Is there hope for my chick?

[MamaHen11]

I have a gold laced wyandotte that has lost weight rapidly and isn't growing at all. I got it about six days ago. On day two, I noticed it seemed quite tired. This got worse over the next two days.

Last night I noticed it had a completely runny poop that was between brown and mustard yellow but closer to brown. I've been treating for coccidiosis (day 5 now), giving electrolytes, and feeding fermented food. Vaccinated for merek's.

The little guy is eating quite a bit and drinking enough each day, but I noticed it hasn't put on any muscle.

I've been with it most of this morning. It's poops are normal green and white now, and well formed. And it's eaten about 8 to 10 g of food. It only weighs about 45 g for reference.

Has anybody had a chick come back from being so close to starvation and exhaustion? Nobody else in the group is picking on it from what I've observed.

 

[theuglychick]

How much weight has it lost? Is he keeping up with the other chicks?

 

[MamaHen11]

How much weight has it lost? Is he keeping up with the other chicks?

I don't know. I didn't weigh him when I got it. I would say that it is lighter or right at the weight it was when I purchased it.

It is quite enthusiastic about food and can be quite assertive to the other chickens who are 5x heavier and 2-3x as large. But it tires so easily and sleeps on its feet a lot

 

[theuglychick]

Is his activity much different than the other chicks?

My hunch is that the cocci may have weakened him a little and maybe even slowed his growth but if his poop is normal and he's interacting with the others, eating, and drinking, he sounds like he's on the mend.

 

[theuglychick]

Mine always take about 2 weeks to recover from the cocci.

 

[MamaHen11]

Mine always take about 2 weeks to recover from the cocci.

That's good to hear about recovery.

I'm worried about the fact that it's a heritage breed catch with meat chickens. I'm worried that it won't get big enough to fend off their bullying which I'm sure will start soon. Poor little fellow

 

[PirateGirl]

I am writing to give you hope! My GLW got ill at about 6 weeks. All the other birds grew a lot. I took special care of her in the house, but she missed the flock. When she was stronger she moved back outside. She was small for weeks, months, her feathers looked scraggly, but I saw her eat and drink and act like a normal chicken and no one was picking on her, but for a long long time she was about half the size of the other pullets her age. And then it happened. It seemed like every day I saw her she was bigger than the day before and her feathers were better and she was still eating and drinking and acting normal. I worried about her for a long time. I worried after her illness it would be "failure to thrive," but now the others are nearly full grown and she is closing the gap and catching up and there's not a doubt in my mind that she will lay in a few a weeks. She was behind for a long time, but if you can nurse your lil chicken through the worst of it, you will be amazed what your chick can grow up to be!

 

[theuglychick]

That's good to hear about recovery.

I'm worried about the fact that it's a heritage breed catch with meat chickens. I'm worried that it won't get big enough to fend off their bullying which I'm sure will start soon. Poor little fellow

He sounds like he's holding his own. My experience with meat birds is limited, but I've found that, although fairly larger than heritage and egg birds, they can be rather placid and the ones I had were actually bullied by my layers. Wyandottes can be a assertive when the need arises.

 

[MamaHen11]

I am writing to give you hope! My GLW got ill at about 6 weeks. All the other birds grew a lot. I took special care of her in the house, but she missed the flock. When she was stronger she moved back outside. She was small for weeks, months, her feathers looked scraggly, but I saw her eat and drink and act like a normal chicken and no one was picking on her, but for a long long time she was about half the size of the other pullets her age. And then it happened. It seemed like every day I saw her she was bigger than the day before and her feathers were better and she was still eating and drinking and acting normal. I worried about her for a long time. I worried after her illness it would be "failure to thrive," but now the others are nearly full grown and she is closing the gap and catching up and there's not a doubt in my mind that she will lay in a few a weeks. She was behind for a long time, but if you can nurse your lil chicken through the worst of it, you will be amazed what your chick can grow up to be!

That's wonderful to hear! I'm so worried about the little fella. But I can't nurse it all day every day, so I hope it starts feeling better soon!

He sounds like he's holding his own. My experience with meat birds is limited, but I've found that, although fairly larger than heritage and egg birds, they can be rather placid and the ones I had were actually bullied by my layers. Wyandottes can be a assertive when the need arises.

It seems like the other two Wyandottes are the slowest most relaxed birds. But this one pushes in with the others with no fear

 

[PirateGirl]

It can be hard, but you will get through it. Every time I came home from work I thought I would find my lil one dead, and then one day I came home and she'd escaped the hospital box and was happily exploring my laundry room. You just keep doing the best you can and know you did everything you could to help him out.