Uh oh ..heard them sneeze

[CA Bean]

So I have 5week old Sp Sussex in my brooder in the shed. It has a heat source and is sheltered etc. Last week I thought I heard a few sneezes but when I sat for 5 mins and listened no one else sneezed. I figured food, dust etc. This week I heard it again. It could be food- I am always putting down food then I hear them sneeze..? No signs of watery eyes or nasal discharge but when I picked one of the chicks up I could hear them breathing. Not wheezy but loudish..
Are they sick? And it doesn't seem to be progressing fast so? Ideas? Should I get some antibiiotics this weekend?
TIA

 

[chookchick]

If you put down food, they start eating and then sneeze, I wouldn't worry too much. I have hen that always sticks her beak way in the food like a pig, then sneezes cause she gets it in her nostrils. If they seem healthy in every other way--probably not a disease, but it is good that you keep any eye on them.

 

[CA Bean]

Hmmm noticed more sneezing today. .. maybe something. No other symptoms though.

I am going to TSC this weekend what would be good to get just in case?

I guess it wouldn't be good to get more chicks and put them in another brooder next to them huh.

 

[silkiechicken]

A few sneezes here and there, a few times a day isn't a problem. They dig around in the shavings and feed and stir up ALOT of dust. Just wait a week and if they are inside, sunlight will reveal a 1/8th inch layer of chick and brooder dust everywhere. No kidding. Growing feathers leave lots of floating dust too which can irritate them a bit so running a air filter may help out. If they are sneezing after eating, they could be enthiuastic little piggies and just inhaling their food, once you are feeding pellets, that issue will probably go way down. Instead they will "honk" and cough up whole pellets after eating too fast.

You don't need to get anything from the feed store. Unless you confirm a bacterial infection, most respiratory things are viral and associated with gurgling and sound of liquid in breathing, DO NOT use an antibiotic as a preventative or just in case. That just leads to resistance and the drug becoming useless when you really need it, such as a animal bite, or open wound injury. Furthermore, antibiotics kill indiscriminately, meaning that the 99.99% of good beneficial bacteria essential to digestion and out competing virulent bacteria get killed too, which isn't really the best.

Good luck!

 

[CA Bean]

Quote:
Thank you - I agree I won't be giving them anything before I confirm but was just wondering if I should have something on hand?...
It did seem like they were sneezing before I fed them today and more of them. I am just worried I guess..I don't want sick babies! I also picked 2 up the other day and listen to them breath and I could hear them breath-hard to explain. It wasn't quiet, silent breathing... it was heavy.