HELP! sick baby roo! *UPDATE!*

[vtsarahb]

We just put our 3.5-week-olds out in their coop this afternoon. All of the girls are acting perfectly normal, but our little barred rock cockerel is now acting very lethargic, laying down with his head drawn in towards his body and his eyes closed, sometimes his mouth hangs open a tiny bit, and he is making a slight wheezing noise. Poop is normal, his crop is empty, no pasty butt, I can't see anything stuck in his throat, and he is at 70-75 degrees. He was acting normal until just a few hours ago.

What could be wrong with him?? Could he just be tired? He is not acting like himself, but they have had a big day (what with moving and all). Should I bring him inside? Any advice would be MUCH appreciated!!

edit: all of the chicks eat medicated starter, and all have been vaccinated for Mareks

 

[vtsarahb]

anybody?? I may just be overreacting, but I'm a new chicken-mom and I'm really worried!

 

[vtsarahb]

update:

he is definitely sick, he is now drooling and his grunty-wheezing noises are getting worse. I brought him back in. He's in a box by himself with a heat lamp, water, and some mash. I tried looking in his throat again- it all looks normal. He seemed interested in the mash, but would not swallow any. He won't drink by himself.

I just don't know what to do- I'm worried that I might have to cull him if he does not get better... I'm also worried that my girls could get sick too

Despite all the research I have done I have no idea what might be wrong with him

Any suggestions?

 

[ChooksChick]

I'm so sorry I haven't any real answers from experience, but if you look at the sick page (in my sig) I have a bunch of info someone else compiled about illnesses they can face and the best treatment for them. Take a look and best of luck!

 

[Renee]

It sounds like it is too cold for them. They are awfully tiny to be in the coop in cold weather- do you have a heat lamp in the coop?

Sometimes baby chicks just get sick and die and there's not much to be done about it. Keep him separated from the others and keep him in a warm, dark place. In the morning, if he's still alive, you should give him some fresh moistened food and add 50% Pedialyte to his water.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

iI think he is having nerveous disorder
give him A piece of adul asprin but first make the probiotic wet mash for his stomach
try to get him to eat first then the asprin
recipe is listed below follow that

you will however NEED to take a eye dropper

(1 and feed the chicken water with apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp ACV to pt of water

Do this till after the chicken is better. Should be able to put the ACV water in a small waterer for the chicken put 1 tbsp to pint of water for the chicken

(2 immediately give the chicken 1000 mg capsule of liquid Vit E by cutting the end of the capsule and taking the vit E capsule and let the oil run into the chicks beak

(3 also need to crush a vit B complex pill in a tbsp and put it into a tsp of water and put it in their beaks after it is disolved
Do both Vit's twice today then for 7 days till you see some improvement in the chicken

then give twice a week for two weeks should see much improvement

(4 generally the shock of a new arrangement will cause birds to have this nerve damage

(5 after today I would see if the chicken will eat a
natural probiotic wet mash
2 tsp of dry crumbles
4 tsp of milk sweet, sour or buttermilk
1 tbsp of non flavored yogurt
mix good and put the
vit E liquid as directed in the wet mash
and crumble the Vit B complex tablet in a tabsp and add to the wet mash

(6 Do this twice a day for 7 days to see if the chicken gets better
then do this once a day for another week then once a week for a while
this should give the nervous system some stability

(7
you can email by PM for more information and include this inf so I remember what is happening

 

[vtsarahb]

Yes, they have a heat lamp- the temp in their coop was 75 overnight.

Ok, so little roo spent the night inside. I couldn't do anything for him last night because I didn't have any of that stuff (ACV, aspirin, vitamins, etc.) I checked on him this morning and he seemed totally fine- eating, drinking, pooping, and being a little buggar like he normally is. So, I brought him back out to the coop with his ladies, and after about 5 minutes he was back to looking sick again.

I'm starting to think he just hates the coop... How can I get him adjusted without stressing him out further?

 

[NotTheMomma]

Anytthing int he coop that could be making him sick? Cedar siding, or chips? Was it sprayed with anything?

Sounds like might be something in the coop.

 

[vtsarahb]

I don't think so... their bedding is the same pine shavings I've been using since day 1. No cedar in the coop; it hasn't been sprayed either... plus all the girlies are just fine. I'm so confused!

 

[Judy]

I agree, strange. Maybe he is just weaker than the others, sort of a runt, did not tolerate the jolt of the move as well, maybe even needs just a little more warmth than the others. Maybe a few more days indoors then try again? Guess I'm sort of guessing the same thing Glenda did. Certainly her regimen won't hurt! He could also have an overload of cocci, in spite of the medicated starter. Others on here have had to treat for cocci despite using medicated starter; check out specklehen's posts. I would at least give yogurt, if he will take it, to get some normal intestinal flora going. I also do the organic ACV in the water just because it keeps the slime down, although it is also supposed to be good for them (and us,) another probiotic.

That may not help at all. At any rate, good luck.... hope it is something he can recover from!

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