HeLp~~~chicken acting wierd!!!

[XilverAngel]

My 2-3 weeks old RIR chick is not acting right. She's always having her eyes closed, she won't eat or drink, and she is very quiet and seems to always be trying to sleep or something. What is wrong? is it the heat or is it sick? Can someone please help me...

 

[tulie13]

Quote:
Need more info - is this the only one? What is the temp in your brooder? Bedding? Feed? How long has this been going on ? Is she not eating at all, or just a little? Any poop?

 

[doxpeople]

Do you have a thermometer to check the heat in your brooder?

 

[XilverAngel]

This is the only one out of 4 that is acting this way. Then temperature is actually unknown, since we dont have a thermometer in teh cage. The bedding is pine shavings, and she has not been eating anything at all. I found her like this today when i came home at about 3 pm. There is nothing suspicious in the poop. I actually just read a post where the person had chicks with symptoms like mine. I dont know what to do. I dont have any medicine or anything.

 

[threehorses]

Still need more information, pretty please. The second sticky post in this Emergencies... section has a good range of the questions we need answered to more accurately help you, if you don't mind.

You'll also want to have a thermometer always when brooding. Temperature problems alone can cause what you're saying, but then again it could have just added to something else.

When the birds are in the brooder, where (in relation to the heat source) do they stand in the day? What's your usual daytime temperature and nighttime temp.

Do you ever go out at night and see where they're sleeping? If not, please do so tonight. If you already know, where to they go when sleeping? (Clustered under the light, away from it, or..?)

In the mean time, because the chick is unlikely to eat on her own, you'll need to try to tempt her to eat. It's vital that she remain nourished and hydrated.

Thank you.

 

[XilverAngel]

The 2-3 week old RIR chick is not energetic at all. It seems to be sleeping, but with some difficulty breathing. Its eyes are always almost closed, except when its disturbed or when it hears a noise that scares it. It will not eat anything, it will not drink anything, and I have tried to feed it, without success. What they are usually fed is chick starter, and sometimes some bugs i find outside. The 4 chicks used to live in large box in the garage. We have a 75watt lightbulb there, on only at night, but the chicks dont seem to sleep under it, they sleep in the part farthest from it. The poop is not runny or looking anything suspicious. I do not know whether or not it is the heat, or a sickness, but i do not have any medicine watsoever, and i have no idea what treatment to give the chick. None of the other 3 chicks are looking like this, and they are all looking energetic. I have no picture, sorry, but it should be pretty easy to imagine. If a pic is really that necessary, i can put one on. There are no signs of blood, broken bones, or any trauma, just a tired looking chick. And the bedding that was used was pine shavings.

 

[threehorses]

They were avoiding the light before, but now where are they? It's possible the recent move could have something to do with it.

And yes, as I said, the chick isn't going to eat or drink without you helping. This sometimes helps:

Mix up a batch of "glop". It's a nutritional booster for sick chicks. Just make a tiny amount - less than half a dixie cup.

crumbles (their medicated ones) 3 tablespoons
boiled mashed egg yolk (freeze what you don't use) mixed with enough water to just break it down some
1/2 teaspoon of yogurt
babyfood applesauce if you have it - 1 tablespoon or so

Then mix til blended.

Take 1/2 teaspoon of that and add to a tablespoon or so of water. You can put a few drops of honey or karo in there. Mix well. Put a drop of that on the side of the chick's beak. Keep a q-tip handy in case the bird doesn't voluntarily swallow to soak it up so it doesn't go down the wrong part of his throat. This 'souped up' water will give him some nutrition which may give him enough energy to consider eating the food you offer.

Birds are visual eaters. If they're not feeling good and have their eyes closed, they won't eat. You have to remind them that eating feels good.

I wouldn't medicate because you don't really know if this is even bacterial. Wait til you get some non-vague symptoms. In the mean time, this chick should be at around 80-85, no higher than 90, no lower than 80 even at night. Especially for the ill chick.

 

[tulie13]

Quote:

Sounds like this little girl stopped eating and probably won't start again ON HER OWN. Help her out with some good, mushy yummy stuff and she may bounce back.

 

[XilverAngel]

Thanks for your help! and by crumbles, do you mean the food, the starter, or is that a whole different kind of food...and for the yogurt, what kind would u recommend? Plain and unflavored, or is the usual yogurt that we eat with flavoring ok? Thanks! and about the light, I will check that today at night.

 

[threehorses]

By the crumbles in this case, I mean your medicated starter.

Feed comes in pellets (pellets) or crumbles (crushed pellets) or sometimes called mash (really tiny crushed pellets). They all start out as pellets and are made into the different sizes.

On yogurt, plain unflavored yes. Or you can use acidophilus capsules from the grocery store. (Really that's a great option - less rejection, cheap, lasts forever, and you can use them if you take antibiotics or have a stomach ache during or after illness.) Or you can also use prepared livestock probiotics from the feedstore. (Probios is my favorite - the powder is easiest.)

But if yogurt, avoiding the ones with more sugar, fruit bits, and artificial sweeteners is best. It doesn't really matter organic or not.

Let us know how things go, please.

We'll be hoping for you. I particularly love RIR's, and would be pleased to know that you're getting to enjoy them more.