Baby chick breathing issue

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Chicks4

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Hi
We are new to keeping chickens, we have a chick approx 2 weeks old. She is eating and drinking, can push the others out the way so is active.
The problems are that all 4 of our chicks are approx same age, she is smaller and lighter in weight than the rest and when we bought her home yesterday evening she will stand and with beak open breathe, constant beak action, like cheeping but no sound. Compared with the others her whole body when she breathes is moving. We thought it might have been journey home as we got her and another to add to the other 2 we brought a few days previous,all same breed and same batch I think.

I have separated her this morning, the others have not bothered her when together but I just thought rest for her.

Can anyone help, give advice, what could it be?

We are phoning supplier, but in meantime would be good to know. We have headlamp, others all content as move all over.
Thank you.
 
Hi Chicks4 and welcome to the forum. I would have said pneumonia, but it's rather late as it usually affects them at 3 -4 days when their lungs develop. So the lungs fill with fluid. Sounds as though it is definitely a breathing issue. Sometimes chicks don't develop correctly and it may be her lungs are too small now for the size of her body, so she is breathing very heavily in an attempt to get enough oxygen. Wise to separate and ask supplier. I will be interested to hear what they say.
 
Our supplier has said it could be distress, we are going to give until tomorrow and call again. Not sure how long distress lasts for so a few days should allow for this. Many thanks for your reply, will look at those too.
 
Sorry to hear this.Once I had chick like that,but mine had died eventually.It was in his first week of life,mine were hatched at home.Not sure if your suplier is correct.
 
See how she over the next 24 - 48 hours. Chicks are very vulnerable to changes in their environment specially at just 2 weeks old. There is the occasional chick in a brooder specially when large batches are hatched, that might not be able to get to the drinker/feeder as well as it's more boisterous siblings, add travelling to this and you can easily end up with a more fragile chick. Give it time to settle, make sure they are warm enough and have access to food and water. Check droppings are firm, not sticky or watery and that the chick is voiding naturally without any pasting on the bottom.
Panting in chicks can be distress so keep a close eye, particularly if the chick appears to be using additional muscles to breathe.
 
The poor lil thing is still going, today though seems much weaker which is a surprise as I said at start she was so active, feeding and water etc it was just how she was breathing. Today she has been laid down with eyes shut, breathing still but we were saying not like before. But I have picked her up just now as not moved all morning, she didn't flinch, open eyes or anything, she has just literally gone downhill. The other chicks are all perfectly fine.
 
Sorry to hear that Chicks4. I didn't consider distress to be honest but still think it's a genetic problem.
 
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