Found a Sick Chick this morning?! (She just up and died!)

[vfem]

I went out to feed the chickens and found one of the youngest chicks 3 weeks old, laying face down in the run. She was fine yesterday during feeding though. I picked her up thinking she was dead, she sat up and started peeping. Then started to close her eyes again like falling asleep. She's been peeping the whole time though.

I scooped her up and brought her in to an empty brooder. I checked her neck, and legs and wings... I though maybe someone stepped on her but nothing appears broken. Still, she closes her eyes and wobbles to one side of the other... losses balance easily... but is peeping and chirping constantly! She looks ruffed badly, she also looks fast asleep right now... but she's still chirping.

I've gotten some water in her, she's taken it fine... I also gave her some yogurt.... I'm going to get some more Poly-vi-sol drops as I can't find ours.

Her crop is empty and I haven't seen any poo yet?! Does anyone know what this may be!? Maybe just dehydration?! I think she was stuck in the run last night and never got back into the coop where her waterer she can reach is?!

I can add pics if needed.

 

[horsejody]

Maybe she was being bullied and kept away from the food. Good luck.

 

[vfem]

I really hope that's all it was. I had a section of the coop blocked off from the big guys if she and her sister needed to run and hide and mama bird wasn't there. They hid there now and then.... roo wasn't a fan of the little new ones. The older ones however are treated like equals.... weird!

 

[bishopschickens]

do you think maybe the heat could have gotten to her?

Brandon

 

[vfem]

OMG!!!!!!!!!

She was just chirping away in my hand... had a few more drops of water... let out a yelpy chirp and folded her wings up, and her feet out and then just DIED! Right in my hand!!! We were just talking and she died!? Then white liquid seeped out her butt.

She never went the bathroom the whole time I had her in...

I'm starting to think it was something she ate that got her all bound up inside maybe?!

I don't know I'm just REALLY sad right now... I can't believe she died all of a sudden in my hand!!!??

 

[ChooksChick]

I'm going to say give her Exact baby parrot food- you can get it at the pet store.

I say this a lot with sick birds, because it gives concentrated, intense nutrition and liquid at the same time. You'll need to get the syringe to feed it, likely, if it isn't interested in food right now...and that's the other reason I always say give this food- it has probiotics and good stuff, but it also must taste great, because birds that aren't interested in eating or drinking will generally go after this stuff like mad.

Best of luck- keep the little one separate until it regains strength or you'll surely lose it.

 

[ChooksChick]

Poor thing!!

I'm so sorry! That must have happened while I was typing!

Oh, I'm so sorry for you both- that's such a shock.

 

[horsejody]

 

[vfem]

I guess I'm just going to have to watch my chickens. I am going to ask a neighbor to watch them and feed them for me this weekend since I'm still leaving at 4 today.

I hope it wasn't an illness anyone can catch. I am thinking it may have been an internal injury from being stepped on and nothing outside broke... just something inside?!

I did lose one chick a couple months ago to a broken neck from being stepped on right after she hatched by her own mom. It just happens that way I guess... I'm just not happy about it because she was one interesting chick.

A pokadotted buff silkie... I was dying to see how she finished feathering out.... perhaps a first generation buff splash silkie?! She was pretty....