Very worried about constantly sneezing chick!

[5GodsDown]

Hi all

I've posted this before in raising baby chicks, but I still don't know what to do.

My 3 chicks are almost 2 weeks old now. They live in a brooder with wood shavings and a heat plate. I clean the brooder of poop every day and the entire brooder every 3-4 days. The room temperature is almost constant around 73.4 and the chicks don't use the heat plate a lot, only at night. Since Saturday one of the chicks has been sneezing constantly, as in, a few times per minute. The other ones sneeze once in a while after eating or when they kicked some shavings around, but this one has been sneezing non stop and also scratches at its beak a lot. I only sometimes see a little bit of fluid at the nosetrills, but it's colourless and not sticky.

Saturday was actually the first day they were outside for a bit, because it was really hot. They sat in their brooder with a part covered by a blanket for shadow. I brought them back inside because they looked like they were even too hot.

In general the chicks are behaving completely healthy, they eat and drink a lot and are very active during the day. Now when I hear the others sneeze I get paranoid, because I've grown to like them a lot, they are very cuddly and I wouldn't want to lose my first chicks.

I've got the advice to wait it out a bit as long as they behave healthy, but I can't help but worry so much and I'm afraid a chick sneezing for 4 days already is not ok...

Thanks for any advice

 

[SueT]

It could just be from eating, or from the shavings. What breed are they?

 

[5GodsDown]

It could just be from eating, or from the shavings. What breed are they?

Sussex

I was thinking maybe something got stuck in its nose, but it's way too small to help it right now

 

[Eggcessive]

Most likely it is from the dust in the food and the bedding. Chickens have a lot of dander as well which you may be noticing. What type of bedding are you using? Cedar is not good for chickens. Did your chicks come from someone else who hatched them from their chickens, or did you get them from a hatchery? If the chicks came from a farm where there were other chickens, there could be a chance that they were exposed to a virus or bacterial respiratory disease.

 

[5GodsDown]

Most likely it is from the dust in the food and the bedding. Chickens have a lot of dander as well which you may be noticing. What type of bedding are you using? Cedar is not good for chickens. Did your chicks come from someone else who hatched them from their chickens, or did you get them from a hatchery? If the chicks came from a farm where there were other chickens, there could be a chance that they were exposed to a virus or bacterial respiratory disease.

I picked them up at a chicken farm that gets them directly from the hatchery. The chicks are in a separate room divided by age and breed, so normally no chick has been in contact with the full grown chickens. I also got my bedding there, I should check the bag for the type of wood, but it mostly says something translated to wood fibre. That chicken farm has been passed on from generation to generation so I doubt they'd give me bedding that's bad for them. It's the typical wood fibre you would also get for a hamster or something, whereas I see that cedar looks darker?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would not think they would give you cedar shavings, either, but just wanted to check. Cedar shavings are red and tan, and have a fragrant odor. Pine shavings are all one color. Hopefully the chick will improve, but if it becomes more congested or lethargic, I would try an antibiotic such as oxytetracycline. Your chicken farm friends may be able to suggest something as well.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Since Saturday one of the chicks has been sneezing constantly, as in, a few times per minute. The other ones sneeze once in a while after eating or when they kicked some shavings around, but this one has been sneezing non stop and also scratches at its beak a lot. I only sometimes see a little bit of fluid at the nosetrills, but it's colourless and not sticky.

I was thinking maybe something got stuck in its nose, but it's way too small to help it right now

In general the chicks are behaving completely healthy, they eat and drink a lot and are very active during the day.

Can you pick the chick up, check the nostrils to see if there's something stuck in there? While you're at it, look inside the beak.

If it's constantly sneezing, then it is not able to eat /drink is it?

 

[5GodsDown]

I would not think they would give you cedar shavings, either, but just wanted to check. Cedar shavings are red and tan, and have a fragrant odor. Pine shavings are all one color. Hopefully the chick will improve, but if it becomes more congested or lethargic, I would try an antibiotic such as oxytetracycline. Your chicken farm friends may be able to suggest something as well.

Thank you for the info

I don't think the chick has changed behaviour these last few days. It's always following its buddies and eating and drinking with them. I think we can only get antibiotics through the vet here, but if it's getting worse or the others come down with it to then a trip to the vet is worth it.

I've sent a message to them but I haven't received an answer yet, maybe they're also thinking about it. I bought some apple cider vinegar, but haven't given it to them yet as I am a bit doubtful.

 

[5GodsDown]

Can you pick the chick up, check the nostrils to see if there's something stuck in there? While you're at it, look inside the beak.

If it's constantly sneezing, then it is not able to eat /drink is it?

I don't see anything abnormal, but then again it's still so small now. I checked the inside the beak too, just a few tiny bits of food in there. I could be paranoid but this chicks sounds a bit different when drinking, like louder.

It's sneezing approximately every 30 seconds, I haven't seen it stop eating or drinking to sneeze yet.

 

[Eggcessive]

I don’t use ACV with baby chicks, just clean water, chick feed. This particular chick could have some other problem going on, but I would keep observing it. Make sure they have good ventilation overhead.