URGENT-my week old chicks are dropping like flies!

[eminator]

Hello, new to the forum, wish it was under better circumstances. I hatched 5 copper black marans, and so far 2 have died. I had a guinea keet with the same symptoms. The two that died didn't really get past the nappy, just hatched stage. Poo looked normal. But if I held them close to my ear to hear their lungs, I could hear clicky, raspy breathing. They stopped eating. I tried giving sugar water as support but they both died, one yesterday and one today. Now the other three have clicky breathing, but it is not as pronounced yet.

I was keeping them on pine shavings, but I changed to paper towel. They get medicated chick starter.

There are no vets around here that know anything about poultry, and I also asked the avian/exotic vet who said that he doesn't know anything about chickens (nice). I need to fix this, I don't want to lose my other chicks. Thanks in advance for any advice that you guys may have. Help!

 

[MissPrissy]

What are you using for a brooder?

What are you using for heat?

Did you help them hatch?

Your eggs or someone else's eggs? Local? Shipped?

With them sounding raspy at this early after hatch I wonder if they have brooder pnuemonia.

 

[2manyhats]

Are they warm enough? I lost several of my quail and turkeys because they were just a little too cold. I upped the temp a little and they did much better.

 

[eminator]

I have infrared brooder lamps, and they are in a plastic pool in a spare room in my house. They all have heat lamp space as well as space to move away from it.

I got the eggs off of ebay. Hatched them myself.

It is really hot in the room. Ambient T is 84, and that's not under the lamp.

 

[eminator]

Do I need to try to find medication for them? I have polyotic powder (tetracycline HCl).

 

[2manyhats]

Are the chicks staying huddled under the lamp or are they moving about freely? If huddled together, they are cold. If panting, they are too warm. They need to be at about 95 degrees for the first week and then 90 for the second, 85 for the third etc. Good luck with those chickies.

 

[Pine Grove]

With the clicking(infected heart valves) and raspy breathing, I'll say they have Streptococcosis

 

[eminator]

Thanks for the answers so far, I am going to try tetracycline. I hope I don't lose these guys!

 

[chickenlady]

When are you taking these babies out of the incubator? It sounds as though they were still wet? If they were nappy, you should not have had them out on shavings and listening to them breathing. They really shouldnt come out of the bator until they are fluffy and dry. Especially since you dont have a temp. controlled brooder to put them in. I truly wish you the best of luck with your babies.

 

[eminator]

I leave them in until they are dry to the touch, but they didn't fluff themselves or anything. But, I will be super-conscientious about it next time I hatch. And I don't think I will use shavings anymore. This was not my first hatch, but it is the first time I had problems like this.