I have two Polish chicks that are about 1 week old. I only had one hatch, so bought another from a local breeder. Since I got the other chick I have noticed that he/she makes a sort of crackling noise when it peeps (primarily) but also sometimes while breathing. The chick is a little on the small side, a bit more vocal than the other chick that I hatched, but seems to be eating and drinking ok. Now, this morning, I have noticed that my chick has a little bit of crackling noise as well. Here is what I have been doing for them:
1. I started them on Duramycin-10, 400 mg dose on 5/28 PM as their only water source
2. They are eating Poulin chick starter non-medicated
3. They are in a plastic tote in my bedroom with an Ecoglow brooder; they are still on paper towels as bedding
4. I started giving them yogurt 5/28 PM (they don't seem to care for it) and I hard boiled some eggs for them yesterday and have been feeding them a little bit of crumbled up egg yolk. The chick I hatched seems to be eating most of the egg.
Their poop is a little liquid-y and seems to be reddish-brown in color, but not bloody red. I have also been dealing with a pasty butt on the chick I hatched. Both have clear eyes, no discharge from nostrils or eyes. They are moving around normally, not sleeping excessively, and seem to be breathing normally. Prior to starting Duramycin I had put chick-saver electrolytes in their water, but stopped that.
It will have been 2 days since I started Duramycin this afternoon, with no improvement and the chick I hatched now making noise. Should I try another antibiotic? Could this be just an upper respiratory infection? I have access to any type of antibiotic because I work part-time at a small animal hospital. Unfortunately none of the vets know anything about chickens, so I have to let them know what I need for the most part. Any help would be greatly appreciated I do not want to lose these two chicks!
1. I started them on Duramycin-10, 400 mg dose on 5/28 PM as their only water source
2. They are eating Poulin chick starter non-medicated
3. They are in a plastic tote in my bedroom with an Ecoglow brooder; they are still on paper towels as bedding
4. I started giving them yogurt 5/28 PM (they don't seem to care for it) and I hard boiled some eggs for them yesterday and have been feeding them a little bit of crumbled up egg yolk. The chick I hatched seems to be eating most of the egg.
Their poop is a little liquid-y and seems to be reddish-brown in color, but not bloody red. I have also been dealing with a pasty butt on the chick I hatched. Both have clear eyes, no discharge from nostrils or eyes. They are moving around normally, not sleeping excessively, and seem to be breathing normally. Prior to starting Duramycin I had put chick-saver electrolytes in their water, but stopped that.
It will have been 2 days since I started Duramycin this afternoon, with no improvement and the chick I hatched now making noise. Should I try another antibiotic? Could this be just an upper respiratory infection? I have access to any type of antibiotic because I work part-time at a small animal hospital. Unfortunately none of the vets know anything about chickens, so I have to let them know what I need for the most part. Any help would be greatly appreciated I do not want to lose these two chicks!
