Hello everyone, I just joined BYC tonight. I am new to raising chickens (I'm only 20!). I recently bought 8 Rhode Island Red chicks that I am already extremely attached to. I check them about forty times a day (haha) and on my last check I found one of my little girls is sick. She is sweaty-looking and very weak-eyed. She is staying low to the ground. What is wrong with her? My dad has always farmed, and he called it "fever" and said to wait it out. I, however, am a Med Tech student and believe fully in medicine. I don't want this little one to die, plus I want to protect the others. Can anyone give me some tips as to what to give them? I am going to the feed store in the morning to see what I can find. Thank you so much!!
Hi & . Glad you joined us and Congrats on the new chicks! Sorry you have a sick chick. Check its vent and see if it has dried poo on it - called pasty butt. This can cause a chick to be unable to go at all. If this is the problem ? Run some warm water and hold the chick to give it a little butt bath. The warm water if soften the dried stuff so, you can gently clean it. Do you have your chicks on medicated feed? If the feed is not medicated - are you medicating their water with Durmyacin-10? It is a good idea to do this for the first couple of months. It is also good to add a little unpasturized apple cider vinegar to their water as it is very good for them and will help prevent pasty butt. Many people on the site just write it as ACV or Mothers when refering to unpasturized. If you don't have unpasturized you can use regular apple cider vinegar. Add about 1 1/2 Tablespoon to 1 quart water. Hope this gives you a start on helping your chick.
You could (should) get a packet of that Sav A Chick (I think it's called). Some of them need an extra boost. Keep her nice and warm. You might pick up some antibiotic. I think chick starter may have some in it but not sure. I think it's Duramycine or Teramycine (which should say tetracyclin somewhere on the packet). You might check if Sav A Chick has any in it. I think it's just vitamins and minerals though. Alot of young ones start having vitamin deficiencies early on that's why I say take care of that first. I think B vitamin is often the culprit which could explain weakness and maybe sweating. Just thinking neurological. You could even try Tylan 50 as an injectible. Have no idea about dose but it might be safer just to use the water soluable orally. You could put a pinch in the water and a pinch of something that tastes good like gatorade powder or cherry jello mix. Disquises the bitter taste. You have to do a fresh batch each day.
please lookup the symptoms of coccidosis she if it matches you're chick. remember bloody poo isn't always present or comes at a later stage. Corid kills all 9 strains of cocci while other medicine only kills some strains. cocci is common in young chicks CORID will cure it. sounds like coccidosis to me but please lookit up and confirm symptoms. if you agree start Corid ASAP because time is of importance. I've seen chicks make a complete recovery with Corid. if the issue is coccidosis. please I urge you to look this up and see if it matched your symptoms. keeping in mind bloody poo can come later.. best of luck to you! I hope she gets well soon!
