Advice Needed---listless chick, treated for cocci, what to do?

[shayne]

I have a batch of mixed five-week old chicks from Meyer Hatchery. Altogether, there are around 40 chicks. We had a few losses the first week, but have been holding steady since then.

7 days ago, I noticed bright red droppings in their shavings---never could see exactly who was leaving the bloody droppings. I assumed cocci, so I put them on Corid for three days. All but two chicks look bright, happy and healthy, running around.

There was one little chick (I think my Easter Egger) that was off by herself, eyes closed, hunched up---so I brought her in the house & set her up by herself with food and her own little bowl of water with Corid. The next day, she was peeping and had perked up and tried to fly out of the box, so I returned her to the nursery.

The next day, one of my Barred Rock babies died. No outward signs---other than the same hunched up "I'm sick" look. I brought her down to be by herself, but she was dead within ten hours.

After the Corid, I gave them vitamins in their water for a few days, then I started everyone on tetracycline in their water. (Can't remember where the post is, someone had recommended that treatment.)

Today, I go up and the little Easter Egger is all hunched up again! So I removed her, put her alone (with hardware cloth this time to keep her in the box).

My question is---what should I do for the Easter Egger? Everyone else is on their second day of tetracycline. Do I do the same for her? Or does she need more of the Corid? Opinions, please. Many thanks in advance.

 

[shayne]

Bumping up. Any ideas, anyone?

These pictures are from this morning. She has eaten, just a little. I ended up giving her day #2 of the tetracycline yesterday. Figured it couldn't hurt.

She just stands there, all huddled up like an old lady. When she was in the coop, she just stood there, while all the other chicks ran around, doing active chick things.

Thanks for any advice you can give.

 

[organicfoltzfamilyfarm]

Check her crop for any shavings in there.

She looks healthy. What does her poops look like?

 

[shayne]

Her poop is normal---good color and consistency.

When you say to check her crop, do you mean feel it from the outside? (Sorry if that's a silly question...)

 

[speckledhen]

They could have damaged intestines. Three days of Corid is not enough. Needs to be five at least. Give probiotics like plain yogurt or buttermilk to sooth the damaged intestines and replace good gut flora.

 

[shayne]

speckledhen, does that mean that I can go back and give her a few more days of Corid now?

Yogurt I can do easily. That's one that we always have around.

Thanks!

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, you can do another few days of Corid. Make sure it's plain, active culture yogurt, too. I had one chick who was more affected during a minor cocci outbreak here, but he did survive with what I recommended to you.

 

[shayne]

Thanks so much for the advice!

 

[organicfoltzfamilyfarm]

Yesh just feel it from the outside. If you cannot feel anything when you pick her up then you should be fine.

I'd take speckledhens advice

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