3 week old with weak legs, seem exhausted, really nervous!

[Buffalochickmamma]

Hi there,
These are our first chicks. We have 12 all together and so far everthing has been fine, but yesterday one of the babies had trouble standing, so it seemed. She still walked but stopped frequently to rest.
Today, three of them just seem so exhausted. They are falling over onto their sides and seem unable to walk for long periods of time and when they do try to walk they don't seem interested in standing all the way. One of the three seems unable to handle her toes.
I am very worried. We tried sugar water, they have all been eating and drinking. Poop seems normal...
Any answers?

 

[Buffalochickmamma]

Please send advice!!
We are currently feeding yogurt, scrambled egg, and handfuls of millet in addition to sugar water. Have seperated the "exhausted chicks" who all have trouble walking at the moment. Their sisters seem very worried. (or jealous, as they do not have such a fancy meal?)

Please? Need insight!

 

[chickenzoo]

How old are they? Are they weak and seeming depressed or are they just resting. Young chicks will often just lay all out under the heat lamp, but if it is truly wekening then I would put them on some Corid for coccidia if they are young chicks. Coccidia is normally the number one suspect of weakening chicks( may see blood in poo). If their are no other symptoms I'd give some poultry vitimins in there water and then get some Corid from TSC etc..

 

[CMV]

First, feed the chicks their regular feed instead of the other stuff. Chicks need the nutrients in the feed to develop properly. They also need grit to be able to digest exotic foods. I am not sure if the shells in millet are soft enough to be digested with out the aid of grit.

Chicks are tired and clumsy when they are young. I wouldn't go into a panic, yet. As long as they are eating and pooping, I'd give them a few days to perk up. I think you might be overly concerned. It happens. We were all new chicken mothers once.

Good luck with them. Keep us posted if anything else changes.

 

[Buffalochickmamma]

Hi, thanks for your replies.
They are having regular chicken food with grit as well, we are just adding this for the sick ones.
They seems really really weak, not just tired. For example, one is simply laying on its side all day. The others do not seems to lie like this and they are stepping on her. They don't seem to have control of their legs and they are holding themselves in awkward ways. The others seem happy and perky and are moving around including some of the same breeds (the three are different breeds).
Thanks for further input.

 

[Buffalochickmamma]

Also, they are three weeks old yesterday. Their sisters are no longer interested in the lamp except for sleeping, but these guys seem to never get up and get to running around.

 

[chickenzoo]

When you say regular chicken food, do you mean the chick starter? As layer for adults has too much calcium for chicks.....

I'd use some corid and vitimins and see if they improve...

 

[CMV]

Are they growing out? Do they appear to be the same size as their healthier brethren? Sometimes chicks fail to thrive. At 3 weeks I would have thought they would have either perked up or passed away at this point.

Are they on the ground or still in a brooder? Cocci may be the problem, but if they are still in the brooder then I find this to be a little bit of a stretch. If they are already on the ground then this is a very plausible diagnosis.

 

[Buffalochickmamma]

They are still indoors and have never been outside with the exception of their being mailed to us three weeks ago. They are the same size as the other chickens and even the runtier one of the other chicks is healthy.
At this point one of the three seems weak still but has perked up significantly, the other two are laying on their side, cannot stand, and they are pooping small balls rather than full poops, but even with help they do not want to drink.
Very nervous I will lose these chicks.