6 week old Chick, Sleepy, Hunched not eating treats - help please!

[Roon]

Thank you all so much for your advice!

Here's where we are so far:

Today Dreamer ate! sometime after 3pm, I did the mash + water again and added some apple cider vinegar. She ate hungrily then reverted to her regular stand, hunch and sleep pattern. Tried to give her more mash before I put the chicks in the hen house for the night, but she wasn't having it. She ran like crazy from me when I tried to put her in...guess that's a good thing.

- I've been feeding the whole flock Sulmet for 3 days now, in their water as the original advice and thought was that Dreamer may have Cocci.

- I sprinkled DE around the coop and Hen House tonight before bed.

She's still fluffed up, breastbone protruding and doesn't want to drink any water AT ALL. I hand feed her water with meds through a dropper.

I haven't given her any vitamins yet or Olive Oil. I couldn't feel anything except her breast bone, so tomorrow morning, I'll feel around, if she's still alive.

She was a tiny bit more active today, moving around with the rest of the flock when there was perceived danger.

Ahhh...sigh...hope my girl pulls through...whatever this is!

Anyone think I should separate her? She really seems to love being around all her girlfriends and peeps like mad when I put her in the Hen House away from them, even though it's warm and cozy.

 

[5Leepy!]

I'm so glad she ate! She got a little water with the food but fluids are important. You're not using any nipples for their water, are you? If yes, switch to a regular waterer to make it easier for her.

If she's not being picked on by her friends I wouldn't separate her. Being part of a flock is important and it can be stressful when you reintegrate them.

Don't give up, you're doing great!

 

[Nsampsel]

Could be that what you think you are feeling as her breastbone is actually her crop. Try the oil & see if that helps any.

 

[Roon]

Morning update for all you sweet new friends helping us!

Dreamer is alive and pretty much the same, although she ran around with the crazy girls when I took them out this morning, attempted a bit of pecking the ground and actually eating! this morning. She still doesn't love the mash, but she gave a go at her real food. Just now I left her standing still, hunched and chirpping/clucking constantly...this is new. Not sure what she's trying to say....

She also got aggressive with one of the chicks that was standing in her "spot". Weird?!

As for treatment:

Still feeding the whole flock the water with the Sulmet, though the rest of the girls are back to getting green treats...Dreamer tried to get in on the action today but is still too weak and will bite off the green stuff, but won't swallow.

(Could she just be getting better slowly or is there a crop issue?hmmm...)

I will certainly try the oil this morning! The only thing is...if she does actually have the cocci, will the oil hurt?

 

[5Leepy!]

Here's a video about Cocci and it shows a chick with it... might be good to compare. http://successwithpoultry.blogspot.com/2011/02/coccidiosis-in-chickens.html
It says that after 6 days they will start to improve (if they haven't died) and then they'll be immune. I doubt the oil would have any effect on the Cocci at all.

Here's something someone else posted about it:
Coccidiosis is not your traditional kind of infection. You should never use any kind of antibiotic to treat it. All your chickens are exposed to the protozoa that cause this infestation, but as they grow older, they develop resistance to the overwhelming infestation that your babies are experiencing. No, the medicated feed is not enough. It has a tiny amount of medication in it, which is meant to help them develop resistance more easily - but so far, i haven't seen that prove true. You need Corid - or some other brand of Amprolium (the stuff that is in your feed). You should be able to get a small bottle at your feed store for 15-20 dollars.

Your four month-olds should have already developed resistance to the protozoa in your soil. They will not "catch" coccidiosis from your chicks. It just doesn't work that way. These protozoa are animal specific, so don't worry about your dogs. There are chicken cocci that affect chickens and dog cocci that affect dogs - and so forth. I can't say for sure about ducks. I don't have any knowledge on them or whether they are affected by cocci.

You can put the medication (one to two teaspoons of liquid amprolium 9.6%) in whatever water the affected chickens are drinking. If others age chickens are drinking that water, it's fine. But you want the affected age group to drink only the medicated water for 5 solid days. Change it out and add fresh medication each day.

The things to look out for are really wet areas in their run - because cocci thrives in warm wet areas. However, it's in your soil pretty much everywhere, so don't obsess over cleaning every little tiny thing. Just keep their waterers and feeders clear of droppings - specifically while they're getting through this infestation and developing their resistance.....and keep their bedding clean - and most especially, dry.

 

[Roon]

So, I have no idea what's up with my sweet chick, but she's on her last legs. She still refuses to drink water, but will peck around when roused completely awake...otherwise, she stands still, on her feet, fluffed up, in a dead sleep. She's also taken to trotting around behind our Orpingtons, trying to get her head under their fluffy wings...have you ever seen this? I think she's gone crazy.

Yesterday she ate mash out of my hands and I fed her water with a dropper. I also gave her olive oil for the last two days, just because I have no idea what else to do. She has lost so much weight, but her feathers are still bright and shiny and when she's fully awake, she can run with the best of them.

I'm guessing there is some sort of intestinal issue, or crop issue, although I finally felt her crop yesterday after she downed a whole dropper of water, and it was empty this morning and didn't feel hard or anything.

I'm so bummed and our girls have totally rallied around her, flocking with her at the sign of danger and nestling with her when they nap.

I'm going to stop feeding her and the rest of the 4 chicks the Sulmet today. Everyone else is normal.

I'm not totally ready to give up on her. I've isolated her and brought her in the house to observe her. So far she's not moved a centimeter from where I put her in the Brooder....and that was a half an hour ago. At least if she dies, it will be nice and quiet and warm.

Any last thoughts from anyone?

 

[5Leepy!]

Try the vitamins... it's the only thing you haven't done, right?

 

[Roon]

Yes! The vitamins...and this is so she can get more energy to eat and drink?

After just an hour inside with me she is eating. Still not drinking and no poop. She does give a slight shake of her head every so often.

 

[Nsampsel]

Sounds like she is improving. Maybe she needed the extra warmth from being in the house...or maybe she just wanted some extra attention...lol

 

[Roon]

Morning update!

After a day inside with me, cuddling (my husband was not amused) and warm, and the night with her buddies out in the hen house (with a heat lamp), Dreamer seems to be on the mend!!

She's off the meds, she's already had two huge poops (green, but solid with white caps -does this sound healthier?) and hasn't fallen asleep once! She also drank water on her own for the first time in a week last night.

I don't feel she's totally out of the woods, as I'm worried about her contracting a cold from being so weak, but for now, I'm grateful that she appears to be on the upswing!!

I am now giving Apple Cider Vinegar in all the chicks' water everyday. Also, I tried to give everyone sweet potato, but they weren't having it at all.

Thank you so much for your advice and information...I'll update again tomorrow, in case anyone is reading this with their own chick problems.