chick with an eye problem

[lacontenta]

My littlest chick isn't growing like the rest of them. (12 days old) I see her eat, drink & poop. She isn't picked on by the rest of them & even gets right in the feeder & gets her share. However, when she's not eating or drinking, she's kind of lethargic...maybe she's just conserving her energy. Her one eye is shut most of the time. 3 times a day when I feed, water & play with them, I open it. I noticed a bit of tiny foam around her eyeball. What is this?? How can I help her. I'm worrried I may lose little Lucy

 

[kstaven]

Moved this post so it will get the attention it needs and didn't get lost on a social forum.

 

[sammi]

are you giving them vitamins?

if not, try and get some chick vitamins asap.
or you can use Polyvisol children's vitamins until you can get the chick vitamins..(McMurrays Hatchery has them "Quik Chik"..or most farm/feed/livestock supply stores).

the Polyvisol..give 2 drops once a day for a week, then taper off.

get some saline eye spray, and clean the eye out, and apply antibiotic eye drops, or a teeny bit of polysporin around the eye..the chick might have been pecked,
or could be early symptoms of respiratory illness.
please describe droppings..color and consistency.

some chicks are just runts..
but there are a few conditions, such as runting syndrome that can cause this.
try the vitamins and treat the eye.
do you have any antibiotics on hand?(just in case)
of so, what kind?

 

[dlhunicorn]

are you giving medicated starter?
Were your chicks vaccinated for anything at the hatchery?

 

[lacontenta]

Thanks to all who responded.
Thanks especially to the person who moved my post to the appropriate spot....this is the first time I've ever posted to a message board, so I don't know all the ins & outs.

I'm new to this chicken thing. I got the chicks from friend who incubated them, so they haven't been vaccinated for anything. (How would I do that myself? would a vet supply store have it?? do you have to inject them??) I am feeding them medicated chick crumbles & have added the electrolytes (not sure if it's vitamins too...I bought it at our local Farm & Fleet). I talked with another aquaintance who raises chickens yesterday & she said to get some antibiotics to add to the water. I did that last night. From 4pm to 8pm Lucy's eye stayed open. I was all excited. Then this morning I had to open it again. It's not pasted shut...just not open. Her poop is a tad bit runny, but not all liquid...just not quite as firm as the other chicks. It's the same color as the other chicks. Anything else I should know or look for? I had thought about saline solution, but wasn't sure if chicken eyes are like people eyes. Where do you get polysporin? where do you get antibiotic eye drops?

 

[dlhunicorn]

yes you would first want to flush with sterile saline and then put an OPTHAMOLIC (especially for the eye) antibiotic creme (you can usually get this at a pet store)
Do not combine the electrolytes and antibiotics (if chickie is drinking sufficiently you will not need the electrolytes)

 

[lacontenta]

We don't have a pet store in town...might a small animal vet have some of the opthamolic antibiotic. Yes, I only added the antibiotic to the water, not the electrolytes too. What about the polivisol vitamins? can I give her 2 drops once a day in addition to the antibiotics? Do you give the polyvisol directly into her beak?

what about vaccinations? where can I get those & how would I administer them?

 

[silkiechicken]

It's to late for vaccinations if they already have the illness you are vaccinating for. Vaccines are a preventive measure and do not gaurentee they will never come down with what ever you vaccinated against.