6 week old chick fluffed up, Lethargic and off Food

[Justjerry]

Hi I really need some advice on this one as I am completely lost. I have a 6 week old chick which I noticed had fluffed up yesterday. I separated her from the other chicks in the lockup and noticed she is completely off her food. She is still drinking water luckily but I have tried giving her yogurt just in case she is struggling with solids, she just doesn't seem interested.

She is a Pekin bobtail, she seems pretty light compared to the other chickens. We Currently have her living in a box till she hopefully gets better but I have noticed every time I put my arm near the box she jumps out of it to climb up on to my shoulder and burrows her head in my hair. She only makes the effort of jumping out when a human is near otherwise she stays fluffed up in a ball. It's really unusual for her so do this as she was previously very shy around people.

She has been eating chick crumbs (with ACS) and I have recently put her on the vitamin water. Her poo looks really funny and quite a dark brown. Also started mixing a tiny amount of garlic, cyder vinegar and molasses in her water.

I brought her outside for some fresh air and she has been eating the smallest amount of grass, and by this I mean she just nibbles at it as if she wants to eat but can't.

She has previously been housed indoors, we have kept them inside because of the horrible weather we have been having, but none of the other chicks are displaying the same symptoms.

Thankyou for your help in advance, really struggling with this one. Would appreciate any help!

 

[Eggcessive]

I would start her and the other chicks on Corid in their water right away for possible cocidiosis. Dosage is 1 1/2 tsp of Corid powder or 2 tsp of Corid liquid per gallon of water for 7 days. Give the sick chick 2 drops twice daily of the undiluted Corid, or make a solution of 1 1/2 tsp of Corid Powder in 2 tsp of water, which equals undiluted Corid liquid. Place her back with the other chicks unless she is being kept from food, but get her back in there as soon as possible. Treat all chicks at once. Stop the ACV, molasses, and vitamins. Once the Corid is finished, you can give vitamins for a few days. Molasses can act as a laxative, and ACV can irritate a chick's GI tract, especially during an intestinal infection. Here is some reading:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/2/Coccidiosis Management/43/symptoms-and-diagnosis/
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/12/coccidiosis-what-backyard-chicken.html

 

[Justjerry]

I would start her and the other chicks on Corid in their water right away for possible cocidiosis. Dosage is 1 1/2 tsp of Corid powder or 2 tsp of Corid liquid per gallon of water for 7 days. Give the sick chick 2 drops twice daily of the undiluted Corid, or make a solution of 1 1/2 tsp of Corid Powder in 2 tsp of water, which equals undiluted Corid liquid. Place her back with the other chicks unless she is being kept from food, but get her back in there as soon as possible. Treat all chicks at once. Stop the ACV, molasses, and vitamins. Once the Corid is finished, you can give vitamins for a few days. Molasses can act as a laxative, and ACV can irritate a chick's GI tract, especially during an intestinal infection. Here is some reading:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/2/Coccidiosis Management/43/symptoms-and-diagnosis/
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/12/coccidiosis-what-backyard-chicken.html

Thanks I will try it!

 

[Justjerry]

I would start her and the other chicks on Corid in their water right away for possible cocidiosis. Dosage is 1 1/2 tsp of Corid powder or 2 tsp of Corid liquid per gallon of water for 7 days. Give the sick chick 2 drops twice daily of the undiluted Corid, or make a solution of 1 1/2 tsp of Corid Powder in 2 tsp of water, which equals undiluted Corid liquid. Place her back with the other chicks unless she is being kept from food, but get her back in there as soon as possible. Treat all chicks at once. Stop the ACV, molasses, and vitamins. Once the Corid is finished, you can give vitamins for a few days. Molasses can act as a laxative, and ACV can irritate a chick's GI tract, especially during an intestinal infection. Here is some reading:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/2/Coccidiosis Management/43/symptoms-and-diagnosis/
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/12/coccidiosis-what-backyard-chicken.html

Just want to say thankyou for helping me identify this problem quick enough to save this hens life. She is doing a lot better now, still recovering but unfortunately her brothers and sisters are already rejecting her so I guess it's another hand rearing job... not that I mind...

 

[Eggcessive]

Glad to hear that she is doing better. Try placing her with the others, only protected in a wire dog crate with her own food and water for a few days. Then slowly start letting her have supervised free ranging with the rest, but remove her if the pecking gets too aggressive. Keep at it, and they will eventually readjust to her. There may be some pecking for a bit, but once she realizes she is at the bottom of the pecking order temporarily, she should fit in.

 

[Justjerry]

Glad to hear that she is doing better. Try placing her with the others, only protected in a wire dog crate with her own food and water for a few days. Then slowly start letting her have supervised free ranging with the rest, but remove her if the pecking gets too aggressive. Keep at it, and they will eventually readjust to her. There may be some pecking for a bit, but once she realizes she is at the bottom of the pecking order temporarily, she should fit in.

Ah yeh they were so horrible to her when I put her back in she was only away for a few days to recover, will try an reintroduce her, thanks again! Can't believe the difference in her!