Sneezy Chick

[nb5347]

If it was a virus, like Infectious Bronchitis, its ability to infect others drops dramatically once away from a live host, so if the sick birds you bought weren't in direct contact with your flock, they may be alright. If it was a bacteria like salmonella, MS, or MG (mycoplasma) it can live in feces and on surfaces the chicks sneezed on. It certainly can't hurt to thoroughly clean and disinfect the area where the sick birds were. Scoop out all poop, bedding, sand, etc. Clean any potentially contaminated surfaces with soapy hot water with a bit of bleach or ammonia. Don't do it while chickens are around -- bleach or ammonia is great at killing germs, but a respiratory hazard. Or use a different solution that kills bacteria. It can't hurt and it may help. I hope your flock is ok.

Thank you, I will do so. I’ve got the area closed off that she was in though I had let her out one day to see how she’d do with the others. Again, that’s my fault. I should have done a minimum 3 week quarantine. Lesson learned.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I posted last week with a sick 5/6 week old chick. She passed away the next night. When I got her, I also brought home one of her siblings. She was also sneezing but mostly energetic and is eating/drinking/foraging around her hutch. She sounds more congested though as the days have gone by she’s still energetic and eating/drinking but she’s sneezing a good bit and just sounds so congested and has rapid shallow breathing, it breaks my heart. At this point, I’m assuming what the other one had + the heat here in Texas, is affecting this baby too. She’s shaded in a rabbit hutch with good airflow but I do not want her to suffer. I’ve been putting vetrx on her chest/below her wings, giving electrolytes with her water and a drop or two of nutridrench. Is there anything else I can do for her? The heat streak should be breaking tomorrow but from looking at old forums, it looks like I may be losing this one too. Any advice would be appreciated!

Where ?
There were 2 of them, one was lost, but she's asking for help for the other one or I'm missing something.

If both are gone, then that's just sad.

Clean everything out, sanitize with Oxine or Virkon S, wait until weather cools a bit, then order replacement chicks from a reputable hatchery.

She ended its suffering already.

 

[nb5347]

Where ?
There were 2 of them, one was lost, but she's asking for help for the other one or I'm missing something.

If both are gone, then that's just sad.

Clean everything out, sanitize with Oxine or Virkon S, wait until weather cools a bit, then order replacement chicks from a reputable hatchery.

I went with culling after a couple of hours posting. Baby was energetic but sounded just like the one that passed. I just couldn’t take hearing her so rattly and congested and her breathing was getting shorter day after day.

 

[nb5347]

Where ?
There were 2 of them, one was lost, but she's asking for help for the other one or I'm missing something.

If both are gone, then that's just sad.

Clean everything out, sanitize with Oxine or Virkon S, wait until weather cools a bit, then order replacement chicks from a reputable hatchery.

Thank you, I will get those cleaning products.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I went with culling after a couple of hours posting. Baby was energetic but sounded just like the one that passed. I just couldn’t take hearing her so rattly and congested and her breathing was getting shorter day after day.

Sorry for your loss.

She looked o.k. to me, just a bit trilling for attention and some noise that lonely chicks make. A small snick/sneeze at the end, eyes clear, no facial swelling, bubbles or mucous.

I highly recommend that you give yourself a waiting period before considering repopulating or purchasing more chicks. Read up on care, management and diseases.
It would be a good idea to have some medications on hand as well. Corid and an antibiotic like Tylosin would be a good start.

 

[nb5347]

Sorry for your loss.

She looked o.k. to me, just a bit trilling for attention and some noise that lonely chicks make. A small snick/sneeze at the end, eyes clear, no facial swelling, bubbles or mucous.

I highly recommend that you give yourself a waiting period before considering repopulating or purchasing more chicks. Read up on care, management and diseases.
It would be a good idea to have some medications on hand as well. Corid and an antibiotic like Tylosin would be a good start.

Yes I gave them preventative corid upon bringing home. Her breathing and congestion don’t really show on that video and I didn’t get a video of her when she was inside. She did purr when I’d go out and hold her tho so I do recognize those sounds. I will do your recommendations tho. :’(

 

[First time Chick mom]

That is what someone else mentioned to me It was breaking my heart hearing the congestion and with the help of a neighbor, we decided to cull the second one to not further spread the infection into my established flock, though I’m now worried it’s too late as I had the temporary coop they were in, in the chicken area I bought them from https://wisecountychickenfarm.com/. Their website didn’t look bad but none of the photos are real, they’re all stock photos, NOT from their farm. I pulled up confused as it was a trailer, falling apart and many, many chickens all over the place in chain link coops. :’( lesson learned, I just wanted to support a small local farm but this was not it.

I am so sorry; this must have been a very hard decision to make. I can only imagine how heartbreaking it was/is for you. I hope you never have to experience this again.

 

[TropicalChickies]

Thank you, I will do so. I’ve got the area closed off that she was in though I had let her out one day to see how she’d do with the others. Again, that’s my fault. I should have done a minimum 3 week quarantine. Lesson learned.

We all learn here. I unknowingly bought sick chickens too from a neighbor a few years ago: 5 POL pullets and a rooster. They were my first group and I went through hell and high water learning about diseases and if there was anything I could do.

But one thing we can always do is clean! You can also sprinkle some sulfur powder over the ground where the sick chickens were housed and stir it into the ground. It's non-toxic to birds but kills lice and mites and is inhospitable to bacteria. Don't throw it around everywhere -- you don't want to kill All the bugs chickens eat, but a cupful sprinkled over the potentially infected area can help.

 

[nb5347]

We all learn here. I unknowingly bought sick chickens too from a neighbor a few years ago: 5 POL pullets and a rooster. They were my first group and I went through hell and high water learning about diseases and if there was anything I could do.

But one thing we can always do is clean! You can also sprinkle some sulfur powder over the ground where the sick chickens were housed and stir it into the ground. It's non-toxic to birds but kills lice and mites and is inhospitable to bacteria. Don't throw it around everywhere -- you don't want to kill All the bugs chickens eat, but a cupful sprinkled over the potentially infected area can help.

Thank you, I will do that today with the sulfur. I can’t imagine starting with an entire sick flock. I’m so sorry that happened. I know everything has a lesson but it’s still heartbreaking.