Help...please!!!

nhblond

Songster
9 Years
Mar 24, 2010
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I have been posting in the raising chicks topic about the bantam chicks we rescued from TSC on Saturday. We rescued them because they weren't caring for them properly and kept losing them (had brooder temp too high for one thing). Well, we knew we would lose one because it was sick shortly after we brought it home. But now we have lost three and one is on its way out. They have been acting completely normal and then collapse, start having trouble breathing, and die shortly after. What is going on???? Some of them had pasty but, but I cleaned them up. They are getting medicated feed, temp is about 90 or so, drinking and acting normal until they go down. I can't imagine what the problem is. Can someone please help? We did have some pecking issues, but they pretty much had stopped that. When I first brought them home I was putting electrolytes in the water (just a small amount bc didn't give dosing for poultry). I had stopped doing that, but thinking maybe I should resume or use sugar? And I also am thinking of sprinkling some probiotic powder on the feed. Please, please help, we dont' want to keep losing them
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I would get some Terramycin and put in their water. This sounds like something that happened to chicks that I had when I first started out. One bag will last a long time because you only put a tsp in a gallon of water and give it to them for 5 days. I bought it at my local feed store.
 
I wonder if TSC got their chicks from McMurray. I've posted in a couple other topics, but I received a bunch of bantams from McMurray on Monday and they are doing what yours are doing. Seem fine, weaken then die. I half lost almost half my order and I really don't think I'm doing anything wrong. I've done sugar water, made sure temps were good, other chicks are pecking and drinking okay (so far, here's hoping).
 
Okay so I just got back from the store. I bought some Duramycin, and mixed up some in their water and also added the electrolytes again. So now I just have to wait and see, and hope it does the trick. I think I will continue to treat them for 3-5 days with the meds and hope that it works. That is very interesting that you had the same problem??? I don't know where TSC gets their chicks, but it's funny that someone else has had the same problem....
 
Okay, I gotta say that I'm pretty disappointed that not many people offered up any help or advice.....
But I wanted to pass along some very important info in the hope that it might help someone else.
Just got off the phone with the university co-op person. She said she is just about positive that the chicks we lost died because of being so hot at TSC before we rescued them. She said that more than likely there was organ damage done, and that she is not at all surprised that we lost 4. I told her that I went out last night and bought the Duramycin and that I have that and the electrolytes in the water. She said that everything I am doing is right. I do still have a 2-3 with pasty butt that I have to go clean up in a few minutes, but over all the others seem to be getting more normal looking poop, more solid. I just had to tramatize them all and clean their brooder. I had been using shelf liner, but it gets dirty fast and I don't see any easy way to clean it. She suggested to do what she does, which is use newspaper with a fine thin layer of play sand or grit to help them keep traction. I am telling you, it was the funniest thing to see them scratching and pecking at the grit when I put them back in! She also suggested trying to use an eyedropper and give the few with pasty butt a few drops of the medicated water. So, off I go now to clean butts and give drops of water...
 
I'm so sorry you're dealing with this.
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I really don't know what could be going on with the babies, but if you could add some Apple Cider vinegar to their water and feed them a bit of unflavored/unsweetened yogurt, it may help with the pasty butt situation.
I sure hope the rest of them make it for you.
 
Sorry for your disappointment but glad to here you continued to persue this and got the help you needed. Now lets hope the rest pull out of this and begin to have a wonderful life with you.. Bless you for taking them, i won't go near TS this time of year, too hard to see those little babies being taken care of so pitifully.
 
So glad that you found some answers I would have posted but I do not know enough to really be helpful. I would put some olive oil on the bottoms of the ones with pasty butt to help things not stick good luck and I hope they all make it.
 
Okay, so now they really don't like me
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But everyone has a clean bum! I did get a drop or two of water into the couple I had to clean up. I will leave them alone for now. I will go out to the barn a little later and get the Probiotic powder and sprinkle a little on their feed I think. I unfortunately don't have any unsweetened yogurt or apple cider vinegar. I really think the Probiotic powder should be fine, and I'm sure you agree
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Ok I am new to this but when I got my chicks from the breeder they told me to mix old fashioned oatmeal into their feed to help clear up pasty butt issues. Worked for me. I only had one that ever had a issue and after cleaning I added a little more oatmeal to the feed mix and never had another problem. Hope you little ones are doing better.
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