Please click on me!! Need some advice

[IroquoisEgg]

Okay, I lost one chick this morning, she was pretty much just sleeping all the time. NOW- 4 more are doing the same ting...just sleeping. I have taken each one out and given it vitamin water with a dropper, but still no real change. This is after I brought some new chicks home last Friday, the one I lost this a.m. was from there and 2 of the sick ones, but 2 others, my polish are from a different feed store and were great until about today. What's going on?? This is my 1st run with chicks and I am so worried. Also, I planned on going away this weekend for the holiday, but it is advisable with all these sick babies, even if we seperate them? A friend was going to come and check them while we are away...

 

[NoseyChickens]

It sounds like the new chicks were ill when you got them and may have passed it on. The first chicks I ever got were from a local lady and they dropped like flies no matter what I did. And, it sounds like you are doing everything right. Then I hatched my own out and they did amazingly well. I didn't lose a single one. I am convinced there was something wrong in the flock that my first chicks came from.

I would seperate them, but it may be too late.

Make sure they are warm enough but not too warm. Did you add vitamin/ electrolite powder to the main waterer? That could help.

I am sorry you are going through this.

 

[Kittymomma]

You don't say how old they are or give very specific info. ( check the sticky at the top of the emergencies section) but with chicks in the 3-5 week range my first thought is cocci. If that is it you can treat with cordid and they usually respond well. If you can't get cordid you can use sulmet, I haven't used that myself but many people have had good luck with it and it seems to be easier to find in some areas. The other thing that comes to mind is enviormental problems such as fumes from cedar bedding or chemicals. Chicks are very sensitive to that sort of thing and can sometimes become ill from fumes that we don't even really notice.

ETA: If it is cocci you need to stop the vitimins because that will make it worse--something about the B vits makes cocci thrive and the chicks will die off even faster. Vits are good for lots of things, but not cocci.

 

[IroquoisEgg]

They are young, about 2-3 weeks. I think I will try that sulmet, but if it is cocci..will ALL the others get it too?? This is heartbreaking.

 

[Kittymomma]

If it's cocci then they will all probably get it, BUT most birds respond well to treatment and should survive. Have you noticed any blood in their stools? What are you feeding them and what are you using for a brooder and for bedding? Do any of them have any discharge from the nares or eyes? Any wheezing or exsesive sneezing?

 

[IroquoisEgg]

I haven't noticed any discharge, but one of my older ones, 6 weeks Barred Rock, was sneezing last week for a day then stopped. Haven't noticed blood in their stool, but it would kinda hard because they are in that wood shaving inside an old dog travel kennel that I washed thoroughly and even bleached with a thorough rinsing afterwards. I am feeding them Purina Medicated Chick starter from the local feed store. There is a few just not seem to be to thriving..but were doing okay a couple days ago. The one I lost wasn't doing all that great since the beginning. I kinda let it go for a few days because my 6 week old barred rock acted similar when she was very young. Thought maybe it was the breed. Just real mellow or something.

 

[ChooksChick]

If it's coccidiosis, you'll want to change out the bedding at least every other day to prevent them from ingesting the poo, and get your hands on some Corid quick! Start mixing at least 20% dry milk in their feed for a few days to buy time for the Corid if you have to.

They CAN get Coccidiosis while on medicated feed, because it's a mild, preventative dose of Amprolium in the feed. The dose for fixing an infection is much greater, and no antibiotics work on it, because it's along the lines of parasite, not bacterium.

I generally look to Coccidiosis in chicks before any other culprit. They just sit around sleepy and puffed up, then die! Poor little things.

 

[IroquoisEgg]

UPDATE- I got the Corid Friday morning and started treating them by mixing the solution and taking each chick out of the brooder, and giving them the meds with a infants tylenol syringe. Also, put the medicated water in their waterer. No change later that day, performed 2nd round of individual dosing, also mixed the medicated water with their chick starter in a shallow dish. That seemed to excite some of the not as sick ones and they ate it up. Changed all their bedding and sterilized all feeding equipment. Even put them in a different brooder in case there was something going on with the other one. Also, did see some blood in stools so pretty much convinced myself that it is cocci.

RESULTS- Most have shown big improvement as of this morning. 2 of my silkies are still more sleepy and my danish brown girl tried dying on me last night. I found her just sleeping on her belly, covered in shavings though she was dead. I picked her up and she was still breathing so I gave her more meds and made scrambled eggs with yogurt but none went for it. Maybe she doesn't get the whole eating/drinking thing. I passed on going away for the weekend, but DH took the kids and bird dog so I am able to tend to my babies until monday with no interruptions. I will keep you posted.

 

[IroquoisEgg]

OH sorry, How long does the CORID take to work in your experience?

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

Hi, last year, I had to treat mine. I didn't lose any but they were draggy and sleepy & weak. Look at their droppings...do you see any blood? If so it is probably cocci. I used Corid over a period of 10 days to 2 weeks and it took maybe 3-4 days to see improvement. Once the corid gets into their systems it works pretty quickly.