2 mo. old chick lethargic, looks like dying

[calicokat]

It's a two month old polish chick, the other 9 are fine. This is one of the two smallest ones. When I got home it was sitting with head drooped onto ground in front if it. Didn't move when I called to it. Picked her up and she's just lethargic, drooping her head on my arm. No visible wounds or anything.

Brought her in and tried feeding some canned mackeral (high protein?) and she did eat a little. Tried to get her to drink but she didn't. She stands and puffs out her feathers and droops her head all the way down.

Has pooped twice in the last hour, & it is runny and greenish. Also, it is just a really small amount.

I've got a plate of yogurt, dried milk, and then scrambled eggs mixed with the mackeral sitting here to tempt her but she doesn't care. PLus a bowl with electrolites in the water. When I dunk her beak in the water, she'll drink what gets on there, but doesn't go back for a drink on her own. They are normally on medicated chick starter and whatever they get in the yard.

She did get a little life in her and eat a little of the yogurt when I put a tiny spoon to her beak. But after a few bites, it's back to puffed out feathers and head drooping to the table top.

Any ideas?

I took the rest of the eggs and mackarel out to the other nine, and penned them alone in the run just in case the bigger girls were keeping the littler ones from getting food and water. The other nine were all interested and once they tried it got busy gobbling down the treat.

The whole flock free ranges most of the day, and roosts together in the coop -- littles on the low roost, bigs on the taller one.

Not sure what other info would help, sorry for rambling, but I've not had this before and really it looks like she's dying right in front of me and I'd hate to lose her.

 

[new chick 203]

more info please. This is sudden? how is her weight? can you feel her keel bone more than the other girls? how does her crop feel? what does she eat? Check for parasites. sometimes an infestation can take a terrible toll. Have you noticed the pecking order changing with her moving down in rank? Sometimes that's an early clue that something is wrong before you ever see a symptom. Plan to keep her separate while you figure this out.

 

[calicokat]

Yes, this is sudden - just today. THey are eating medicated chick starter.

I looked around her vent, no signs of mites or lice that I can see. Could it be worms though? I didn't see any in her poop.

She is light in weight, but I'm not sure if that's from a loss of weight, or just because she is one of the smallest two of the 10 chicks. She is a bantum.

The chicks don't seem to have a pecking order really yet, they still pal around like a big bunch. THe bigger hens of course peck at them now and then, but nothing violent or really bad.


Yes, I have her in the house, right here by the computer while I look for help

 

[calicokat]

By spoon feeding her, I managed to get about 1.5 tablespoons of Activia in her. She seemed more alert - and then actually drank a couple drinks from the water bowl here on her own. She even struggled a bit when I handled her, more like normal. Walked around a little on my desk and was more vocal. Maybe it was just that she was kept from the food, or something by the older girls?

She actually feels stronger. Would you go ahead and let her roost in the coop tonight, so she be with her pals and snuggle up for warmth?