1 out of the 10 chicks we bought is weaker than the rest.

[Eggcessive]

So sorry for your loss. I answered your PM just now, so just disregard it. You did all you could for this little chick. Just want you to know that we all lose chicks now and then who have suffered brain damage while hatching, or other stresses, and it is something that happens, but still devastating when it happens. Good luck with your little ones.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Sorry you lost her, sometimes they have issues and just cannot be saved. But you certainly did all you could for her.

 

[DBMW]

We too have a sick chick. We've had her only 2 days. Her 4 sisters seem to be doing fine but Cinnamon (the only Easter Egger of the 5 and soooo soo sweet) is really really lethargic and has no interest in food and water. We're trying to nurse her through the evening but she has almost no energy.

We fear she may have cocci ? We had MyPetChicken (where we ordered them) give them all the marek shot but we fear we made a mistake in not getting medicated feed.We've been giving them Scratch & Peck organic chick starter. In addition to being lethargic she also had some runny all-white poo this evening.

Did you consider cocci for your chick?

We called an emergency vet this evening and he asked if we had her de-wormed -- i didn't even know you could get a baby chick de-wormed (she was hatched on Monday and will only be 5 days old tomorrow).

Anyways, I was hoping when I found your post it would end well. I'm so sorry it did not. Our 5 year old son also picked this particular chick as his and I can't bear the thought of her leaving us.

I wish I knew what to do. Tomorrow we plan to run to the store to get the Cocci medicine in the hopes that will work. From all the other threads on BYC I've read, it seems like lethargy in a young chick is typically assumed to be Cocci. I just can't find it where the chick is so young.

 

[Eggcessive]

We too have a sick chick. We've had her only 2 days. Her 4 sisters seem to be doing fine but Cinnamon (the only Easter Egger of the 5 and soooo soo sweet) is really really lethargic and has no interest in food and water. We're trying to nurse her through the evening but she has almost no energy.

We fear she may have cocci ? We had MyPetChicken (where we ordered them) give them all the marek shot but we fear we made a mistake in not getting medicated feed.We've been giving them Scratch & Peck organic chick starter. In addition to being lethargic she also had some runny all-white poo this evening.

Did you consider cocci for your chick?

We called an emergency vet this evening and he asked if we had her de-wormed -- i didn't even know you could get a baby chick de-wormed (she was hatched on Monday and will only be 5 days old tomorrow).

Anyways, I was hoping when I found your post it would end well. I'm so sorry it did not. Our 5 year old son also picked this particular chick as his and I can't bear the thought of her leaving us.

I wish I knew what to do. Tomorrow we plan to run to the store to get the Cocci medicine in the hopes that will work. From all the other threads on BYC I've read, it seems like lethargy in a young chick is typically assumed to be Cocci. I just can't find it where the chick is so young.

I seriously doubt that your chick has either cocci or worms. My guess is that the chick is suffering from shipping stress or has an internal issue from hatch, such as heart or kidney problems. White in the poo is urine. New chicks that haven't been on the ground will likely not get exposed to worms or coccidiosis. Cocci is fairly rare in the fist week or two anyway. The best thing to give it is SaveAChick electrolytes or put some sugar in it's water, and give all of the chicks. Dip it's beak often and then let it swallow. I hope your chick perks up, but this happens fairly often with shipped chicks.

HOMEMADE ELECTROLYTE SOLUTION from TheChickenChick.com
1/2 teaspoon salt substitute*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 gallon water
*Salt substitute is readily available in most grocery stores in the spice aisle near the salt, but if you do not have it, don't worry, the solution will still have most of the benefits intended to combat heat stress.

 

[dowgirl71]

We have a chick who seems to have the same symptoms that I've read in this thread and I'm posting so that I will be able to find this again. She's also an Easter Egger and I chose her because we don't have a white one. I've got the Save a Chick packets in her water and have her in a brooder with my quieter chicks, so she won't get run over. She does eat and drink and her bowels seem to be working fine. I'm getting some Poultry Nutri-drench, this afternoon. My boys are also praying for her to get better.

 

[dowgirl71]

This is Sunny, the chick I mentioned in the last post and this is how she stands, most of the time.

 

[katiesue]

Thank you, everybody. Yes, it is hard. Hard on my boys. (ages 5 and 8) and hard on me. But you're right, it is part of life, and we knew when we bought the chicks that there's always a possibility that one or 2 might not survive for one reason or another. We wanted 8 hens, so we bought 10 chicks, just to be sure.

My sweet hubby in consideration of the emotions his wife and young children are going through, decided not to "just dispose" of the chick, but instead, he made a tiny little wooden coffin. He lined it with a paper towel, and another rolled up piece of paper towel for a pillow, and we gently laid Truffles in the coffin and he buried her out back so the boys have a "grave" to visit. I know it's just a bird, and she was in our home for all of just 2 days.... but the boys do get attached, and obviously I did too... so it was a loving gesture which really helped our grieving process. The boys are enjoying all the other chicks now, and most of them have been named. They've spent the day playing with and "taming" the chicks to walk up their arms, and stand on their shoulders.... they give them 5 minute tours around the house and then return them to the box for warmth. The chicks seem to LOVE all the attention, and the boys are thrilled with them.

ChickenTenderJo, I do hope you have other chicks as well that your boy can play with and raise if needed... but I pray your chick does make it. My heart is pulling for you and yours!

KatieSue

 

[katiesue]

Wow, I didn't see the last page of posts until I posted a reply at the end of page 3! I will be praying for ALL of those little chicks tonight! So sorry that you all have to know what I was going through, and hoping like crazy that yours has better outcomes! I hope that my thread and all the advice I received and the log of my own progress is helpful to all of you... and many more in the future. Obviously, this is not unusual, and we all need encouragement while going through it. To know what worked, what didn't... and that we're not alone.

And I know that it's all that much more difficult to face when you have your own child involved. Sometimes, learning about life (and death) is a very difficult lesson for anybody.... but especially those so young.

My prayers are with you all tonight. Please let me know how your stories turn out. I will keep praying until then. Thanks!

KatieSue

ps. And I LOVE photos! Sunny is so cute, and reminds me of my 5 year old's choice: "Twinkie" who seems to be over her "pasty butt" now, and doing well! Thanks to my husband washing her rear off, and the use of Olive Oil!

 

[Mammachix]

Hi,
We had a similar situation last fall. One of the chicks from our hatch would sit in the corner with her head lolling and eyes closed. I though she was blind! Turned out she was a 'mushy chick.' This is an infection from her umbilical opening. Since she was the last to hatch, we are guessing she got some feces on the opening from the early hatchers. Anyway, we ended up feeding her raw egg yok from an eye dropper and gave her tetracycline antibiotics twice per day. The prognosis for these chicks is terrible. Most people on line say they cannot be saved. We got lucky though and she made it. Within three days she was back with her mates and very perky, although smaller than they were. We continued the oral antibiotics for seven days. She just started laying two weeks ago and is a very sweet affectionate hen. Her name? Mushy Baby!

Good luck! Try to research 'mushy chick' and I'm sure you'll see a lot more info., but probably nothing very encouraging.

 

[dowgirl71]

Hi,
We had a similar situation last fall. One of the chicks from our hatch would sit in the corner with her head lolling and eyes closed. I though she was blind! Turned out she was a 'mushy chick.' This is an infection from her umbilical opening. Since she was the last to hatch, we are guessing she got some feces on the opening from the early hatchers. Anyway, we ended up feeding her raw egg yok from an eye dropper and gave her tetracycline antibiotics twice per day. The prognosis for these chicks is terrible. Most people on line say they cannot be saved. We got lucky though and she made it. Within three days she was back with her mates and very perky, although smaller than they were. We continued the oral antibiotics for seven days. She just started laying two weeks ago and is a very sweet affectionate hen. Her name? Mushy Baby!

Good luck! Try to research 'mushy chick' and I'm sure you'll see a lot more info., but probably nothing very encouraging.

Thanks for the info. I hesitate to say that I think Sunny is doing better. She seems to be. She is doing more normal chick things and runs from my hand, now when I want to pick her up. She feels maybe a little more solid when I pick her up. I added Nutri-drench to their water, yesterday at the suggestion of a fellow chicken friend and am thinking that made the difference for her. I also offered her some treats, tonight-bread and pieces of mealworm and she chirped happily after tasting them. I am hopeful!