or inside a home? An occasional sneeze, especially during eating when they can get feed dust in their nostrils, is normal.
 
They are outside, in the large coop, but in their own coop and run. It's one of those small fabricated coop and runs you get online. It takes up about half of the large enclosed coop but our girls roost in the run. The chickens they have the most contact with are 2 larger birds still laying and the 3 bantams that roost in the enclosed coop at night.

I'll turn the heat back up to last week's temps. I don't have a thermometer inside it but it is warm to me when I clean it. Warmer than the outside temps of 60 degrees last week. I do turn up the heat at night to accommodate the temps dropping at night. They have a heating pad underneath and a heat panel on the wall in the corner of the coop.
 

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