2 week old runt- please help!

[CowgirlMama]

Ok, I put Lil' Rocky (original, right?!) back with the others and he walked right over to the waterer and started drinking! I'll try some hard boiled egg yolk later this afternoon. Thanks everyone!

I feel better now! And definetlydeb- BYC IS the bestest!!!

 

[Twiceshy]

I logged in tonight looking for answers to the same question, except mine - unfortunately - are post mortem.

I purchased 1 dozen chicks from TSC (6 Buff Orps and 6 white Leghorns) On 6 April. All was going well, noticed that one Buff & one Leghorn were a little smaller than the others, but still vying at the feeder and waterer. Last evening when I came home to feed, clean, cuddle & water I noticed the leghorn standing in the corner of the brooder, facing the corner. She looked like she was in time out.

I removed her, cuddled her closer to the heat lamp, poured out some feed, tried to encourage a little sugar water, to no avail. She seemed REALLY sleepy. Sleeping standing up, in fact.

I realized at this point it didn't look good, so I tried to keep her as comfortable as possible in a separate area of the brooder. While handling her she had one small defecation that was fluorescent yellow. I knew it was just a matter of time then, but didn't know why.

My instincts were correct, this morning when I came down she was dead. I'm watching the rest of the flock now for any signs of illness, but they are nearly double in size from what she was, so I can only assume it was failure to thrive, and something NQR that wasn't meant to be.

Any ideas?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't know if any of you have read this. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=39604

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

unfortunately with chicks once the signs of distress get so apparent they are ususally too far gone to save. The learning curve si fast though and you will get to where you can notice a weak one as soon as you put them in the brooder. That said though usually the ones you spend the most time taking care of, go down later from one thing or another before you hit that 20 week mark. For that reason I interfere very little. Vitamins yes, some alone feeding time yes, some extra protein yes but that's it at our house.

 

[Twiceshy]

Quote:
Miss Lydia - thanks very much for the link to that thread - incredibly interesting. I was prepared (mentally) for a 10% loss, and that would account for it. I would just like to stop picking my brain for something I could have done differently.

 

[CowgirlMama]

Rocky is doing MUCH better! I've been feeding him separately a couple times a day, and now he's getting hard to catch (before he would just stand there and let me catch him!)! He's even trying to "fly" away with the others!

Thank goodness! I think he's gonna pull through! He's also been drinking from the main waterer. He does get pushed around a bit- not pecked at, just run over! So hopefully he'll catch up soon!

Thanks for all the help!