Sneezing chicks

[stonemason]

I recently bought twelve Cornish cross chicks. The second day I had them I noticed they were sneezing and at least one had a rattle to its breathing. They were at first on a medicated starter feed so I had hoped that would clear it up. I have since switched to a non medicated starter. I tried to put them outside but it got a bit too cold and I noticed the sneezing increase. They are inside again and many of them are still sneezing and some have rattle breathing. They are all eating drinking pooping and growing however. I'm not sure what to do especially because I don't want any medication in the meat. They are about three weeks old now. Any help?

 

[Pyxis]

Medicated feed just prevents coccidiosis, it would do nothing at all for a respiratory disease if that's what these have. You'd have to treat with a medication to clear it up. It could just be dust irritating them or high ammonia if you haven't cleaned their brooder, but if it's a disease, you need to treat it or hope they make it to slaughtering age without dying if you don't want to treat it.

And keep them away from the rest of your birds if you have any others because if it is a disease, they will pass it to them.

 

[stonemason]

Thanks for the response.I have kept up on cleaning the brooder. still they make so much waist so fast I think i would be irritated were I them. Are there treatment options that won't leave medication in the meat? Is this something people generally contact a vet about or are there things they sell at tsc? Also if a bird has a respiratory disease and makes it at slaughter weight is it still safe to eat?

 

[Pyxis]

You can try tetracycline, it used to be for sale at places like TSC but a law just passed that makes it so it's not available there any longer so yes, you would need a vet prescription to get it. The withdrawal time on it is five days so you'd want to wait that long before slaughter if you treat with it.

They should still be fine and safe to eat if they are sick (the common diseases it could be don't affect humans and proper cooking should kill anything anyway) so if they're still growing and doing fine aside from sneezing I'd just let it go and slaughter them in a few weeks when they're ready.

 

[stonemason]

I was going to let them alone until slaughter but my birds have started to die. I've lost 4 now of the twelve I had. I think I'm going to see what a vet can help me with. If you have any other advice please let me know