Peachicks Not Eating

[TwoCrows]

You know, I would get her off the medicated feed immediately. Medicated feed contains Amprolium which is a thiamine blocker for Coccidiosis. (the cocci need this to stay alive/reproduce and so it kills them off with the lack of thiamine) This chick needs all the thiamine she can get right now. So see if you can get her on plain starter/grower.

Many chicks that start out with deficiencies need extra vitamins all throughout their lives. So I would keep her on this stuff for several weeks or at least a couple of weeks past all symptoms and then maybe a couple of times a week? You can experiment over time and see how long she can go or if she does need extra in time. But for now I would offer extra vits up for 3 or 4 weeks to be sure.

And yes, I would continue with the eggs. The contain all the building blocks of life and are always a good addition to any stressed or ailing bird.

 

[casportpony]

You know, I would get her off the medicated feed immediately. Medicated feed contains Amprolium which is a thiamine blocker for Coccidiosis. (the cocci need this to stay alive/reproduce and so it kills them off with the lack of thiamine) This chick needs all the thiamine she can get right now. So see if you can get her on plain starter/grower.

Many chicks that start out with deficiencies need extra vitamins all throughout their lives. So I would keep her on this stuff for several weeks or at least a couple of weeks past all symptoms and then maybe a couple of times a week? You can experiment over time and see how long she can go or if she does need extra in time. But for now I would offer extra vits up for 3 or 4 weeks to be sure.

And yes, I would continue with the eggs. The contain all the building blocks of life and are always a good addition to any stressed or ailing bird.

Many turkey and gamebird starters don't have amprolium.

-Kathy

 

[CarlisleCluck]

I can get chick starter (I have chick grower - but it seems a bit chunky for this chick right now) and the UltraKibble I can add for added protein. I get my feed from a local farmer who is organic and GMO-free. I made up some new scrambled eggs tonight, took a bit and added a quarter of a Selenium and Thiamine tablet the chick scarfed it right up. I made up the Save-a-Chick water and that wasn't as popular. I have feed sitting in water to have mash for the morning. Got buzzed by a mouse while I was feeding the chick, so I have now put two mouse traps (out of the way of the chicks) up and hope that works quickly. Thought about putting the cat in the coop - but that would probably be a problem if a chase ensued.

The chick seems to be able to eat better without me prying open its beak to encourage food. I am still using an eye dropper for water - I can't tell if it drinks on its own at all. It seemed like it was kind of turning in circles when I went in this evening, but I am not sure. I had to put it down on the coop floor at one point, and it went under the peahen on its own and wouldn't come out. That was new - before it wouldn't under unless I pushed it under, and then it wouldn't stay.

Well - I hope to see progress of some kind in the next 24 to 48 hours!

 

[casportpony]

I can get chick starter (I have chick grower - but it seems a bit chunky for this chick right now) and the UltraKibble I can add for added protein.  I get my feed from a local farmer who is organic and GMO-free.  I made up some new scrambled eggs tonight, took a bit and added a quarter of a Selenium and Thiamine tablet the chick scarfed it right up.  I made up the Save-a-Chick water and that wasn't as popular.  I have feed sitting in water to have mash for the morning.  Got buzzed by a mouse while I was feeding the chick, so I have now put two mouse traps (out of the way of the chicks) up and hope that works quickly.  Thought about putting the cat in the coop - but that would probably be a problem if a chase ensued.

The chick seems to be able to eat better without me prying open its beak to encourage food.  I am still using an eye dropper for water - I can't tell if it drinks on its own at all.  It seemed like it was kind of turning in circles when I went in this evening, but I am not sure.  I had to put it down on the coop floor at one point, and it went under the peahen on its own and wouldn't come out.  That was new - before it wouldn't under unless I pushed it under, and then it wouldn't stay.

Well - I hope to see progress of some kind in the next 24 to 48 hours!  

It needs a starter, not a grower, and something with higher protein would be best. Not positive, but I think growers have more fat than starters, so compare the label of what you have to a gamebird/turkey or chick *starter*.

-Kathy

 

[CarlisleCluck]

Yup - I am getting the starter tomorrow morning. I will add the UltraKibble for additional protein. Plus the egg...

 

[TwoCrows]

I can get chick starter (I have chick grower - but it seems a bit chunky for this chick right now) and the UltraKibble I can add for added protein. I get my feed from a local farmer who is organic and GMO-free. I made up some new scrambled eggs tonight, took a bit and added a quarter of a Selenium and Thiamine tablet the chick scarfed it right up. I made up the Save-a-Chick water and that wasn't as popular. I have feed sitting in water to have mash for the morning. Got buzzed by a mouse while I was feeding the chick, so I have now put two mouse traps (out of the way of the chicks) up and hope that works quickly. Thought about putting the cat in the coop - but that would probably be a problem if a chase ensued.

The chick seems to be able to eat better without me prying open its beak to encourage food. I am still using an eye dropper for water - I can't tell if it drinks on its own at all. It seemed like it was kind of turning in circles when I went in this evening, but I am not sure. I had to put it down on the coop floor at one point, and it went under the peahen on its own and wouldn't come out. That was new - before it wouldn't under unless I pushed it under, and then it wouldn't stay.

Well - I hope to see progress of some kind in the next 24 to 48 hours!

Sometimes you have to crush food for babies for the first week or so. It's a pain for the first couple of weeks, but after a while they can eat the bigger chunks.

Generally if they are eating, they are drinking. BUT..it doesn't always work the other way around...they can be drinking and not eating. So if she is eating, I would bet she is drinking.

You should see improvement by the 3 day (it can take this long to take effect) with these types of issues...vitamin deficiencies and weakness. So once she is off the medicated and on her vits, she will start to improve. I sure hope so and please keep us posted!! She is just adorable in that video!

 

[CarlisleCluck]

One change as of this morning - she is going in circles. Almost spinning slowly sometimes. Goes in both directions. I am persevering...

 

[TwoCrows]

One change as of this morning - she is going in circles. Almost spinning slowly sometimes. Goes in both directions. I am persevering...

Going in circles is definitely a vitamin deficiency. Why she has this, we can't be sure. Could be genetic, could be something within her own body, a virus or a bacteria, etc..

Get the vitamins going and her on some high protein non medicated feed. I have seen chicks completely heal even when they are flipping over backwards and can't stand up.

I would definitely use an eye dropper and continuously drip vitamin water down her throat all day long. Just keep at it even if she puts up a fuss. The more you get into her, the faster they will get to work and again, they take a few days to start to even work. Do you have any Poly Vi Sol without the iron? These are childrens/baby vitamins. Or some nutridrench? Either of these they say hit the blood stream in 10 mins after administration.

Hang in there and try not to let it freak you out too much.

 

[casportpony]

I think I would try some vitamin E orally.

-Kathy

 

[CarlisleCluck]

I do have Nutridrench and will add - I can add it to the mash, too. She likes the mash and the scrambled egg, so getting the vitamins in isn't an issue. the tough part is working all this "hands-on-time" during the day!! And I leave for a week next week, but I have lined up someone to take her. She isn't getting worse, so that is a plus! Vitamin E too? This chick will have to be named something like Vita-Chick!