Chicks sneezing often - respiratory infection?

[The Welch Chickens]

My little Polish chick is sneezing very often. We just noticed this tonight. She’s also wiping her beak on the bedding.

Diet: NatureWise starter grower crumbles and fresh, plain water
Brooder: “Pet playpen” tent in an unheated basement
Heat: Heat lamp and brooder plate
Bedding: Medium sized pine shavings

Do you think she caught cold from a draft? Or is it respiratory issues from the pine shavings?

There is no discharge as far as I can see, but I’m not very experienced with this.

 

[azygous]

It sounds like a respiratory infection. If you can, call around and find Tylosin powder. It's one of the very few antibiotics left for us to purchase without a prescription. You mix it into the water the chicks drink. Or order it here. https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=7EF2885F-8F22-495D-A6C5-12069F4B5712

 

[azygous]

Thanks for clarifying that. Go with the Tylosin without tartrate. Tartrate may be entirely safe, but chickens are so sensitive, it's safer to avoid it. If anyone knows about tartrate and can correct me, I would welcome it.

Respiratory infections in chickens are often caused by a virus, but bacteria comes along and causes the symptoms to worsen. It's this bacteria that the Tylosin is treating. VetRX is a good product, but it is not a drug. It relieves symptoms, doesn't kill bacteria.

Respiratory viruses can come into the flock from chicks bought from private parties, or from feed store chicks where there is inadequate bio-safety and customers are allowed to handle chicks. Unfortunately, once a virus enters a flock, it will then flare up occasionally when the flock is stressed.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

The doxycycline/tyloisn meds didn't come in yet, but the breeder I got the chicks from was kind enough to give us some medicine and promised that if we end up losing any chicks she will replace them.

I built the chicks a new brooder with hemp instead of pine shavings and draft-blocking sides. I also added a second heat lamp.
The Echinacea extract, VetRX, and the medicine the breeder gave me seem to be working. My babies are a lot better but still not 100%. None passed away which is wonderful!

 

[azygous]

I'm not sure what the role of tartrate is in a drug, but it's a chemical salt that I would advise to avoid when treating chickens.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Relieved to see you have experienced peeps helping you! Also wondering if you can change brooder location to a dryer, no draft place? Not that it's the cause but I feel like I'd move them incase they're in a drafty spot with cold wet air.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Relieved to see you have experienced peeps helping you! Also wondering if you can change brooder location to a dryer, no draft place? Not that it's the cause but I feel like I'd move them incase they're in a drafty spot with cold wet air.

I set up some towels to block the draft (not that there was much in the first place) and also set up a heater and a de-humidifier.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

I went ahead and ordered this medicine last night. It has both Tylosin (without the Tartrate) and Doxycycline. I also ordered Echinacea root extract that will arrive tomorrow. The VetRX seems to be alleviating the symptoms for now. Hopefully the medicine will arrive soon

 

[Stephine]

Good decision. Avoiding drafts in a brooder is extremely important.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Anyone?! She's worse this morning and two other chicks are sneezing now too. We are removing the pine shavings and replaxing them with paper towels and also trying to block any drafts. My mom is at Tractor Supply getting some VetRX