Chicks dying--- Acting lethargic, suddenly 'paralyzed' etc

[mustangrooster]

I really need help as soon as possible.


A couple of hours ago, I just lost my little chick, Piku who suddenly couldn’t walk, had her eyes closed, and had no control of her neck (See what happened here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chick-is-constantly-yawning.1200704/page-2#post-19037108 )

I thought maybe it was just something to do with her given she was always smaller, but now her sister Rio is lethargic with her eyes closed. 4 (well, now 3) of these chicks were home hatched, the 7 others I bought and I can’t have them all dying on me! I am noticing another chick acting out of the ordinary.


I have never had something like this happen to me with little chicks and I am panicking. Help?

 

[Kiki]

What age are they?
What is the temp of the brooder?

Do you have Corid on hand?

 

[chickens really]

Sound cold too me....

 

[mustangrooster]

Some of them are 4 weeks old, 1 - is 2 weeks old, and the other 4 are nearly 1 week old. And no, I don't have Corid on hand.

 

[Kiki]

Some of them are 4 weeks old, 1 - is 2 weeks old, and the other 4 are nearly 1 week old. And no, I don't have Corid on hand.

Go get some.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi @mustangrooster I'm sorry you're having trouble.

I agree with the others, checking your brooder temp would be a good idea. Photos of your set-up and chicks may help us give you some tips.

At 4days old, the chicks may just be failing to thrive, but the not being able to walk and uncontrolled neck movement sounds neurological. Do you have any Poultry Nutri-Drench as suggested on your other thread? Getting them hydrated and keeping them warm is usually the best you can do.

I see your latest update - you have a mix of different ages in the brooder(?) - is there a way to separate the 4wk old from the youngest? Could be the littles are getting trampled if not enough room. Also 4wk old don't need near the amount of heat that the little would need.

 

[Banana552]

Same thing has happened to me
They got squashed by the others
Because my brooder was too crowded

Are any of they're bones broken?
Try and keep them warm and fed

The temp that works for me

Is 30 c
Altho i live in a hot place so..

I hope your chicks feel better soon i hope they will turn out alright,best wishes

 

[mustangrooster]

Before I carry on, let me just clarify that when you are an hour+ away from town, I cant just 'go get something'.

So, when I went to sleep last night, I expected to wake up to the whole brooder full of dead chicks. Well, before I went to sleep I separated the 'sickly' from the 'healthy' in the brooder with a cardboard strip, made sure they were warm, and eventually went to sleep. I woke up to Rio, (the first chick that died was her sister) dead. Not a whole brooder full of dead chicks, but still very sad, that chick never left my side. I thought about separating the older chicks from the younger chicks in a big brooder, but I then decided that I must keep the sickly together, and not let them mingle with the healthy ones. They (the 'healthy' looking) are in a large brooder outside with hay bedding.

My two something Sussex chicks (its a long name) aren't walking now, but the rest look ok. The two sussex chicks are in a brooder inside by themselves. They aren't eating either, but I'm making sure they drink. I can't see any broken bones.

What are the chances that maybe this sickness came from the place where I got the 7 other chicks? I have never had this happen to my chicks and the fact that it came on so suddenly is strange and worrying. What would have caused this? I have 7 chicks outside with a mama hen, 2 chicks with a mama hen, 2 broody chickens on eggs, one broody turkey, and a soon to be broody duck, are they (their chicks) safe from this 'sickness'? What can I do to stop it spreading??


It is very hot and humid where I am, so most of the time I don't need the heat lamp, whenever it is on they get too hot. They do fine without it.

 

[Kiki]

Sounds like the new chicks brought a different strain of Coccidiosis in to me.
If it is Coccidiosis, Corid will save them.

 

[mustangrooster]

When I have previously looked for Corid, no feedstore or vet has had Corid. Where else can I find it?


ETA Or what else would work? Would tetracycline hydrochloride work?