HELP sick chick UPDATE:chick died now what

[jdywntr]

One of my 5 week old sebrights is not doing well. It is very lethargic and is just laying down with eyes closed. Seems to be breathing heavily. Poop seems okay and body weight seems similar to other. I did see it eating and drinking yesterday. Unfortunately, I had to leave for work so I can't check on her again for 8 hours. I gave her some sugar water, in the hopes that it may perk her up. I am going to have my husband check on it but he is not that familiar or comfortable with the birds.
Any ideas what it could be? Suggestions to try?

I only have 2 sebrights so if I lose this one the other will be alone. It is doing great. I have 10, 5-6 day old bantams in the same room but not the same brooder. I know that chicks do better with others but I would be leery about putting the other sebright in with the babies if its sibling dies.
Any recommendations?

 

[Judy]

Sorry this is happening to you. Have no idea why; I suspect lots of times these things are due to some internal medical problem.

They might integrate OK if they aren't too different in size. Any way you could put them together with a see-through barrier of some sort between them, a little piece of chicken wire or bird netting or something? My brooders were cardboard so I'd have pushed them together, cut a hole then covered the hole with bird netting. Might be a good idea anyway, if they will eventually share a coop. Maybe it will help that they've been in the same room, hearing each other at least.


Good luck, whatever you decide. And let us know.

 

[jdywntr]

Thanks ddawn for the reply. My husband has said that it is not doing well and now he is leaving for work. I have ~5 more hours before I can check on it.
I like your idea of a "window". I'm concerned about putting them together because of whatever has made the one sick. My little peeps are maybe 1/4 the size of the sebright. Maybe on my next day off when I can supervise them all day I'll try putting them together.

 

[Judy]

To tell the truth, so many buy hatchery chicks that I sometimes don't think about their maybe having come from a private seller. If they are indeed hatchery chicks, the chance of disease is pretty low. If private, you might consider contacting them to ask whether something has turned up in their flocks as well.

 

[jdywntr]

Well, I got home and the chick was dead.

So, now my worry turns to its sibling. As suggested, I cut a hole in the 2 brooders (cardboard) and placed a piece of plexiglass that I had in between. I am very worried about disease. I bought them from all from private sellers but the sebrights are hatchery stock (she purchases from a hatchery and resells for a slight profit), the other bantams are private seller stock. I will email the woman I got the sebrights from just in case but I have purchased from her in the past without issue.

So, suggestions as to add the 5 week old sebright to the 5-6 day old mixed bantams. What do you think?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think that may be pushing it a bit as far as age goes.. the youngest one s haven't got a chance in protecting them selves from a chick that age. so sorry for your loss, maybe you can find another chick the same age or close to the sebrights age.

 

[jdywntr]

thanks Miss Lydia. Thats what I was thinking. But wow, my husband will shoot me if I bring home another.

He tolerated the 10 5-6 day olds. Hmmmm........

 

[Miss Lydia]

how about a small stuffed animal for the sebright to cuddle with.. you said you made a window so the chicks could see each other? maybe that would be enough as long as the only one could see and hear the others. might give it a try.

 

[jdywntr]

One step ahead of you.

Didn't have any small toys so I rolled up a pair of socks and covered it with a dark washcloth. Hoping it helps.

 

[Miss Lydia]

let us know..