Bantam chick keeps falling over and has watery or light green poo

[Farmerharry]

The chicks are about 2 months old and still very small and light. I have 2 of them but they seem to have the same weight or it’s too small of a difference to tell. It’s very lethargic, just sits around and doesn’t want to move. It had a bent leg when it was born so we had to put one of those plastic things to keep the leg straight, it was taken off after a week and a half. The other chick seems fine, behaviour is normal from what I observed. I’m not really sure what happened to it, but it was kept in a small small basket (50cm by 30cm)with newspaper while we were moving, so it was walking around in its own poo. There is no external injury from what I can see, however it’s very tipsy and keeps falling and rolling over. The birds have been eating white rice (boiled) from the beginning, and is still eating it, not sure weather it is drinking water but it does have access to it. I haven’t administered any treatment till now as I do not know what is wrong. I really hope someone can help me out because I’m genuinely very worried. They are my first 2 chicks and I would hate to lose one.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi @Farmerharry Welcome To BYC

Where are you located - a location in your profile helps us help you better

Do you have any commercial chick starter available?

Is white boiled rice the only food the chicks have been eating - if so, then they are most likely suffering nutritionally. Provide them poultry vitamins or you can use infant/children vitamins (no iron). Growing chicks need protein too so you can give them chopped egg. Make a source of grit (crushed granite/stones) available.

Look forward to your comments, then we can go from there.

 

[coach723]

I was about to post and would have said basically what Wyorp Rock did.
Start with the feed, it needs to be nutritionally complete.

 

[Farmerharry]

Thank you for your reply’s @Wyorp Rock and @coach723

I’m living in Singapore currently, so the weather is a comfortable 30-33 degrees celcius and is pretty humid.

Yes the only food they have been getting is where boiled rice. Didn’t realise this would be a problem, but I will give them better food immediately. For the eggs, just the whites/yolks or the whole thing is fine? Also, my Friend has suggested I give them cucumber water (more electrolytes etc), is this safe? Also, could you be a little more specific with the vitamins? I’m not sure wether or not what I have at home is safe (Scotts multivitamins for my younger siblings)

I’ll add sand to their cage for now. Currently building their coop, it will be 1.5m by 1m by 0.8m, is this size okay for the two of them?

Sorry for all the questions, still a beginner at this and I want to make sure everything is safe before I do it. Really appreciate your help!

 

[RollTideChicken]

For 2 bantams that coop size will be fine, as long as they also have a run or are let out each day. Chickens can eat cucumbers so I don't see how cucumber water would hurt them. Alot of folks give sugar water to give'em a boost.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sugar-water.1127118/#post-17394112
"10 ounces of granulated sugar per gallon of water"
I've never done this but others have...

Additionally if the cucumber water is processed (i.e. commercially made), you might want to look at the other ingredients and make sure those are good for chicks.

Coop size for Bantams: 1 square foot per bird - which you meat with the posted dimensions. 1m = 2.54ft
Run size for Bantams: 4 square feet per bird

 

[Farmerharry]

Update: chicks health has deteriorated.
It isn’t drinking or eating anything. Just tried to feed it egg white and tried to give it water in a spoon, basically held it right infront of it, still nothing. Very very unstable, keeps falling over and needs to lean on a wall to stand. It’s breathing is also very laboured. If it fights and makes it to tomorrow, will probably take it to the vet. Let’s hope for the best

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry she is not doing well. Hopefully you can see the vet.

If the Scott's multivitamin doesn't contain iron, that would most likely be fine. I would start out by crushing 1/4 of a tablet and adding it to their food.

If made fresh, I don't see any harm in the cucumber water. If you don't have commercial chicken feed available, use egg (you can give them the white and yolk) and you can also use cornmeal wet down to make a mash or it can be boiled a little to make a porridge. Since they are so small if you use something like cracked corn it would need to be soaked or boiled to soften it a little. Only prepare what they will eat in a day so it doesn't spoil.

Sugar water can help give one that is sick a boost. Do the best you can to keep her drinking, keep her warm - your temperature sounds good, but she may need to be in a small box if there is wind.

 

[Farmerharry]

Thanks for the @Wyorp Rock, sadly the little fellow didn’t make it through the night

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry for your loss.

How is the other little one doing? Hopefully by providing either chick starter or adding some vitamins and protein to her diet she will start to show signs of growth.
I hope all goes well for you.

 

[Farmerharry]

I'm sorry for your loss.

How is the other little one doing? Hopefully by providing either chick starter or adding some vitamins and protein to her diet she will start to show signs of growth.
I hope all goes well for you.

The other one is doing very well. I bought worms and some vitamin pellets to feed her. I crush the vitamin pellets and let the worms move through them so they get coated with the powder, and the little guy seems to enjoy them very much. I’m currently looking for someone who breeds chickens here in Singapore so we can get the guy a new Friend. Either that or we’ll give him to our neighbours, who have 2 roosters and a hen, when he’s slightly bigger. We put him in a cage outside and he seems to get along with the local birds, who come and sit around his cage, so atleast he has some company. Overall, he seems like a healthy and happy fellow.