Help with a sick chick.

[1chicken fan]

Hi Everyone,

Woke up this morning and noticed my Americauna pullet seems very ill. She has always been the runt and only 1/2 the size of the other chickens. I have been watching her for awhile she seems to get sick then rally, but today she is all puffed up and sleeping most of the day. She is 8 weeks old. I just cannot put the ax to her if the time comes, I just don't have the stomach for it. I have heard that a box and a cotton ball soaked in starter fluid is very fast but my son in law warned it only works to put them to sleep and will not kill them? I just wondered if anyone had tried this method? Thanks for the help

 

[1chicken fan]

bump

 

[JakeBremer]

Uhmmmm, Just let her be. I've had chickens do what yours is doing and live. But i have also had some doing what yours is doing and die. Maybe she didnt get much sleep the night before??

 

[leadwolf1]

Her symptoms are pointing to coccidiosis...treat all of them with Corid asap. If she won't drink, you will have to use a syringe and dose her until she is able to drink on her own.

 

[1chicken fan]

thank you so much where do it get corid and do I dose all the chickens in the water or feed? It is my first flock......thank you all so much, I just love these dang chickens!!!!!!!

 

[leadwolf1]

You can find Corid at most feed stores and TSC. It is either a liquid or powder that you put into their water for 5 - 7 days. You treat all of them at once.

 

[1chicken fan]

My chickens have never been outside and I keep my pen reeeeeeaaaaaaallllllyyyyy clean. Could she of got it from the brooder(she came from a feed store) I hear corid can be bought at the feed store? My neighbor lost 11/2 of her chickens but she never said from what? I will give her a call. I think though from what I have read it would be Maerks? Only think this because I don't see any thing else you need to immunize for. I was not worried however because they have been in their coop inside the whole time. We do however have sparrows in our barn but they are around and do not have any contact with the coop, however for those of you who have swallows you know they poop everywhere and I may of inadvertantly stepped on some and brought bacteria into my coop. all the swallows in the barn however are healthy and flying everywhere. Thanks again for taking the time to read and help me. Also if need be how do I find a vet who treat chickens? Should I google Avian vets here in Oregon?????Thanks again!!!!

 

[leadwolf1]

May I ask why they have never been outside?

To answer your questions, yes, she could have brought it from the brooder and yes, you could have brought it in on your shoes. Don't fret about the cleanliness...I've found that no matter how clean you keep things, coccidia just don't care

How old were the chickens that your neighbor lost? If it was Marek's, have your chicks been immunized? How close is your neighbor? Marek's is spread on the wind, in the soil, through dander, saliva and feces.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Just some advice on raising your birds, keeping everything super clean is not always the best way to raise your birds. They won't have a chance to develop an imunity to disease. Its like keeping an animal in a bubble its entire life and then wondering why it gets sick when its introduced to the outdoors or some other animal. If you can build a secure pen outside that you can move to fresh grass every few days and let them outside, they will be much healthier chickens.

When I raise chicks I let them outside during the day in their own little pen as soon as they are old enough to handle the outdoor temps, which varies on the time of year. Right off the bat they are exposed to things outside, wild birds and just any kind of disease thats floating around. I find that they are much stronger birds when they grow up compared to the ones raised in a super clean brooder.

 

[1chicken fan]

May I ask why they have never been outside?

To answer your questions, yes, she could have brought it from the brooder and yes, you could have brought it in on your shoes. Don't fret about the cleanliness...I've found that no matter how clean you keep things, coccidia just don't care

How old were the chickens that your neighbor lost? If it was Marek's, have your chicks been immunized? How close is your neighbor? Marek's is spread on the wind, in the soil, through dander, saliva and feces.

They are only 8 weeks old, and we live in the country where we have many many predators so I am waiting until I can build them a portable run. If you check out our Oregon thread you will see just this week 2 people have lost chicks this age to hawks and to racoons. I am going to have it done this weekend, but haven't had the know how to build it myself. My DH will have to lend a hand.

My neighbor is about an acre away our property butts up to each other. I will give her a call and find out what it was. Boy who knew raising birds was so challenging!!!