chicks sneezing

[treeclimber233]

When I went to feed my chicks this morning I found a dead one. No sign of anything...clean butt, no picking by other chicks, clean fuzz. They are being fed starter feed and kept on pine bedding for horse stalls. This bedding is pellet shaped that breaks down when it gets wet so there is no dust. Tonight I hear some sneezing. What is up?

 

[little farmer]

Oh no! Sorry to hear about your chick! I've never had chicks (though I have had 4 hens, how ironic. Long story short, I got my hens from someone who didn't want them) Is it too cold in the brooder and they're getting colds? Coccidiosis is the #1 chick killing disease. It spread really quickly, but unfortunately I'm not sure how to treat it as I've never had chicks. Do you have a feed store near you? I've heard of a mix (I think you put it in their water) called Sav-a-Chick and I've heard it's good. I'm not sure if it'll cure the disease or not....... Also, you can ask this question on backyardchickens.com Hope they get better! -little farmer

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

I would start with Vet Rx! I LOVE that stuff. warm up the bottle and put some under their wings, on the tops of their head and a drop in their beak. You can also make a solution and drip a little of that down their nostrils. Do that daily for a few days and hope it gets better! When you put it under the wings their body heat helps vaporize it and then they breath it in. Chickens dont really get "colds" though. I keep my brooder on the cool side so I doubt low temps are causing this. Could it be the pine pellets? I used those once and they had a really strong smell, maybe yours are different.. I went back to regular shavings and I'm using straw right now to brood 14 older chicks and 16 younger chicks.

 

[little farmer]

I would start with Vet Rx! I LOVE that stuff. warm up the bottle and put some under their wings, on the tops of their head and a drop in their beak. You can also make a solution and drip a little of that down their nostrils. Do that daily for a few days and hope it gets better! When you put it under the wings their body heat helps vaporize it and then they breath it in. Chickens dont really get "colds" though. I keep my brooder on the cool side so I doubt low temps are causing this. Could it be the pine pellets? I used those once and they had a really strong smell, maybe yours are different.. I went back to regular shavings and I'm using straw right now to brood 14 older chicks and 16 younger chicks.

Yes!! What she said. Yea, I know they don't really get colds, but they might've been cold. But, yes, rarely low temps affect chicks.