This round of chicks has been hard. My daughter and I bought 25 Ameracaunas to raise as a homeschool project - thinking we would keep 5 and sell the rest at 6 weeks. We had 3 die in the first few days - at least they went relatively quickly, as any sick poultry we have had in the past has done. Then about 2 weeks into raising them one started whistling each time it breathed. In researching it, an upper respiratory infection seemed the most likely cause. We isolated her and began apple cider vinegar in her water and then switched to a powerful garlic antibiotic. She was not horribly sick, but seemed to be breathing fast and hard. That passed after a few weeks but we were just left with whistling and the occasional sneeze. After three weeks she seemed better so I reintroduced her to the flock but after 3 days the whistling began again. Back to isolation. This time I opted for the antibiotics, giving her Sulmet. Its hard to run an extra light for one chick indefinitely. She again seemed better, I put her with the others and within an hour she began whistling and sneezing horribly. Now she is segregated and a 2nd chick has come down whistling and sneezing! We were just reaching the point of thinking we would have to give up on her as after so many weeks she is smaller than the others and I don't think she'll ever be quite right. But now there are 2! I have them both back on the garlic (and all the others as well, preventatively) and am listening carefully to be sure no others sound sick. We are supposed to sell 15 of the chicks this weekend. I don't want to sell sick chicks!
Has anyone ever had a whistling chick or experience with upper respiratory infections? All advice is welcome.....
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