Week old CX chicks sick, eyes stuck shut, opening beaks.

[Coops Dad]

We got 12 CX meat chicks and four BBW poults last Thursday; today, we woke up to two dead and three others standing around with closed eyes. They showed no interest in food, which is very unusual. I came home tonight to another dead chick and the rest with eyes shut. I thought at first they were closing their eyes but it turned out that their eyes are a little gummy and sticking shut. They're also opening and closing their beaks as if they're gasping or biting at the air.

I got them at Orscheln's/Bomgaars (name change) who gets them from Hoover's. Hoover's says they're vaxxed for Marek's.

They're eating non-medicated 20% chick starter. Water has had Durvet High Performance Poultry Pak vitamin and electrolyte mix since day 1.

They're in a plastic tote that has never been used for chicks before, brooder plate set with the front 5" off the bedding (paper towels) and the back 3" off the bedding.

The poults are unaffected, curious and friendly and ravenously hungry.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you have any photos?
Poults in the same tote or separate?

Sticky eyes, I'd rinse with saline then apply a dot of eye ointment in the eyes like Original Neosporin or Terramycin.

How's the ventilation in the tote?
Any plastic fumes/odors that you notice?

How old are they? Sound like respiratory illness with the gasping, but if all are doing the same, it's a bit odd, usually you'd have a couple or three that aren't as bad or maybe even seem to be o.k.

Puffing up, laying spread out, panting???...I'd lean more towards Coccidiosis.
Do you have Corid on hand?

 

[Coops Dad]

All the chicks are doing it, standing, not puffed up or in any visible distress. The poults are in the same brooder, and they're all just a week old tomorrow. Good ventilation, no plasticky odors (just the scent of small poultry, lol), plenty of room to get away from the brooder if they're too warm.

I'll dab a little Neosporin into their eyes and pick up some corid before I leave for work.

Thanks!

 

[Coops Dad]

I wiped their eyes with saline and put a dab of Neosporin in each, added 1/4 teaspoon of 9.6% Corid solution to 1 quart of their drinking water, and stopped the electrolyte powder because it contains B-vitamins.

Attached is a pic of one of the worse chicks- it looks like it has a rash at the lower corners of its beak; a couple of them have this but this guy is the worst case. Also, the poults were relentless in pecking at the rash so I separated them to their own brooder.

Update: the poults have junky eyes but aren't displaying any other symptoms. They got neosporined also. They'll continue with corid in their new brooder as well.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I wiped their eyes with saline and put a dab of Neosporin in each, added 1/4 teaspoon of 9.6% Corid solution to 1 quart of their drinking water, and stopped the electrolyte powder because it contains B-vitamins.

Extra vitamins with B1(Thiamine) would contradict your Corid.

I'd opt to give them the vitamins and stop the Corid at this time.

The Poults also getting goopy eyes is not a good sign.

Do you notice any lesions or white/yellow material inside the CX beak?

Fowl Pox is coming to mind here. I know you may have the chicks inside? Do you?
I know it's winter, but you are in TX. I know it's winter here in NC, but it's been mild and the mosquitoes come out here at around 35-40 degrees! And I've got them right now.

I'm going to tag in @dawg53 and @Eggcessive to chime in as well.

Do what you can to keep the eyes cleared of goop, but IF this is Fowl Pox, then you'll want to take care not to disturb scabs and lesions too much.
I'd paint those lesions on the sides of their beaks with Iodine which may help dry them up quicker.

Sanitize their water. Fowl Pox is spread through the scabs (Poults picking at them), through drinking water/feed stations, etc.

She gives instructions on how to sanitize water using Oxine or Iodine in this article. https://the-chicken-chick.com/fowl-pox-prevention-treatmen/

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you have any pictures of your set-up? Are they eating and drinking well? What are the poops like?

 

[Coops Dad]

Update: Corid and Neosporin worked; all the chicks and poults are eating and drinking happily, no gunky eyes and no gasping. I'm going to keep them on the corid for another 4 days.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

@Wyorp Rock since the treatment worked, does this give you any indication what the problem is/ was? What do you think Coops Dad was dealing with here?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Update: Corid and Neosporin worked; all the chicks and poults are eating and drinking happily, no gunky eyes and no gasping. I'm going to keep them on the corid for another 4 days.

Thanks for the advice!

@Wyorp Rock since the treatment worked, does this give you any indication what the problem is/ was? What do you think Coops Dad was dealing with here?

I'm glad they are better!

If the Corid made a big difference, then Coccidiosis was likely the reason for the standing around and possibly the gasping for air.
Neosporin in the eyes, possibly helped fight some type of eye infection or irritation (secondary). Hard to really know.