TheCopperCoop
Chirping
We're very concerned about our 5 day old Mille Fleur D'Uccle bantams.
On Wednesday we received 10 chicks from MPC.
Four mille fleur D'Uccles bantams and 6 assorted standard sizes chicks.
When we put them in the brooder (day 1) they all were shown the water and food and we're doing just fine. They are on pine shavings covered with paper towels and I put sav-a-chick electrolytes in their water for the first few days post shipping.
On Thursday (day 2) morning I lifted up the the heat plate to change the paper towel and one of the bantams was laying on its side, not moving and breathing hard. One eye was closed. We separated her out and tried helping her drink and eat by ultimately she passed away a few hours later. At that time the rest of the chicks seemed fine. We called MPC and they suggested it's was likely a less hardy chick.
Today, Friday morning (day 3), I go in to check on the chicks and another bantam is very lethargic, not as bad as the chick yesterday morning, but noticably less active than the other chicks. Standing but wobbly, eyes mostly closed and breathing hard. I'm waiting for a call back from MPC for any advice but also wanted to ask here.
Here are my questions:
1. Generally what would people recommend? I've read on similar threads about treating with corid even though there's no other symptoms.
2. If we do treat with corid, should we treat the whole flock even though there are no other symptoms or just the one chick with a syringe?
3. Should we separate out the wobbly chick? Or will that be too stressful for her? Should we just separate out the bantams? We're worried about the other chicks bullying on her. We've noticed them running over and pecking at her face, they did this with the other weak chick on Thursday morning.
Other info: They have plenty of space now, 9 chicks in a stock tank with 2 red-light heat lamps, 1 brinsea heat plate. Temp under heat lamps says 95°. Feed is Kalmbach Medicates chick feed.
On Wednesday we received 10 chicks from MPC.
Four mille fleur D'Uccles bantams and 6 assorted standard sizes chicks.
When we put them in the brooder (day 1) they all were shown the water and food and we're doing just fine. They are on pine shavings covered with paper towels and I put sav-a-chick electrolytes in their water for the first few days post shipping.
On Thursday (day 2) morning I lifted up the the heat plate to change the paper towel and one of the bantams was laying on its side, not moving and breathing hard. One eye was closed. We separated her out and tried helping her drink and eat by ultimately she passed away a few hours later. At that time the rest of the chicks seemed fine. We called MPC and they suggested it's was likely a less hardy chick.
Today, Friday morning (day 3), I go in to check on the chicks and another bantam is very lethargic, not as bad as the chick yesterday morning, but noticably less active than the other chicks. Standing but wobbly, eyes mostly closed and breathing hard. I'm waiting for a call back from MPC for any advice but also wanted to ask here.
Here are my questions:
1. Generally what would people recommend? I've read on similar threads about treating with corid even though there's no other symptoms.
2. If we do treat with corid, should we treat the whole flock even though there are no other symptoms or just the one chick with a syringe?
3. Should we separate out the wobbly chick? Or will that be too stressful for her? Should we just separate out the bantams? We're worried about the other chicks bullying on her. We've noticed them running over and pecking at her face, they did this with the other weak chick on Thursday morning.
Other info: They have plenty of space now, 9 chicks in a stock tank with 2 red-light heat lamps, 1 brinsea heat plate. Temp under heat lamps says 95°. Feed is Kalmbach Medicates chick feed.
Thanks for your earlier input.
