Contagious??? Can I put this new chick in with the others???

[SeaChick]

The question is, do you think that she might have something contagious... and if so have I already exposed the others so it doesn't matter.....

As per my other thread , yesterday I "rescued" a teensy EE chick from the feed store, who'd been chilled and had a bad case of pasty butt. She/he's also LESS THAN HALF THE SIZE of my other 2-week old chicks (and I have been assured she's not a bantam.)

Yesterday after I cleaned her up I put her in the brooder with my other 5 chicks for about one minute before I realized that might not be such a great idea. I removed her and the one poop she had made. She has been in a clear plastic box WITHIN the main brooder (so breathing the same air but no direct contact) since then.

She is now eating, drinking, and pooping normally and seems only slightly frail but not ill. She has vitamins/electrolytes in her water.

It's obvious she'd be much happier if she was with the others, so I wonder if it's safe to try introducung her.

1) Is there anything contagious that might cause this stunted growth, or is she just a runt?

2) If so, have I already exposed the others yesterday so it doesn't matter now?

Thanks for your input!
Stacey

 

[dlhunicorn]

Quote:
it could be something contagious (I have posted previously on runting/stunting syndrome which has various causes and levels of illness (get yourself some AVIA CHARGE 2000 >can be ordered online from McMurray or Strombergs) ....
if it were me I would separate to a separate brooder with a couple of buddies for company (perhaps ones that are also not the "leaders" and in danger of being bullied from others?)

 

[SeaChick]

Thanks for the reply!!

This is very interesting from your pdf:

Cold brooding induced a loss in uniformity
and depressed body weight gain during the first 7-14 days of age. Furthermore, it is now known that RSS-associated
agents may be controlled if exposed to heat. Experiments conducted at PDRC have demonstrated that heat effectively
reduces the detrimental effects of infectious agents in the intestines of affected chicks. A

The chicks at this store were 18" awway from the door, and it has been cold enough to snow for the last 2 weeks since they've been there!!

I do have Aviacharge 2000. I'll stop using the vitamins/electrolytes and switch to that.

There are only 5 other chicks.... they're in a big cardboard freewer box right now with the runt in a plastic bin set down into the big bin. They can see each other but not touch.

Do you think I've already exposed the other 5 from that one minute I put the runt in when I first got her home?​