Is My Chick Sick??

[MommaK6]

Alright guys.....I have a hunch one of my araucana babies is sick. She is one of 8 in my brooder and this is my first batch. I have had them for a week yesterday. I ordered them through a feed mill that was highly recommended by many people. I assume they were 3-5 days old.....the did not hatch at the feed mill, but I picked mine up the day after they arrived there.

She has always seemed a bit....off. First her wing feathers on one side was always a little wonky, then she had a pasty butt last night, and now today she seems lethargic. She kept her wings out, almost like she was about to try to do a dust bath but laid down, she was falling asleep standing up and bobbing her head down and is sleeping more than the others. I adjusted their light, as it was another crazy-warm 82* day here in Wisconsin and I wondered if it was a heat issue when another chick let its wing hang out. They all seemed happier, but then began to huddle where the light usually is after about 5 minutes. I turned it back on and have been adjusting it since trying to get it right again.

Her behavior improved slightly since, she is eating and drinking. She was active yesterday. She just seems to be sleepier than the others....more content to lay in the corner.

What is her deal? Am I over-reacting??

I wish I could tell you if I have medicated feed. I just asked for a bag of chick starter at the feed mill when I picked them up.
The have ACV in their water...on day 1 and then I didn't do it again until yesterday. They just had yogurt today as well. They HAVE been outside every warm day for a little while and have eaten worms, gnats, ants and other little "snacks".

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Pasty butt is normal in chicks under one week of age. Sometimes they have it a little longer then one week, but overall it is normal in young chicks.
Falling asleep on her head, and other odd positions is normal for chicks to do every once in a while. They are tired newborns, they need sleep so they can grow. But this doesn't mean that your chick doesn't have anything wrong with it. Is she ever up walking around? How often is she sleeping? What are you using for a heat source?

Dragging her wings could mean two things: It could mean she is hot, or it could be a symptom of mareks. If the other chick is also dragging her wing and the tempature is right then Mareks may be something to look into.

Is she (and the other chicks) panting at all?

 

[MommaK6]

Pasty butt is normal in chicks under one week of age. Sometimes they have it a little longer then one week, but overall it is normal in young chicks.Thank you for the reassurance!

Falling asleep on her head, and other odd positions is normal for chicks to do every once in a while. They are tired newborns, they need sleep so they can grow. But this doesn't mean that your chick doesn't have anything wrong with it.
Okay, I had read somewhere that is a very early warning sign for coccidiosis. She did settle down and lay after a few minutes of sleeping like she was.

Is she ever up walking around?
Yes, she does get up and walk around.

How often is she sleeping?
I would say she sleeps more than she is up, more than any of the other babies.

What are you using for a heat source?
We have a white heat lamp in one of those "bowl-looking-things". Technical term, of course. ;-)

Dragging her wings could mean two things: It could mean she is hot, or it could be a symptom of mareks. If the other chick is also dragging her wing and the tempature is right then Mareks may be something to look into.
Isn't Mareks what they are vaccinated for? I believe mine have been vaccinated. They were only dragging their one wing for 5 minutes of less. I haven't seen it since.

Is she (and the other chicks) panting at all?
No panting at all.

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Okay so it sounds like a tempature problem is out of the equation.
In the hatchery if you order your chicks to be vaccinated, they are vaccinated for Mareks. Here is a link on Mareks in chicks:
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf

Are you feeding medicated chick feed? Medicated feed (from what I have heard) is for cocciodiosis prevention only while they are eating the chick feed.

I cannot say much more because I have only been raising chickens for one year. So I have limited experience.

Good Luck with your chick. I hope that more people chime in to help you.

 

[featheredroots]

You may want to get her some vitamin and electrolyte mix. I lost my entire flock to a vitamin deficiency, and their symptoms were similar to what you're describing. Also make sure that if you're giving ACV that you don't put it in a metal bowl, as it will react to the metal, and could possibly cause heavy metal poisoning.

 

[lcammack]

As for vitamins, you can give infant vitamins called poly-vi-sol. Make sure that it does not have iron. You can generally find it at any store that carries infant items. 3-4 drops on the side of the beak. One drop at a time.

Some times when the babies fall asleep standing up under the heat lamp, we call it "melting" because their head slowly drops and so do their wings. Very cute, but can be worrisome to a new chick owner.

You can also try some hard boiled yolk mixed with water into a paste. Very good for them.

Hope she is doing better.

 

[Kristin2018]

Hello There MommK6, I was just letting you know that there is Medicated Chick feed at Orscheln Home and Farm. I get this feed for my chicks and iv had good luck with them.