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Azchxmom

Chirping
Dec 8, 2023
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Hi everyone! I'm a first time chicken owner and am looking forward to learning lots from you! I picked up my four 7-week old pullets last week, and we're all settling in. All was going well until today, when one of my girls stopped eating and drinking. She is staying away from the rest, keeping herself fluffed up and quiet, mostly tucking her head and sleeping. I'm quite concerned. Any thoughts?
 
Glad to meet you and welcome to BYC. Check the sick one's butt to see if it's clean. Lots of chicks get "pasty butt" (really! I thought it was a joke at first). If there is gick on the little butt, gently clean it off with a moist paper towel. Her butt may be blocked by the residue of early, and messy poops.

One thing that helped my chicks when they were little was making a mash out of their chick feed. Put it in a container (I use empty quart size yogurt cups) and add water. Not everybody agrees that it helps, but it surely cannot hurt.
 
Here are my favorite beginning articles that helped me as a newbie. I hope you will find them helpful as well. All articles are short, have illustrations, and reviews, which are often worth looking at for the comments.

1. Intro to chicken keeping

2. Common mistakes & how to fix them

3. Ventilation (important to chicken health), with helpful links to coop designs organized by climate (because what is just right for my New England hens won't work for my brother's Arizona chickens)

3(a). Farmers Almanac on Building Coops (Includes size requirements!) Allowing plenty of space for chickens is really important because, even as chicks, they will start pecking each other or plucking their own feathers, or become unhealthy if they are overcrowded. Here is a link to Colorado State Extension's publication on space and temperature requirements for chicks as they age.

4. Predator protection for new & existing coops

5. Dealing with a muddy coop and run

6. Gardening for chickens

7. BYC Lists of Chicken Ailments and Cures

To look for articles on your own:

A. Use the SEARCH button, but use the Advanced Search choice, and select ARTICLES at the top of the box. Just enter your keyword(s) and scroll through your results!

B. I find it helpful to notice the rating and reviews. All articles are by BYC members, and all the reviews/ratings are as well. The ratings help a newbie like me sort the most useful and reliable articles.

C. You can bookmark the articles or posts you think you want to refer to again using that bookmark icon at the top of articles or posts. You can find them again by clicking on your own avatar and looking at the list of bookmarks you have built up!

Notes about where to put a coop:

1. As far as you can, put a coop and run on high ground, that drains well, so you won't have so much muddy coop problems. Chickens need to be dry, dry, dry.

2. As far as you can, put a coop with the ventilation lined up with your prevailing breezes, and away from the direction of your storms. If you are not sure of these (who is these days?), check with your local National Weather Service website.

3. As far as you can, arrange for some sort of shade over your coop and run. Preferably deciduous so the girls will enjoy winter sun, but summer shade.
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
My first concern would be that she has a coccidiosis infection. Being fluffed up and not eating and drinking are classic symptoms, as is the fact you've only had her for one week. I would treat all of them with Corid and I would do it immediately. I would drench her with undiluted Corid at a rate of approximately 1/4 to 1/2 ml once daily for 5 days in addition to the Corid treated drinking water. The instructions for dilution for a severe outbreak are on the bottle.
 
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Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow

I am so sorry one of your babies is having troubles. :hugs I totally agree with @DobieLover birds become immune to their surroundings, when you move them to new ground, they aren't used to the Coccidia that is everywhere in the new ground. Definitely get them started on Corid asap, this should get her healthy soon!

Welcome to our community!
 
Hiya, and welcome to BYC!! :frow Your chickies hopefully will be fine after the Corid treatment.

After you're done with that, be sure to give them vitamin water like Poultry Cell or Nutra Drench, and some probiotics. They may get diarrhea from the Corid and probiotics will clear that right up.
 

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