Weird puffing sound from chick! Pls help, not sure what’s happening!

[Dimondel]

Weird puffing sound is coming from my chick along with some unusual mouth movements. Is this a respiratory issue? What can I do for it?

 

[Dimondel]

I’ve had so many deaths in my flock recently and I don’t know if my mental health can handle another one so soon. Is there anything I can do? Is this normal, is it in trouble?

 

[RosemaryDuck]

Weird puffing sound is coming from my chick along with some unusual mouth movements. Is this a respiratory issue? What can I do for it?

It does look like a respiratory issue of some kind. I'll tag some other users here who have more experience. Hope your little one gets better soon.

@Eggcessive @azygous @Miss Lydia

 

[Dimondel]

It does look like a respiratory issue of some kind. I'll tag some other users here who have more experience. Hope your little one gets better soon.

@Eggcessive @azygous @Miss Lydia

Thank you so much!

 

[azygous]

Could this chick have symptoms related to those chickens that have died recently? Do you know what killed them? If any had respiratory symptoms, then yes, you would be well advised to proactively treat them with an antibiotic.

 

[Dimondel]

Could this chick have symptoms related to those chickens that have died recently? Do you know what killed them? If any had respiratory symptoms, then yes, you would be well advised to proactively treat them with an antibiotic.

Four month old was one which couldn’t walk and a snake got to her. Second one I hatched out the egg myself and it was involved in a traumatic accident on my part. Tried to take a couple of sick ones home to see if there’s anything I could do after they were pecked or born injured. Wasn’t allowed to and they had passed by the time of return. Found 2 that had been pecked, one with multiple bloody injuries, had to decide to put that one down because it was in pain. Took the lesser injured one home along with one that was walking funny but seemed fairly healthy. Spent all night nursing the injured one, feeding it, redressing it’s wound, passed out for an hour and found it dead. And now the other one I took home is having trouble breathing. I know it’s my fault for thinking I can save them all, curse my soft heart, but I couldn’t just leave them there to die. Now this one I thought had a fairly good chance is breathing funky, and I just want it to live. What can I do, in specifics, to save it?

As you can see, I’m fairly sure the other ones passed due to matters unrelated, I’ve just been unlucky.

 

[Dimondel]

How should I treat it with antibiotic?

 

[azygous]

I wouldn't bother with the antibiotic under the circumstances. What I would do is rig up a chamber and place the chick in it, perhaps with a little friend for company, and mist it with an antibiotic/anti-fungal agent such as Betadine or Oxine added to the misting water. You can use a vaporizer, a misting machine or use a misting bottle every hour or so.

 

[Eggcessive]

Does the chick have any areas around the neck, chest, or sides that feels like air under the skin?

 

[Dimondel]

I’ve found an air bubble in the chick’s chest! Could this be the cause, what do I do?