PLEASE help!! 9 weeks old chick not walking

[casportpony]

Keep her warm tonight (80-85 degrees is ideal).

-Kathy

 

[Fancychooklady]

I tried to make the bathroom steamy but she seemed much worse when I got home. Head down, eyes closed and when she strained I just could see red flesh trying to pop out.
So before I went to sleep I put her on a warm sink. She seemed to enjoy it.
After 15 min I put her on her back and after socking my gloved fingers in Vaseline checked inside of her.
I had to gently push some kind of flesh or intestine before feeling an egg. It doesn't seem broken. She started to panic so I just put some more Vaseline in her and put her in the crate and blow dried her.
She stays huddled with her eyes closed and is not eating anything.
I left her to rest for the night and if hopefully she is better in the morning I will give her more calcium with a syringe.
Thanks Kathy and Fancychooklady for your quick advices

Sounds like she might have a prolapsed vent. You need to remove that egg without breaking it , then clean her up and apply preparation H to the vent. Kathy is correct about the dehydration, I'd be inclined to add a little molasses to her water, sometimes the sweetness will encourage them to drink and it also acts as a mild laxative. If she is blocked up once the egg is removed , an Epsom salt flush will clean her out.

 

[sararoni]

Finally the egg came out.
When I cracked it open the shell is like paper. It is lucky it didn't brake inside.
The egg is normal size but maybe she is not eating the oyster shells.
I am keeping her inside because she is not eating or drinking although looks much better

 

[casportpony]

Laying a stuck egg like that can take a lot out of them. Lots of water and a warm, quiet place is what she needs right now.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

And I'd keep giving the oral calcium until her next egg is normal.

-Kathy

 

[sararoni]

I have some big tums tablets. They are 750mg and I am giving a third a day.
Should I buy something else for calcium?
It is getting crowded with sick chickens inside the house

 

[casportpony]

I have some big tums tablets. They are 750mg and I am giving a third a day.
Should I buy something else for calcium?
It is getting crowded with sick chickens inside the house

1/3 to 1/2 should be fine.

-Kathy

 

[Fancychooklady]

Soft shelled eggs cause egg binding. I would be checking the calcium and phosphorus levels in the feed. Calcium carbonate/ oyster shell is absorbed more readily by the hen than other forms of calcium. Also birds fed on grain only , appear to be at a higher risk of calcium-phosphorus absorption issues.
A good quality layer pellet with calcium carbonate on free take will go a long way to preventing these issues.

http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/calcium-the-key-to-beautiful-eggs-and-healthy-hens/

 

[sararoni]

Soft shelled eggs cause egg binding. I would be checking the calcium and phosphorus levels in the feed. Calcium carbonate/ oyster shell is absorbed more readily by the hen than other forms of calcium. Also birds fed on grain only , appear to be at a higher risk of calcium-phosphorus absorption issues.
A good quality layer pellet with calcium carbonate on free take will go a long way to preventing these issues.

http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/calcium-the-key-to-beautiful-eggs-and-healthy-hens/

She had access to free choice oyster shells but somehow didn't eat enough maybe.
The other chick has been down for 7 weeks. I will give her a few more and if I don't see any improvements I will be looking into culling options unfortunately.
I haven't heard from the state vet about necroscopy. It would be great to know what she has for the sake of the others.

 

[casportpony]

Quote: Try these:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf
17


Illinois

Illinois Department of Agriculture, Galesburg Animal Disease Laboratory
Animal Disease Lab
2100 S Lake Storey Rd
Galesburg, Illinois 61401
Phone: 309-344-2451 Fax 309-344-7358


18


Illinois

University of Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
2001 S. Lincoln
Urbana, Illinois 61802-6199
Phone: 217-333-2123 Fax 217-244-2439


-Kathy