4 1/2 week chick help

[Imachickenmama]

My girl Chewbacca has been acting off. She is the slowest of them all. She has been squinting her eyes, staying low to the ground, not moving to much, getting knocked around. Her poop looks fine, eats and drinks normal. Maybe she's cold? The other girls are fine. They are in the garage in a ginormous box with the red light on them in the 80's.

 

[Gonzo the Great]

I got a leghorn doing the same. She is around 3 wks old. Head bobs downward like she is constantly drowsy, eyes squinting, feathers pointed downward and lethargic when idle. When she eats, she perks up a bit but doesn't eat as robustly as the other chicks I have. I checked stool, looks normal and soft. Crop has food. She just doesnt seem to be like the others.

 

[Chick Charm]

Hopefully it passes. The chick still needs what you are already giving it, food, water, heat. This is not uncommon.

However some symptoms do not fade and can be recognized. Look into some diseases and see what you find IF THINGS PERSIST. Maybe the beginings of Merek's or likely not.

I've had two chicks with disease (that I knew of) out of over a hundred chicks.

 

[Imachickenmama]

No other advice?

 

[Gonzo the Great]

i've also tried some infamil poly-vi-sol without iron, that seemed to give her a little boost. difficult to smear some drop on her beak and some of it shaken off onto my clothes (i smell like kids vitamins at the office). Also, i remember that putting some apple cider vinegar in their water (about a teaspoon per quart) helps with their digestive system Am also mixing their medicated chick starter feed with non flavored plain yogurt to help with digestion as well. Any kind of natural probiotics should be beneficial. .I guess just fortifying their nutrition seems to be the only path to see if they outgrown their issues.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I'd carefully watch for signs of coccidiosis, as it is most common under 8 weeks of age. There doesn't need to be bloody poo for it to be coccidiosis, and they don't even have to have been on the ground yet as the cocci can be transferred in by humans to the brooder.

Signs of coccidiosis:
lethargic
sits alone in corner with eyes closed
feathers fluffed up as if cold
may or may not have bloody poo
may or may not have diarrhea (by the time you see this damage has been done to the intestines)
may or may not have been on the ground (where cocci are)
won't eat or drink
can occur in older chickens if exposed to new soil or if immunocompromised

It can be fatal within 24 hours. Many times a flock silently battles coccidiosis, and future productivity is affected possibly. They do have abdominal pain with it.

Treatment available at feed store (corid treats more strains of it than sulmet).

 

[Imachickenmama]

She is eating and drinking great. I bought a probiotic and electrolyte supplement for chicks. You add to the water. She seems better today, just alittle bit. Poop is sometimes normal, sometimes watery.

 

[Imachickenmama]

Oh and generally I give avc in the water, but I do not give medicated feed. Its a locally made organic feed.

 

[Chick Charm]

Sounds like the chick is pulling through.

Interesting how delicate and fragile the life of a chick is and at the same time most are pretty durable.