Baby has a fever :( First time chick mom

[CarlySc]

Hi there, a couple of days ago I got 2 day old Chicks who were doing well at first but now it seems my one has very warm feet permanently,Sneezes, runny poop and seems like she has less energy than her sibling. When I got them I didn't know they aren't supposed to get wet and they jumped into their make shift water bowl a couple of times which I later found out was bad. any suggestions as to what she has and how I can get her temp down??? TIA I really love these lil girls.

 

[casportpony]

Hi there, a couple of days ago I got 2 day old Chicks who were doing well at first but now it seems my one has very warm feet permanently,Sneezes, runny poop and seems like she has less energy than her sibling. When I got them I didn't know they aren't supposed to get wet and they jumped into their make shift water bowl a couple of times which I later found out was bad. any suggestions as to what she has and how I can get her temp down??? TIA I really love these lil girls.

Welcome to BYC! Can you post some poop pictures?

-Kathy

 

[CarlySc]

That's one of the more normal looking once but most of the time it's runny. It's usually dark green. She eats and drinks and scratches but the symptoms are quite obvious. Thanks so much for responding!

 

[MrsBrooke]

Welcome to BYC!

Can you post some non-normal ones, too? That can really help determine what's up!

Chickens have an internal body temperature of 102-104 (or 105-107, depending who you ask). They are warmer than we are to begin with.

As for your baby chick, any time I have one that's acting off, I dose them all with Corid in the water. That usually perks them up.

If she got water in her little baby lungs, she may have a respiratory infection starting up. There are several options for treatment if that's the case.

MrsB

 

[CarlySc]

This is one from today... sorry i had to wait as i usually wipe the poops up as they come and get rid of them. She seems to tremble when she sleep even when shes warm ... She does still sneeze and sometimes seems a little weaker than her sister. Her feet are still way hotter than her sisters also. This is quite new and scary!

 

[CarlySc]

...And also, THANK YOU guys for helping! This is also my first time on a forum of any kind and I'm quite intrigued by how kind and helpful people are!

 

[MrsBrooke]

I see you are in South Africa... Can you get Corid where you are? You can order it on Amazon, from online pet/vet supply stores, and it's usually available in feed stores. Maybe goes by a different name, but you're looking for "amprolium." That's the name of the drug that treats Coccidiosis.

If you have a helpful vet (maybe one that sees your dogs/cats if you have any), they can do a fecal float for you with a poop sample. This can help determine the presence of any parasites like Cocci or worms.

As for her having an infection, I have no idea what the dosing instructions for a chick would be. You'd need some kind of broad-spectrum antibiotic and the tiniest eye dropper, I imagine. Casportpony is the best with that stuff.

If you hold your ear to her back, do you hear any gurgling, wheezing, squeaking? Is she still drinking? You could also try some raw yolk to see if that helps any.

What temp are they under? Brooders need to hold a pretty constant 100*F with an area away from the lamp where they can cool down, too (I'm sure you know that).

Keep us posted!

MrsB

 

[MrsBrooke]

...And also, THANK YOU guys for helping! This is also my first time on a forum of any kind and I'm quite intrigued by how kind and helpful people are!

And you're very welcome. We're all in this chicken thing together and learning all the time!!

MrsB

 

[CarlySc]

Hi guys, sorry I haven't replied... I've been doing loads of research and monitoring them. I found out that Claire is an Australorp and Tess is a Broiler chicken

I have already grown so close to them as I spend most of the day with them cuddled on my lap and its truly heart breaking to read up on broiler chicks.

Hubby and I could'nt figre out why she was the runt compared to Claire and now shes almost double the size in a week. Her legs are already chunky and she breathes with hr mouth open a lot nowa days.

Lil Tess is doing well though.

...Any other tips i should know about prolonging the lil life of Tess would be great....

 

[MrsBrooke]

An Australorp and a Broiler! I'm curious where you got your chicks from... Hatchery? Breeder? Friend?

Unfortunately, Broilers are meant to do exactly what little Tess is doing.... grow FAST. She's not bred to free-range or really live beyond 8 weeks or so. They are commercial entities designed for the purpose of reaching slaughter weight as quickly as possible.

Eventually, her growth with exceed her body's capabilities to support her.

Honestly, I would feed her well, get another chick or two to keep Claire company, and prepare yourself to process your first chicken, or give her to someone who will appreciate a chicken dinner. If you try to keep her alive, she could end up suffering.

You would have to monitor her feed intake VERY carefully, but it's possible her organs would just start to shut down. They really aren't made to be "pets."

Forgive me if I'm coming off as cold or clinical. Broilers are what they are, and there's not much anyone can do to change that.

I hope Claire continues to thrive and that you can get her some more friends!

MrsB