would you cull this baby? :-( update: RIP sweet baby

[technodoll]

One of my 6 day-old silkie chicks has one eye swollen shut from some sort of respiratory infection. The eye is leaking water and the baby has difficulties breathing, it keeps its head tilted back and opens its beak to breath, has wet sneezes and a bit of coughing. The other eye is fine and it's been fighting this for two days now.

All other chicks are fine, they were born under mama hen and in the garage brooder since last week.

No contact with other chickens.

I've syringed Tylan mixed with poly-vi-sol in the baby's beak a few times a day since yesterday, with no improvement.

I think it's eating and there is poop in the box, it looks fine (baby is on my counter, in a box with a blanket, under a heat lamp).

I found LICE on the babies yesterday (geee thanks mama hen - NOT) and treated everyone with Ivermectin drops, the lice are gone now thankfully

Poor babies.

Could my sick chick have gotten pecked in the eye or could lice have crawled into it?

I have no idea why its lungs/sinus are so congested and I don't know what more to do - I hate to see is struggling for breath and suffering, yet I don't want to give up on it...

What would you do?

 

[patnjess]

with mouth open breathing, unless its because hes to hot, then i would cull, chickie doesn't sound well

 

[technodoll]

Baby isn't too hot... she'll open her beak to get some air, then close it again, no panting.

Like her lungs are so congested she's trying to gulp air, breath by breath.

This has been going on since yesterday morning.

How long should I wait to see improvement, if any?

I don't want to be quick to cull, yet I don't want to see her suffer more than necessary OR grow up to be sickly

 

[Matt A NC]

If the infection has moved into it's lungs, then I would cull. Sorry, but it is hard to get them to survive. Even if it did, it would be prone to other infections.

Most likely the lice weakened its young immune system so much that a minor infection took hold. If it wasn't for the weak system you probably would have never seen any symptoms. Just a quick sneeze and gone with nothing more then new antibodies in it's blood.

Matt

 

[MuranoFarms]

I'm going through this with an older chick right now. 1 eye swollen and some respiratory issues. I've come to the conclusion that it's probably Infectious Bronchitis. Tylan is the medicine for it, but I've never heard of feeding it to them. (which certainly doesn't mean its wrong!) I gave it to mine as a shot...under the skin of the breast but not in the muscle. I've also been smearing the eye with antibiotic ointment (don't use the kind with the pain medicine in it!) I don't know if that's helping it heal, but it doesn't seem to be as itchy since I put it on.

I have Tylan 50 and I'm giving 1/4cc once a day for 3 days. Mine is a full size breed, but only 8 weeks old...so I'm giving her the bantam dose.

I hope that helps!

 

[patnjess]

yikes i pneumonia once not breathing hard at all but the pain, i would put him down mama

 

[technodoll]

I just set baby chick free, gave her peace from the suffering.

My 2nd cull ever - I feel sick to my stomach

RIP sweet little one, I'm so sorry I couldn't save you

 

[vnploveschickens]

I'm sorry for your loss. As hard as it was, you did the right thing. Give yourself hugs.

 

[Melodie]

I am so sorry for you. I read all of that with tears in my eyes. It is so hard weather it is a chick or a kitten!

 

[Supermommy486]

So sorry.