Baby chick pooping water.... HELP!!!!

[Kelberts2019]

Hello friends,

I need help! I purchased 13 chicks from a breeder nearby who is very reputable. My flock consists of 3 Isbar’s, 4 Blue Laced Red Wyandotte’s, 4 Lavender Cuckoo Orpington’s, and 2 (BBS True) Ameraucana’s. I picked these chicks up on Friday, April 19th form the breeder’s which was about a 2 hour drive from my place. On the way home I had placed the chicks on the front seat and turned the heated seats on low to keep the chicks warm for the drive home as per the breeders recommendations. When I got home I had ready in my finished basement a brooder (75 gal plastic water trough), with a wood shaving base, waterer, feeder with some organic chick starter, and one infrared heat lamp with a red bulb. The breeder had supplied me with some blue electrolyte powder for the water which she said would help the chicks adjust to their new home and the travel. All of the chicks found the waterer and feeder and were very content and doing well except one. One of my Oprington’s who was the smallest of all the chicks I had was very lethargic, and was not drinking or eating. She would lay under the heat lamp and rest and occasionally get up to stretch and then lay right back down. I tried picking her up and placing her by the waterer and the feeder and she wouldn’t take to either and lay right down where I placed her. I of course messaged the breeder on Saturday and asked if she had any suggestions. The breeder recommended boiled or scrambled egg to get something in her system and some sugar water to give her a boost. At 11:30PM on Saturday I introduced her to the boiled egg, which she took slowly to and I spoon fed her the sugar water. On Sunday she was mildly improving, taking to the egg and sugar water with more ease and by Monday she was looking even better. On Monday I found her drinking multiple times from the waterer on her own and I had even seen her try to take a few bites from the chick starter in the feeder. Still I wanted to continue with the egg at least for a bit longer to ensure she was getting enough to eat. By this time the rest of the chicks were already growing and becoming more rambunctious so I wanted to try to catch her up. Yesterday, Monday April 23rd I wanted to try giving her some of the chick starter to ween her off of the egg. I figured if she got the smell and taste of the chick starter in her she might be more inclined to try to eat from the feeder on her own. I boiled some water and put a tiny bit in a bowl with some chick starter feed to soften it and let it cool in the fridge. I then presented it to my chick which she took well to. I noticed yesterday though that my chick was pooping watery with almost no substance to it. I have read allot about watery poop and many have said it could be from her being too hot, however I don’t think this is the case because she now moves under the heat lamp for warmth when she needs to and then take breaks as well from it. Does anyone have any clue as to what I should do next? I know she is improving, that is for sure – I just don’t know how to help her poop solid and I really don’t want her to decline.

Also, I lost 1 of my Ameraucana’s this morning. On Sunday evening I noticed a little bit of poop stuck to her butt so I took a warm paper towel and removed the poop from her and dried her gently off. On Monday, I noticed less build up of poop from the chicks butt and I noticed she was also drinking and eating ok – she was a bit lazy, but overall I thought doing better. This morning I woke up to find her dead and another chick laying on top of her. I have no idea what happened to her or how this came to be. All of my other chicks are doing fabulous, they are all taking well to the chick starter and I haven’t fed them anything aside from that and the water.

Please help! I am new to this and maybe im being overly observative but I just need to know if this is mother nature, or if I am missing something.

 

[azygous]

I appears you are doing everything you can. Having a chick die like that is very upsetting, and it's natural we blame ourselves, but chicks sometimes don't have the fully developed equipment necessary to thrive.

Have you tried Poultry Nutri-drench? It's a powerful nutrient booster that might help this chick get past this roadblock.

 

[Kelberts2019]

Hey azygous, I have not actually. I am open to trying anything! I live in Alberta, Canada do you know where I could purchase something like that?

Can you tell me for how long I would use the Nutri-drench?

Also, would you recommend separating this chick until she is at full strength and caught up to the others? She isn't picked on or bullied by the others. I feed her separately from the others right now but I think she does like the cuddles from the other chicks. My fear is that she will be accidentally slept on.

 

[azygous]

You could see if you can order the Nutri-drench from Amazon. If they won't ship to Canada, you can buy baby vitamins without iron. I'd give the vitamins for a week or until the chick appears as lively as the others.

I would leave the chick with the others as much as possible. It will stimulate it to eat. If your brooder is large enough, there shouldn't be a risk of it getting piled on, but keep an eye on it. There is more risk of piling if the heat source isn't properly calibrated for the chicks' heat requirements as they will pile to get warmer or pile to try to avoid the excess heat.

 

[Kelberts2019]

Oh I will check amazon and see if they have any. Thank you very much for your advice!

Also I agree, I feel like the more that our little one sees the others eating she may be more inclined to mimic the behavior. The trough is definitely big enough and I think the single lamp is doing the other good so I will keep a close eye on them and keep that in mind as well.

Thanks again!