Is this failure to thrive? Help!!!

[Matts-angel7]

Hi all. I have a 3 and a half week old chick that is much smaller than the rest. It sleeps all the time and I don't think it's eating or drinking. I have been feeding it from a dropper since yesterday. Also treating for coccidia since Friday because it has a really bowel movement. It literally can't stay awake more than a few seconds. I need help please. It's my 9 year old son's and he's very upset. It also pooped while I was feeding it and it's clear and white.
Everyone else seems fine. No sneezing, discharge nothing.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Also treating for coccidia since Friday because it has a really bowel movement. It literally can't stay awake more than a few seconds.

3 week old chick that since day 1 has kinda been slower. It's smaller than the rest and sleeps a lot. Usually against the wall of the brooder. I started corid 2 days ago because that chick pooped blood.

Same chick as in your other thread?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sick-chick.1473633/

You mention in that thread it was pooping blood?
What dose of Corid are you using?

Are you giving anything else like vitamins along with the Corid?

Photos of the whole brooder along with info of what temperature the brooder is, what you feed, etc. would be great. Photo with heat light on, then one with the light turned off.

 

[Matts-angel7]

Same chick as in your other thread?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sick-chick.1473633/

You mention in that thread it was pooping blood?
What dose of Corid are you using?

Are you giving anything else like vitamins along with the Corid?

Photos of the whole brooder along with info of what temperature the brooder is, what you feed, etc. would be great. Photo with heat light on, then one with the light turned off.

Yes, same chick. I think she might be coming around. She's now eating on her own again. No vitamins. I read some where that you shouldn't give them with Corid? I'm giving 2ml per quart of water. Not sure of brooder temp. But this is my third batch of babies in 8 weeks and I had 0 issues with any of the others. They are eating purina chick starter. Thank you for your reply.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Can you get them into a bigger brooder?

 

[Matts-angel7]

Can you get them into a bigger brooder?

That's really the best I have. Other than taking the box out and just using the dog crate. But I have 2 dogs and 2 cats that will mess with them. Why would I need a bigger one?

 

[Ruby Rogue]

That's really the best I have. Other than taking the box out and just using the dog crate. But I have 2 dogs and 2 cats that will mess with them. Why would I need a bigger one?

It's just too small.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes, same chick. I think she might be coming around. She's now eating on her own again. No vitamins. I read some where that you shouldn't give them with Corid? I'm giving 2ml per quart of water. Not sure of brooder temp. But this is my third batch of babies in 8 weeks and I had 0 issues with any of the others. They are eating purina chick starter. Thank you for your reply.

Could be they are a bit too hot. I would check the temperature in the brooder. I understand this is your 3rd batch, but each batch can be different. At 3 1/2 weeks old, likely they do not need direct heat like that. How soon before you put them outside?
Glad to hear she's coming around.

 

[Matts-angel7]

Could be they are a bit too hot. I would check the temperature in the brooder. I understand this is your 3rd batch, but each batch can be different. At 3 1/2 weeks old, likely they do not need direct heat like that. How soon before you put them outside?
Glad to hear she's coming around.

I'm not sure what the temp is. I'm planning on them going out during the day starting this weekend. Then full time 2 weeks after. I thought she was coming around but now I'm not so sure. She's the smallest and was when I got them too. Has always kinda kept to herself. And slept all the time. I'm not sure she will make it. I caught her eating on her own yesterday am, but nothing since. I've been forcing fluids from an eye dropper. I made scrambled eggs and added the shell she won't touch it. I gave just egg yolk and made chicken mash.. nothing. I'm just kinda lost. She stays under the heat most of the time sleeping. Thank you for your reply.

 

[Hilltop Flock]

They probably need space to escape heat. It might exhaust them to always be in it. Could you move the crate to a room with a door? Or a garage? (So you could let them have the whole dog crate.)

Or do you live near a grocery store? Sometimes they have a large boxes from watermelons or pumpkins, depending on the time of year, that can make a great FREE brooder box. If you can get one, maybe you can Magyver the wire panels from the dog crate as a top, or I temporarily dismantled wire shelves and used the racks.

More space might give her a better chance to thrive.

 

[NatJ]

Why would I need a bigger one?

With a bigger brooder, there can be a warm part and a cool part. That way the chicks can move back and forth to find the temperature they like best.

And when they have access to a cool area, they start getting used to cooler temperatures from a young age, but without being stressed about it (because they can always go warm up again when they want to.) So it can help them be ready to move outside sooner.

Also, with a bigger brooder, they have more room to move around, exercising and playing, and they are less likely to pick on each other (boredom) and step on each other (bad for the small chicks in the group.) Yours pretty much have room to eat, drink, and sleep, but not much else. They can't scratch around foraging, or take a dust bath, without bumping into each other or the sides of the bin or the food and water, and they pobably kick lots of bedding into the food and water.

A guideline I've often seen is 1/2 square foot of space per chick for the first two weeks, then 1 square foot per chick until age 4 weeks, then 2 square feet per chick until age 8 weeks, and after 8 weeks they should have 4 square feet per bird, just like adult chickens should.

So at 3.5 weeks, 6 chicks would need 6 square feet of space, which is 2 feet by 3 feet--I don't think your brooder is anywhere close to that big. And in another week or so, it should be sized up to 2 square feet each, which would be 3 by 4 feet for your 6 chicks.