Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Yes. All the eggs in the photo were hers from the last 6 days. View attachment 3599789

Is her abdomen swollen? If not, I'm with RC. Maybe an injury of some kind.

 

[BY Bob]

How about with Shepherds pie ?

 

[BY Bob]

Not sure how many names I'll need, at this rate of chicks going down. We'll see in the morning.

I've put together something symptom-wise, though - both the chick that died and now this new one acting not well, they both had/have soft big crops when they started not acting well, at least the new one does now and I noticed it later on with the previous chick. The ones that are well have small pretty firm crops. Yesterday all remaining four had this small firm bump of a crop. Now one of them has this seemingly fluid-filled larger crop. So I gave it only four drops of sugar water before their bedtime today. It may not be able to move the contents on. Maybe there's a problem, a stoppage, with the gizzard.

Is there something they could be picking at that is non digestible for them? Something you maybe haven't thought of?

 

[BY Bob]

Poops look normal, nothing like what I understand coccidiosis looks like if that's an idea. Mostly soft-firm poops. Am using medicated chick "Starter-Grower" 18% from Nutrena. Also still have the Sav-A-Chick electrolytes in the water, could that be overkill? The second chick is not near death yet, but definitely not acting right and the crop is different.

That's what I was wondering. We can rule that out.

 

[BY Bob]

There's a mix of big and small bits in there and a fair amount of dust but I wondered about that. I'll remove the feeder and quickly mash it tomorrow. Is it possible a bigger piece could stick somewhere along the way?

They have access to chick grit, right?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Is there something they could be picking at that is non digestible for them? Something you maybe haven't thought of?

Wondering about that too.

They have access to chick grit, right?

No! I thought they don't need chick grit with starter! I'll add that now then. Darn!

 

[BY Bob]

If you can take a photo of the crumb size compared to your grups feed it will give us an idea on the crumb size. My starter fees has tiny crumbs.

This is my chick starter
View attachment 3599894

And I bought some grower that was even smaller crumbs - pretty much dust. I make a mash with it.
View attachment 3599895

Actually you should make a mash for them they should really like it. And I found it was very palatable for the chicks.

This is a good idea. That will take any crumble Suze issues out of the equation. Gucci could only eat mash at one point. The mash made me better able to tell if she was actually eating or not.

 

[BY Bob]

Good idea! Grit, or gravel or dirt, I read somewhere that someone take a chunk of sod and puts it in with the chicks to peck at grass and dirt, gives their immune system a boost.

I did that with the school chicks and they demolished the chunk!

I have always done the sod thing as it also colonizes them with the same bacteria from their future environment. This can help to avoid other issues down the road.

 

[BY Bob]

Wondering about that too.

No! I thought they don't need chick grit with starter! I'll add that now then. Darn!

That's it. They can't grind up the food. Grit and mash.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I have always done the sod thing as it also colonizes them with the same bacteria from their future environment. This can help to avoid other issues down the road.

Yes but I thought that generally one did that at one week. Day olds?