Chick with watery poo and not eating! Help!

[chickintexas]

Poor baby was doing just fine this morning and as of this afternoon, she started acting lethargic. She'll stand in one spot with her head drooping. She'll get over to the waterer and drinks plenty (lots!) of water but she's not eating. Her poop is pure water. She had a spot of dried poo on her vent which I cleaned off this afternoon but there has been no changes with her. Temp in the brooder is good. The other two are all over the place happily peeping away. I offered her mush but she won't take any food at all. What can I do if anything? I know these sorts of things can happen and I'm prepared for the worse but I'm funny about losing any animal in my care, you know? TIA!

 

[underground chickenman]

Since she's drinking, try nourishing her through the water. Get some Quik Chik or other electrolyte solution if you can get some from a local source. I hesitate to say add sugar, since that can cause diarrhea, but you also need to get some calories in her before too long.

If she won't take mush, try really thinning out a solution of feed and water and see if she will drink it.

You didn't say how old she is. That might help some others come up with some suggestions.

UGCM

 

[KKatknap]

Are you sure she hasn't eaten? If so, I would second the idea of making a mash for her to see if she would eat that. Also, maybe try a scrambled egg (if they haven't had this before, it may take a little while for her to try it).

Here's a thread that may be helpful:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=121547

I hope she gets better soon!

 

[chickintexas]

Quote:
Sorry...I had meant to mention how old she is. She's about 4 or 5 days old.
I'll try the super watered down feed and see how that goes. I kept one from dying on me yesterday. Guess it's this ones turn. I'm hoping that chick number three doesn't join in on the fun. The feed store is closed so I don't have any access to the Quik Chick. If she's still with me tomorrow, I'll run up there and grab some.
BTW, I'm guessing she must have had *something* to eat because when I was trying to get her to eat, she pooped and once again, it was mostly water but at least this time was a small ball of regular brown poo. Not diarrhea. All the other poos that I saw her make were completely water.
Thanks!

 

[chickintexas]

Quote:
I'll try the scramble egg along with the super watered down feed. I'm assuming no butter, right? lol! Thanks!

 

[chickintexas]

I swear...by the time this is all said and done, I'm going to be a bird poo expert!

She just passed some more poo. More water but right in the middle was this very hard little ball of light brown/yellow. It looked more like a compacted piece of their bedding. I had covered up the bedding shavings yesterday as per a couple of other posts that I read concerning these sweet little eating machines. I've got the super watery feed in with her right now and she drank a bunch. Getting ready to make a scrambled egg. Good thing that DH is out cold because he'll really think that I've lost my mind!