Dull, lethargic chick

[ChickNanny13]

Would you be able to take her to a Vet? What exactly are her symptoms; lethargic, not eating/drinking much, crop not emptying? What are you feeding? What treatment have you done? Could you post a picture? Let's see if we can get more experienced help ...

@azygous @casportpony @Eggcessive @Ravynscroft

 

[Ravynscroft]

I had good look on her for mites and lice, nothing.
When I came in the shed this morning (2nd morning in a row now) she wasn't interested in food or water and it seems like her crop hasn't emptied. It's still squishy from the night before, that's a worry. I also noticed she was opening and closing her break a lot, not yawning, I'm not sure why she was doing it, something in her throat? Is that a symptom for something?
I'm really worried now because she was looking a bit better last night and now she's gone down hill again this morning

That poop does not look ok to me... and the opening and closing of her beak worries me...

What area are you in? Have you dewormed her? And what dewormers can you get? I would look for a fenbendazole, albendazole or similar 'zole' dewormers and try that on her...

 

[ChickNanny13]

Don't know if the OP's still reading but thank you Ravynscroft. I'm not experienced with illness/disease/cures/injuries, knew you were

 

[Ravynscroft]

Don't know if the OP's still reading but thank you Ravynscroft. I'm not experienced with illness/disease/cures/injuries, knew you were

Without vet checking it out and/or tests done, all we can do is our best guesses... I just prefer to try the most likely and least invasive types of treatments first...

 

[Tiana's chickens]

Hi guys, thank you so much for all your comments, I haven't been on BYC for a few hours because we decided it was best to rush her straight to the vet.
The vet did some tests and found my poor girl was heavily infected with coccidiosis... she is now on the medication the vet gave me and she's looking a bit better this afternoon, still got someway to go for recovery but lucky she's getting the right treatment she need.
She was finally standing up this afternoon with her eyes open and ate and drank a little. Hopefully she keeps improving

 

[azygous]

You caught it just in time. A chick can decline rapidly with a coccidia load. Are you treating your other chicks, as well? If one has coccidiosis, they all very likely have it in some stage.

I'm concerned about her crop not being empty at daybreak. Please watch that. If that continues, she will need treatment for either impacted crop and/or sour crop. This can be a side effect of being sick, but if she still extends her neck and gapes her beak, you should suspect a crop issue is ongoing.

 

[ChickNanny13]

thank you @azygous for peeping in

 

[Tiana's chickens]

You caught it just in time. A chick can decline rapidly with a coccidia load. Are you treating your other chicks, as well? If one has coccidiosis, they all very likely have it in some stage.

I'm concerned about her crop not being empty at daybreak. Please watch that. If that continues, she will need treatment for either impacted crop and/or sour crop. This can be a side effect of being sick, but if she still extends her neck and gapes her beak, you should suspect a crop issue is ongoing.

Thank you. All our chicks and chickens are being treated now. I am very concerned about her crop as well. It hasn't emptied over night again. It's still squishie but hasn't changed it size or shape over 2 days and she's barely eaten. If she's not digesting, will the medicine be obsorbed?

 

[azygous]

First, no worries about the coccidiosis medicine being absorbed. As long as she drinks, it's getting into her system.

Can you determine if her crop feels hard and lumpy or soft and squishy? A full crop prevents a chick from being hungry, so it's important to empty it.

If it's lumpy, you may need to give her a teaspoon of oil, coconut oil in its solid form is least messy and safest, and then gently massage the crop in a circular, upward motion until you feel the crop empty. You may need to repeat the oil and massage a time or two.

Can you see what her poop looks like? If it's whiteish, you may need to treat with an anti-yeast medicine such as miconazole or Nystatin, the latter you may get a prescription for from your vet. The miconazole can be found at the pharmacy in the women's hygiene products. A quarter inch of the miconazole cream twice a day for a week will treat the yeast infection. Give her probiotics as you treat to help restore a good flora in the crop. Hold off on vitamins until after the coccidiosis treatment is finished.

 

[Tiana's chickens]

First, no worries about the coccidiosis medicine being absorbed. As long as she drinks, it's getting into her system.

Can you determine if her crop feels hard and lumpy or soft and squishy? A full crop prevents a chick from being hungry, so it's important to empty it.

If it's lumpy, you may need to give her a teaspoon of oil, coconut oil in its solid form is least messy and safest, and then gently massage the crop in a circular, upward motion until you feel the crop empty. You may need to repeat the oil and massage a time or two.

Can you see what her poop looks like? If it's whiteish, you may need to treat with an anti-yeast medicine such as miconazole or Nystatin, the latter you may get a prescription for from your vet. The miconazole can be found at the pharmacy in the women's hygiene products. A quarter inch of the miconazole cream twice a day for a week will treat the yeast infection. Give her probiotics as you treat to help restore a good flora in the crop. Hold off on vitamins until after the coccidiosis treatment is finished.

Her crop is soft and squishy, I will try the coconut oil and massage. The poop has blood in it because the intestines are inflamed the vet told me. I think maybe they are damaged, I'm really worried