Baby chicks failing to thrive??

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

Thanks! I have been cleaning butt (photo is of 5-6 hrs accumulation)...but it dosent seem to have pasted over at any stage... as yet..? Ive also used some warm eyewash and soaked eyes to get rid of crust...which has allowed her to open her eyes. Vaseline is a good tip too , thanks!

Out of my 11 chicks 3 or so went through sick stages, extra time under heat lamp. After everything seemed ok (3 weeks) we did lose 1 of them. I used starter feed, and plain water . I also used plain pine shavings.

 

[Bec123434]

Chicks butt

Heres a poop from the sick chick

 

[aesch]

Thanks for the pics. Definitely pasty butt on the last one. Not sure about the eye problem, I've never had that with any of mine. But the other pics show feathered and active peepers and they look really healthy to me. Not sure why the size discrepancy between them but they simply may have different growing ratios between the breeds. Looks to me like you're doing a great job. Good work.

 

[Bec123434]

Thanks for the pics. Definitely pasty butt on the last one. Not sure about the eye problem, I've never had that with any of mine. But the other pics show feathered and active peepers and they look really healthy to me. Not sure why the size discrepancy between them but they simply may have different growing ratios between the breeds. Looks to me like you're doing a great job. Good work.

Thanks, but yes a couple of things going on.. the weird peter pan chicks (theres big size differences within breed too!)...but also the persistence of bloody poo despite medicated starter AND amprolium in water...im baffled!‍

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks for the replies! The brooder is a brinsea ecoglow (its a heated panel they get under). They are outside during the day and brought inside at night (day av temp 24 degrees c, night time about 16). I cant get a pic of poo atm, but there tends to just be a red spot or smudge in some of the poos...no more than 2-5% of poo. Ive got pic showing size difference. The little black is one of the non growers, and theres pic of crusty beak and eye and butt of the other. They are getting medicated starter (contains coxistac 120g/kg) and aprolium 200g/kg in water at 1.25g/L). Thanks again

I have been cleaning butt (photo is of 5-6 hrs accumulation)...but it dosent seem to have pasted over at any stage... as yet..? Ive also used some warm eyewash and soaked eyes to get rid of crust...which has allowed her to open her eyes.

Are you feeding anything else besides the chick starter?
Where are you located in the world?


Check butts hourly, chicks can paste over quickly.
Your daytime temps are fairly warm - do you notice if any of the chicks seem hot?

If you don't have a lot of the medicated feed left, I would be tempted to switch to non-medicated feed. Provide the amprolium for 5-7 days and see if that makes a difference in the poop.

As for the crusty beak - are there any lesions inside the beak too?
Mosquitoes out?

 

[jolenesdad]

Do you have vaseline? If you cost around the vent it shouldn’t be able to stick anymore.

How many do you have together under the heat plate and do they all get under it together??

 

[chickens really]

I would totally clean out that Brooder and separate the two little chicks. Keep them with the heat. Cold chicks don't grow.

 

[aesch]

Thanks, but yes a couple of things going on.. the weird peter pan chicks (theres big size differences within breed too!)...but also the persistence of bloody poo despite medicated starter AND amprolium in water...im baffled!‍

Me too. Bloody poop can mean a lot of things: worms, infection, etc. If more than 2 of them are bleeding I'd be tempted to take a couple samples to the vet for analysis. If you bought these from a breeder or online hatchery you should get in touch with them to see what they recommend. If they're from a store or from a friend then it's possible the chicks aren't what they were represented to be. I looked for info on the growing rate of barnevelder and austrolorps (not sure of that spelling), and they should be about the same size. I'm a little inclined to think they aren't exactly purebred.

 

[Bec123434]

Are you feeding anything else besides the chick starter?
Where are you located in the world?


Check butts hourly, chicks can paste over quickly.
Your daytime temps are fairly warm - do you notice if any of the chicks seem hot?

If you don't have a lot of the medicated feed left, I would be tempted to switch to non-medicated feed. Provide the amprolium for 5-7 days and see if that makes a difference in the poop.

As for the crusty beak - are there any lesions inside the beak too?
Mosquitoes out?

Thanks, im in sw western Australia. Chicks temp seems ok, they have access to shade and seem to move between, that, sunbaking in a spot of sun or under the brooder. I have been also feeding them scrambled egg or pollard, yoghurt and honey mix on average of every 2nd day. But the starter is their staple (didnt want them to fill up on other and miss their meds in starter). Theres not really mozzies atm...and cant see anything obvious inside beak (but tricky to get a good look)....

 

[Bec123434]

Me too. Bloody poop can mean a lot of things: worms, infection, etc. If more than 2 of them are bleeding I'd be tempted to take a couple samples to the vet for analysis. If you bought these from a breeder or online hatchery you should get in touch with them to see what they recommend. If they're from a store or from a friend then it's possible the chicks aren't what they were represented to be. I looked for info on the growing rate of barnevelder and austrolorps (not sure of that spelling), and they should be about the same size. I'm a little inclined to think they aren't exactly purebred.

The chicks were from a breeder/hatchery (of several breeds). I actually have my own wyandottes that I breed and have never seen the persistent blood in poo or any of these issues really...mind you they're usually raised under a hen so always seem healthy and robust (these chicks were meant for a broody - who decided to give up the day they arrived).
They have plenty of room under the heat source - the 2 small chicks do spend more time under there than the others. Only one (in the first pic) is fully feathered (and huge) and I only have one heat source - so separating them at this stage isn't possible unfortunately. I'm planning on taking the large feathered one out once she has a buddy to go with (and they dont need heat) - although Im slightly concerned that they could be carrying something to pass on to my wyandottes.
Have you had any experience with Chronic Respiratory Disease (Mycoplasma gallisepticum)? Im wondering if it could be that? Apparently it can retard growth (according to google)....