Baby chick! Please help!

[The Golden Egg5]

She is now gasping for air, can't stand on her own, and she has no energy left. It's not looking so good for her. she doesn't open her eyes much either

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm sorry. It's difficult, but sometimes chicks will be lost. Of course, it's never easy. When they start going down hill, they are hard to save. About all we can do is to get them to drink electrolyte water and keep them warm. Baby chicks are fragile, and any stress they go through before we get them, can make them weak.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I agree it is not cocci.

And she won't have enough energy to make it to water. So you must get her to it. When I have a chick really struggling I go with every half hour for while and then go longer 1-2 hours during the night. I don't know what really is the right amount of time, so I go with my gut. And try to notice if anything is coming out the other end yet?

But if she isn't jumping up when other chicks jump on her or responding well, then she shouldn't be left as she might be trampled. Also she may or may not have the strength to move herself into or out of the heat. These may not be as much of an issue if they are sleeping at night under MHP and you have you temp adjusted well enough (sounds like). However MHP may hinder you being able to tell if she is responding or not.

Feed might diminish in nutrient value as it ages. But if it has mold it is bad.

If you are feeding dry, maybe crush it a little smaller for her for a few days.

And don't forget that the chicks are still getting their digestive track in order. Adjusting to the new feed. And also they do expel their urates through the feces. So maybe that's what you think of as watery.

Just don't forget to keep your eye out for pastey butt. We saw one chick starting to act more tired and not right. But noticed and cleaned him up and he bounced back pretty fast. I call them all he until I know for sure.

How many chicks, what sized brooder, how old?

Keep up the fluids. She does not have cocci at this age--it happens after 2-3 weeks of age, so she won't need Corid. Don't give her egg until she is 2 weeks old. Vitamins and electrolytes such as SaveAChick added to the water are very important.

I have never heard this before and usually the opposite. (boiled not scrambled yolk only) Will you please elaborate (as I do appreciate your experience)? Thank you!

 

[The Golden Egg5]

I have 6 chicks in a brooder that is 6X2 (old bathtub in garage) none have any pasty butt I check each one every time I go out. I am not 100% positive in the age because I got them a tsc, but I think most are 3 days today and a couple are 4 days.

 

[The Golden Egg5]

She didn't make it

 

[Eggcessive]

I am so sorry that you lost her. The reason I would not have offered her egg, is that fluids with vitamins and electrolytes are the most important thing to give when chicks are showing signs shipping stress.

 

[The Golden Egg5]

I am so sorry that you lost her. The reason I would not have offered her egg, is that fluids with vitamins and electrolytes are the most important thing to give when chicks are showing signs shipping stress.

Thank you! Yea that makes sense. She didn't want any of it so I'm glad she didn't eat any. Thank you so much for helping me. This was my first loss I have ever had (and first chicks). I really appreciate the advice.

 

[kristenbarn]

Okay, new chick mama here. We have 50 freedom rangers chicks on 3/8. One died we believe from suffocation on 3/10. Chicks have been growing great!! Gave them electrolytes in their water until last Thursday. Changed out their bedding on Friday. Yesterday, put in a new feeder at 2 and at 3:15 there was another one dead with beak stuck in corner. Pretty sure it suffocated too. Put carboard in corners to round them off. All doing GREAT!! Got up to use the bathroom at 1, checked on them sleeping soundly. Checked on them again at 7. Still GREAT!! Went in at 8:45 to refill water and food. No problem, while filling up water, I hear a broohaha in the brooder box and all the chicks have fluttered to one side and one chick no in a corner but near the electric hen, is twitching. It died. I left it there because, I know sometimes their little hearts can restart, it didnt. Any thoughts? We have 50 freedom rangers in a 4x6 box. We're using lrg shavings of pine for bedding, we have a electric hen, and heat lamp suspended about two ft above box. We have given them electrolytes for a week. Using PDZ for smell because they are in my garage. Their poops are well formed. Thoughts?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Sometimes chicks die. Sorry for your loss, even though I know you will be eating them... still stinks.

Do you have an area where they can cool off? The suggested temps are max temps for warming up, but not for playing. Being too warm can cause pasty butt which is a lot harder to detect in large broods. Especially when they all look the same!

Are you using medicated feed? That slows the growth of cocci, but may not be enough. Sometimes people still have to treat. Watch when you put feed in... anyone who is not up in the mix of it should have an eye kept on them.

Shavings can be a lot wetter underneath than they look on top, I found out. So stirring them up everyday to check wouldn't hurt. And if you aren't using a nipple type waterer, poo gets in very easy and spreads the cocci that is always present much easier. Cocci is only a problem when there is an overgrowth. And brooder conditions are prime to help it bloom. Not all cocci will show as blood in the feces... but if you see a chick standing around puffed up and sleeping or lethargic, is a good indicator. As they get bidder they will need their shaving changed a lot sooner. Since you are using sweet PDZ make sure smell isn't your only indicator when to change, that stuff works really well.

Of course you already noted that trampling might be a cause. Sometimes they have internal deficiencies that we can't detect and just took a little while for them to fail.

Hang in there!