I have a question, don't know what's wrong

[PattiS72]

I have an almost 1 1/2 month old chick that seems sick. He/she seems to be eating and drinking okay. But feels like it is just bones and feathers. My dd is afraid he is gonna die like her favorite chick last year. He is looking like a barred chick--his name is Oreo. He also seems like he can't fly like the other chicks and is kinda wobbly. Do you know what could be wrong?

 

[chicken crazed 1o1]

Is it the smallest one ?

 

[PattiS72]

No, it seems to be the same size as the others. Let me see if I can get a pic of him/her. She/he is the black and white one (hence the name Oreo!)


Here is one:

Here is the 2nd one: ( I was gonna try and zoom in so you could see it better, but it wouldn't let me...

)

 

[PattiS72]

Any one? My dd is eagerly waiting on an answer. Thanks!

 

[tailfluff]

Quote:
Where did you get your birds? Were they vaccinated? It shouldn't be skin and bones. I'm not a rocket scientist, but I will sure try to help.

 

[welasharon]

Wormy possibly?
sharon

 

[tailfluff]

Send me a PM if no one else helps you. I have to get busy with my school work.

I would suggest isolating it from the other birds. If it hasn't been vaccinated for Mareks I would definitely look into that. If you bought it from a feed store it has most likely been vaccinated, but definitely check it out. Make sure your birds are wormed too if you haven't done that already. Keep your baby warm and comfortable (I would take him inside if possible) and offer him interesting foods. Boiled potatoes and scrambled eggs will fatten him up in no time. Chickens usually love bananas too. I also make pea cakes for birds that need to fatten up - a box of corn bread mix with a can of peas baked in muffin trays. Definitely make sure there are no parasites on the bird or in the stool. If it shows any signs of sickness (besides dizziness or being off balance and underweight) get it on some antibiotics ASAP. I would anyway just as a precaution. If it has a disease you will want to keep it away from the rest of the flock until it gets better. I'm sorry about your bird - hopefully you get some helpful advice. Did you start it out on medicated chick feed? This is NOT always necessary, but I do have my current batch of babies on medicated chick feed because one of them has had a couple of problems.
Feel the crop for any abnormalities too! Please let me know either way. Thank you and good luck. Fatten that baby up.

 

[PattiS72]

Quote:
Yes we bought them all from the same feed store. What kind of worm med.should I give it and how much? Yes we use medicated feed, plus all the bugs and grass it wants. Not sure where the crop is, will look it up. Thanks everyone!

 

[Judy]

6-7 weeks would be awfully young to have enough of a worm load to look and act sick. I would think they have cocci. The age is right and you live in the right kind of area for them. Corid is an excellent drug for this but you need to start it soon if this is what it is. I would not recommend Sulmet. I'd also check for lice/mites, but cocci is sure what comes to mind. Let me give you a couple of links to look at.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=320224

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=461910

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=368508

If they get seriously ill with cocci you will probably start seeing bloody poop. However -- a little bit of what looks like blood in poop is normal. Let me give you the poop chart as well -- but be prepared to look at poop pics:

http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=17568.0

Good luck.