Baby chick suddenly crashing (need help)

[FeatherTay]

I love my few, with all my heart. By having only a few, they really are my feather babies, and they know it! I love the individual attention i can give each of them. They get cradled daily and fall asleep in my arms. View attachment 2600965

What is that one chicken on the far left? She/he is Gorgeous!!

 

[AngBantamLuv]

What is that one chicken on the far left? She/he is Gorgeous!!

The one on the left is Elsa, my splash bantam cochin She is just the sweetest.. she waits until I pick her up and then falls asleep in my lap. I need to take a new pic, she is much fluffier now and laying as of a couple weeks ago.

 

[clickchicks]

I just realized today marks a full week since then onset of issues.

I’m still puzzled at what could be casing the weakness. If it is coccidiosis, I wonder if that caused a nutritional deficiency, and if so will this ever fully resolve.

I kept hoping that today would be a good progress day based on this morning, but we’ve gone back to only being able to hold itself up for a while before plopping back down. Still eating/drinking normally and the scale today says 54 grams, though some of that may be food in the crop.

I also still wonder about Markes. I read some articles that said Barnvelders are more susceptible to it, even though I’ve been very careful to thoroughly scrub and change clothes anytime I interact with my existing birds.

 

[clickchicks]

Little chick still here, but now one of the other chicks has started sneezing.

I first noticed it last night and thought maybe it was just food dust in its nose. But this morning its still doing it, and doing it consistently (every min or so it will sneeze).

No discharge from eyes/nose and its acting normal. But what more can I honestly do, I just feel like I've failed these chicks.

 

[gtaus]

But what more can I honestly do, I just feel like I've failed these chicks.

Concentrate on the fundamentals. What is the temp under the brooder plate? Not the temp of the plate itself, but the temp of the bedding below the plate. Mind you, I only have used heat lamps, but I have had success with with 95F for week one, 90F for week two, 85F for week three, etc... But I live in northern Minnesota and my brooder is out in an unheated garage, so heat is always of prime concern to me.

Again, I have never used a brooder plate and that might change the way you need to look at temps. However, I believe a hen's body temp is 105F, so take that into consideration if the temps under the brooder plate are significantly cooler. Even with heat lamps, I tend to err on the side of a bit too warm thinking that the chicks can run out into the cooler part of the brooder if needed. Or they can rest in an area half in and half out of the heat lamp. But you cannot create more heat out of nothing.

I mention this because you seem to be worried about the chicks catching a cold, with all the sneezing and you are looking for a runny nose. Just do what you can and try not to put so much guilt on yourself.

Have you decided if you are going to get more chicks? I think you mentioned that before. Personally, I'd get more than the 3 chicks you currently have as I think flock animals just do better in a flock. It does not take more time to feed and water 10 chicks than it does to feed and water 3 chicks. Also, as I mentioned before, a loss of 1 or 2 chicks out of 10 is less damaging to my psyche than losing 1 or 2 chicks out of 4. Right now you are stressing over the well being of one or two chicks that are not as strong as the others. When I get more chicks to care for, I tend to focus on the overall health of the flock and not beat myself up over any one chick.

But I have raised small animals since I was a young teenager, and over 50 years, maybe I have built up more defenses to protect myself from the heartache of a sick animal or even losing some along the way.

 

[clickchicks]

@gtaus Tested with the heat probe, ambient is about at 82f and the plate itself is still registering around 98f. The plate is tilted so the back is lower than the front, and they can touch the back if they stand up if they need more warmth. They will be 2 weeks old tomorrow.

I have a small flock (3) of adult hens already. I wanted to add a few more, so I placed an order that's set to ship in May. I haven't cancelled yet. I got these chicks because I already had everything set up, and I have plenty of space, so why not.

The sneezing thing worries me because whenever I search for info here, its either feed/bedding dust (they are still on puppy pads and paper towels, so there is no dust), or something like an upper respiratory/MS/MG which are all very scary sounding.

MS sounds especially troubling because one of the main symptoms is... lameness

 

[clickchicks]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-cull-my-entire-flock-of-60-chickens.1015195/


Just found this thread while searching. I'm trying not to lose my mind, but this is the same store I got my birds from.

Again, TRYING not to jump to conclusions, but damn. I just feel really defeated right now.

 

[sqatkins]

I am also brooding chicks right now. Mine were born on March 30th and I got them on April Fools Day from a mail order hatchery. Maybe the instructions that came with my chicks from the hatchery will be useful to you.
1) Start them on a sugar water mixture for the first 2 or 3 days, at a rate of 3 TBS per quart.
2) Put in 1/4 tsp of a chicken probiotic powder per gallon of water.
3) Keep the ambient temperature at 90 to 95 degrees for the first week, and then dropping by a 5 degree range every week.
4) Although they recommended putting paper on top of the bedding material the first day to keep them from eating the bedding, the paper should be removed on the second day. A smooth paper surface can give them leg problems making it difficult to stand up. Check to see if your chick is spreading its legs farther and farther apart.

I hope this helps!

 

[AngBantamLuv]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-cull-my-entire-flock-of-60-chickens.1015195/


Just found this thread while searching. I'm trying not to lose my mind, but this is the same store I got my birds from.

Again, TRYING not to jump to conclusions, but damn. I just feel really defeated right now.

I remember my chicks sneezing here and there.. dust, water in their nose, maybe just a sneeze.. if it is continuous for several days, then I'd worry. Are your chicks off the corid? Seems like enough days already. Id get them back on the vitamins/probiotics. I think little chick MIGHT have a little walking problem, but not the flopping around and lameness that is mareks.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Oh yes, and the bedding.. I'd change the paper towels out to pine if you have it.