6 week old chick is lethargic

[Chido]

We have an avocado tree and an orange AND a lemon tree in the backyard. I'm not too concerned about the avocados as they never fall off the tree, and they don't ripe until after you pick them. We're also good at picking up the fruits that fall on the ground regularly, I'm gonna check if the leaves of those trees are bad for the chickens too...

 

[Celtic Chick]

I wouldn't be too overly concerned, as some people have fed avocados to their chickens & they've lived. Toxic doesn't always mean deadly, but they could get a stomach ache or feel out of sorts, but that could also be if they ate a significant amount of it. I just wanted you to be aware of the potential for trouble.
The feed store should have medicated chick starter. He is probably old enough to be on the chick grower/finisher formula, but I don't think it is medicated. The medication in the starter is usually amprolium, an antibiotic in a low dose to prevent chicks from getting cocci. I do not know if it will do any good if a chick already had it, but like I said, that is most likely not your problem. You could get a small bag of it (I got a 5 lb. bag at Tractor Supply) & let them finish it before moving to a grower/finisher. You can safely give them the mixed feed after that, just to be on the safe side.

 

[Celtic Chick]

Good links:
Medicated starter:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/livest...pro-reg-medicated-chick-starter-5-lb--1003043
grower/finisher formula
http://www.tractorsupply.com/livest...oultry-grower-finisher-15-feed-50-lb--5078171
Chick care:
http://www.mypetchicken.com/backyard-chickens/chicken-care/chapter-4-caring-for-baby-chicks.aspx
http://www.tractorsupply.com/content/knowhow/chicks/livestock_care_caring_for_new_chicks
http://www.motherearthnews.com/city.../are-you-ready-for-chickens-chickens-101.aspx
http://www.motherearthnews.com/basic-country-skills/get-started-with-chickens.aspx

I have got to crash now. I'll check back in the morning.

 

[Chido]

I've noticed something else in Rusty. When it tries to eat small hard chunks of food, it shakes its head and scratches its jaw a lot. I don't know what that means, if it got something stuck that I can't see, or an infection.

 

[Celtic Chick]

I don't know if that indicates a problem or not. I've never heard of anything like that.
Maybe soak the food in a little water to soften it up.

 

[Chido]

... ok, this chick is making e paranoid. I think the whole problem was the feed. We had some egg yolks left from yesterday and I cooked them today for he chicks, and Rusty went to town on the yolk *shakes fist at Rusty*

I have to work today but hopefully my sister will have time to buy me some medicated starter for me. I hope the chick won't turn into a picky eater *angry stare*. It still tends to either stand thee and get its head to rest on its shoulders as if it was cold, but it is also running around and jumping onto my shoulder, so hopefully whatever problem it had is passing.

Edit 2: it still shakes its head as if something was bothering it and it's salivating. I know that because it was perching on my shoulder and I felt the drool on my neck when Rusty shook its head. At least it didn't trow up, so it's keeping food down.

 

[Celtic Chick]

Cooked egg yolk is a great thing to feed him. Lots of protein.
I would recommend going & getting your chicks some chick grower/finisher feed.

 

[Chido]

well Rusty is still sleeping a lot and drooling a bit. I hope whatever it was, Rusty will get over it, as it doesn't look weak or anything, just sleepy. I don't know if I should take it outside with the other two chicks while I'm at work, or leave it in the crate in my room with food and water.

 

[Celtic Chick]

I'd say leave him in the crate until you get home. Let him rest. Sick animals & people both need their rest in order to recuperate. The other two will just bother him. And sometimes when chickens sense weakness in another chicken, they will sometimes kill the weak one. Sad but true. Chickens can be cannibals.
You can take him outside for some fresh air when you get home.

 

[Chido]

Can chickens be emo? I got back home and Rusty didn't eat the leftover egg yolk I made for it this morning. It tried to eat some of the chick food I got, but it shook its head as if it was hard to swallow it.. then when I took some of the cooked egg yolk on my hand, Rusty ate it, and chunks bigger than the chick food. It still stands still at times with its head tucked betwen its shoulders, but I can see it is hungry. It also has rather bad breath, smells a bit like wet dog food, I don't know if that's a bad sign, as it is eating.