Failure to Thrive Back and Forth?

[UneggspectedChickenLady]

Is it normal for a chick to go back and forth being looking like Failure to Thrive and being seemingly normal???

I have a 9 day old that had a rough arrival via mail last week. She bounced back quickly, then 4 days later she was showing FTT symptoms (standing swaying, lethargic, etc). She had dealt with mild pasty butt before that, but the day before she was ill she was perfectly normal and enjoying following her brooder mate around, eating and drinking on her own. When she started showing FTT signs in the morning, I immediately started her on frequent Nutridrench and egg yolk administration via dropper. She perked up by the evening and was eating and drinking on her own. Then she dipped again the next afternoon. Then perked up the following morning, and here we are on day 3 of this back and forth. Adding probiotics back to her water and doing the occasional Greek yogurt beak dip seemed to help, but now she’s lethargic again.

Every Failure to Thrive experience I’ve had has been a consistent downhill decline. Could this be something else? Or is this also just a way FTT can go?

 

[Livia Ammon]

Is there anything thing she has access to that could harm her? Such as a metal waterer with apple cider vinegar in it or an unsafe plant? Also, could her brooder mate be picking on her, keeping her away from food and water and the like? Also, could you send some pics of your set up?

 

[UneggspectedChickenLady]

Is there anything thing she has access to that could harm her? Such as a metal waterer with apple cider vinegar in it or an unsafe plant? Also, could her brooder mate be picking on her, keeping her away from food and water and the like? Also, could you send some pics of your set up?

Thank you for your fast response! This did start the day after I put the pine shavings in the brooder, but her mate and another playpen I have with two older chicks are fine. I did also switch the metal watered that day bc the older chicks were arriving and I gave them the larger plastic waterer… there’s no apple cider vinegar in it but come to think of it, when I have put a probiotic or vitamins in the water, she dips again… Her mate doesn’t pick on her. I watch them a ton and they are buddies.

 

[Livia Ammon]

Make sure the additives for the water aren’t acidic: using acids in metal containers can corrode the coating on the metal, leading to issues.

Unfortunately, sometimes there isn’t anything you can do to help them (that works, you can do whatever you want) My working theory is that there are internal issues with chicks that tend to be run down and lethargic all the time, and there just comes a time when they either get better or die.

I’ve lost a good few chicks like that, and there was a horrifying episode a long time ago when my chicks would just drop dead for no apparent reason. I tried lots of things, and eventually they all made it to adulthood, but I lost 4 that time, and sometimes I wonder what I might have missed.

I would try molasses water in a small plastic or glass feeder. The type the size of a mason jar. Prop it up on a small wood round (so they don’t kick dirt in it and don’t poop too much in it) and let them free choice it. I wouldn’t put it in the main water, as it could dehydrate them if it’s too sugary for their systems. Other than that, there’s not much I know about that you can do. Hopefully she’ll be fine, but if she’s got some sort of internal issues, there isn’t anything you can do.

I hope she does well, God bless and good luck!

 

[UneggspectedChickenLady]

Make sure the additives for the water aren’t acidic: using acids in metal containers can corrode the coating on the metal, leading to issues.

Unfortunately, sometimes there isn’t anything you can do to help them (that works, you can do whatever you want) My working theory is that there are internal issues with chicks that tend to be run down and lethargic all the time, and there just comes a time when they either get better or die.

I’ve lost a good few chicks like that, and there was a horrifying episode a long time ago when my chicks would just drop dead for no apparent reason. I tried lots of things, and eventually they all made it to adulthood, but I lost 4 that time, and sometimes I wonder what I might have missed.

I would try molasses water in a small plastic or glass feeder. The type the size of a mason jar. Prop it up on a small wood round (so they don’t kick dirt in it and don’t poop too much in it) and let them free choice it. I wouldn’t put it in the main water, as it could dehydrate them if it’s too sugary for their systems. Other than that, there’s not much I know about that you can do. Hopefully she’ll be fine, but if she’s got some sort of internal issues, there isn’t anything you can do.

I hope she does well, God bless and good luck!

Thank you. Sadly, she passed a couple hours ago. Now I only have one chick left of the four, and I’m scared she’ll be alone and suffer for it. I do have two one month old salmon faverolles that I had planned to integrate with the younger ones once they were closer in size. Our last little one is so tiny compared to them, but if I lose her to sadness and not having a friend to cuddle with…. Ugh. So sad.

 

[UneggspectedChickenLady]

Sadly, Peanut passed this afternoon.