Are my chicks sick?

[Firsttimeraiser]

I just got some chicks for the first time and I'm very concerned about their health. We had two bantam chickens and eight specialty breeds. One of the bantam chicks died and before it did, it was always nodding out and had his eyes closed almost all the time. I thought it was normal until I found him dead of course.now it's sibling is doing the same thing, except she's isolating herself from the other chicks and she's not eating or drinking. I'm worried that something is very wrong.

Poop is runny and brown with all the chicks but the specialty breeds seem just fine.

Could she be depressed? She was running around just fine the other day, now she won't move at all. Please help, any advice would be most helpful right now.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi.

Sorry to hear you lost one chick and another is now sick.

How old are they and what are you feeding them?

When you say poop is brown and runny, can you post a picture.
It may be that the bantams have been pushed out at the feeding station by the larger chicks or it may be coccidiosis or some other gut disturbance.
I would make some scrambled egg and mix some natural yoghurt into it and a bit of crumbles to a wet paste and feed the little one separate from the others... hand feed several times a day, so that you know how much it is getting. It's really important to ensure that it takes food and water before it gets too weak and it's system shuts down. You could also get it some vitamin supplement.... I think there is something called Save a Chick in the USA.... hopefully someone else will jump in and correct me if I'm wrong. If it is coccidiosis, then you will need to treat with Corid. Have you been feeding them a medicated crumble, as that usually contains a preventative dose but it isn't concentrated enough to tackle an outbreak of cocci, so it's no use starting them on medicated feed now if they are already suffering from it.

Another common problem with chicks is pasty butt where their vent cakes up with urates and they are unable to poop. Usually they will cheep nearly all the time as they are straining to eliminate waste.

Good luck with your chicks and I hope you are able to save them but more information will help members here to pin point more accurately what the problem may be.

Best wishes

Barbara

 

[Firsttimeraiser]

The chicks are less than a week old, and I now believe the other chickens are trying to kill her. When she finally came out of her corner to eat the others ones started sitting on her and standing on her, I've had to remove her twice now .

 

[N F C]

Whenever you have an ill chicken, it needs to be separated from the others...partly so it can rest and partly because the other birds will harass (and maybe kill) the sick one. I hope you'll post on the emergencies forum, hopefully someone there can help you out.

I hope things are better soon, sorry for your loss.

 

[drumstick diva]

Please do separate her and keep her warm and see that she eats and drinks Do not put her back with them - or they will kill her.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC - you have some great advice already so I'll just say hello!

All the best
CT

 

[Firsttimeraiser]

Well sadly we lost the last chick, my husband forgot to turn her heat lamp on and so I guess she passed from the cold.. but we did get more bantam so I have to ask, will the specialty breed chickens kill the bantam chickens because they are two different types of breeds?