Belly scab

[Jess718]

Im keeping up with spraying to clean and then the antibiotic ointment. Everything looks the same today. Her vent does seem a bit swollen but I haven’t seen any pasting over and I’m checking her multiple times per day. She is still acting like the others so far. I haven’t separated because they are not picking at her and I don’t think it’s anything contagious? Thank you all for your help. Like you said- I’m doing everything and hoping and praying for the best.

 

[Jess718]

Now I have another chick acting lethargic and sick. She has just been laying and barely moving. The others are all eating and drinking. Even the one with the belly scab. I don’t have a good feeling.

I’m so discouraged. Last time I got chicks from tractor supply and they did great but this time I thought I should go to a local farm and they happen to have the types of chicks I was looking for. Did I just get lucky last time? Is this typical to lose a chick or two. It’s so heartbreaking.

 

[azygous]

Give the lethargic chick some warm sugar water. You should have Poultry Nutri-drench on hand with new chicks. Give the chick some in the water.

Check the chick for pasted vent. Sometimes that goes unnoticed until the chick starts acting sick.

 

[Jess718]

I do have both electrolyte and probiotic packets. I just gave her some of the electrolyte water but I don’t think she will make it. The vent looked okay. I wiped with a warm cloth just in case but not really anything there. I have a container that has a mix of probiotic, electrolyte and vitamins too from when Pickles had an impacted crop. But it’s not a food replacement like the nutridrench. I can get some to have on hand. Thank you.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How's your brooder setup? Do you have any photos?

 

[Jess718]

Well here is the update.

*the one australorp chick passed last night
*the BO still has the stomach stuff going on but I clean her regularly

The set up is in a larger plastic tote with shavings in the bottom with a water and food feeder and a heat lamp. Around 90-95. All chicks seem warm and not hot. No one is crowding together but also no one is trying to find cooler places or panting. I’ll find a pic but I leave for work super early so I couldn’t grab one of the full tote this morning.

Also to add fuel to the fire- the two australorps seem to be really bullying the BO’s. I didn’t experience this before but they are constantly pecking at their beaks and will run over and peck at them when they try to drink. I have no idea why and the BOs don’t seem to fight back.

 

[Jess718]

Best I have right now- just the one side. Water on the other.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The set up is in a larger plastic tote with shavings in the bottom with a water and food feeder and a heat lamp. Around 90-95. All chicks seem warm and not hot. No one is crowding together but also no one is trying to find cooler places or panting.

Also to add fuel to the fire- the two australorps seem to be really bullying the BO’s. I didn’t experience this before but they are constantly pecking at their beaks and will run over and peck at them when they try to drink. I have no idea why and the BOs don’t seem to fight back.

I'd move the feed to the cool side of the brooder.

Make sure they have plenty of space to get away from the heat, totes seem to absorb heat more than other things.

Pecking at beaks can be exploratory or the BO's may have a bit of food or water droplets that the AU's can see. Stick some shiny tape really well on a few places inside the brooder or draw a few dots on the inside of tote for them to focus and peck at. I used to do this when I used cardboard for brooders, the chicks like to stand an see if the can peck the dot off the wall - at least they weren't pecking each other right

 

[Jess718]

Thank you so much for that advice. I will do those things as soon as I get home and let you know how it goes!!

 

[Jess718]

Okay so I added the silver tape which they aren’t too interested in, but if found a silver cup that I turned upside down and they love it lol.

So I cleaned up my little one Sunny with warm running water and lightly blow dried her to clean her up and then used the vet spray stuff to disinfect. Her fluff looks all weird and I don’t know if she has a normal chicken body cause I’ve never seen another “wet” chick. The other are so fluffy it’s hard to compare. I now love her. So I need to be hopeful.