If only one chick appears sick, should all chicks be treated?

[WellReadReviews]

BACKGROUND: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...watery-eyes-sleeping-a-lot-updted-added-video

I went and got some Tylan 50 inj at the Tractor Supply store. As only one appears sick and the others appear fine, they were still in the same batch of chickens. Not sure if they are related but they were all in the same pool brooder when I purchased them and have been housed since then, together, for the past week.

I just separated the sick one yesterday. Even though the other two appear fine, should I treat them with Tylan 50 inj anyway as if they were sick? Or do I actually have to just sit and wait?

Thanks.

 

[Uniontown Poultry]

Just treat the affected chick. The head shaking, neck stretching suggest neurological problems, which are more common in crested breeds. My sister raises Polish and Houdans and it seems in every batch there is at least one that shakes its head, or has some other involuntary movements of the head and neck, possibly because the crest knob is exerting too much pressure on the brain.They usually do not make it. That said, I had a silkie hen that occasionally (when she was tired I think) had involuntary head movements, and she lived just fine.

It's good to try a treatment because you never know. So little info is out there about chicken health and disease treatment that isn't either geared toward its implication on commercial production, or else ends in the recommendation to cull without further investigation. If we cull immediately every time we see illness, we'll never learn about the illnesses and if they can be treated.

Go ahead and try the Tylan treatment on your chick, but I'd say just keep an eye on the healthy ones for any signs of illness. if they've all been together in the same brooder, drinking from the same water, eating from the same feeder, picking in the same litter, breathing the same air, then if it was contagious, they would all be exposed. And if none of them are showing any signs of illness, then either 1) their immune systems have fought it off, or 2) it was something genetic or otherwise not contagious. Hope this helps!

 

[WellReadReviews]

Thank you for replying. I am beginning to wonder if it is something genetic? Although she seems a bit crusty now. The other two have been with her the entire time and are getting bigger, are very active (always looking for something to eat..) and bright eyed. I sure hope she makes it, though. But, I guess it will be a learning experience.