Lethargic 2 day old chick

[sphillips]

I have one chick that is puffed up, and sleepy. Sleeps standing up in the same place, doesn't move much, quiet, no peeping. I tried giving her extra sugar water mixed with boiled egg, and she ate that okay, but no improvement. I read other threads about treating for coccidia even though there isn't any bloody poo. Should I start this with chicks this young? I have Corid powder, but don't know if I should worry about this at this point. Should I separate this chick from the others? I searched the forums, but couldn't find anything that really answered my questions. If I need to start Corid, how much powder in the water - I've read 1/2 tsp per gallon. If not Corid, what else can I try? Everyone else seems just fine.

 

[missnu01]

I have not experienced any chick issues first hand, but I have heard that lethargy in a chick is often a sign...but, a 2 day old chick hasn't been alive long enough to catch anything...
Has it been making poops? Is there anyway to isolate it and check out only it's poops?
Sometimes chicks don't make it...Sometimes there is something wrong with them and they just sort of fade away. I hope that doesn't happen, but there isn't too many diseases that affect chicks at this young age, which leaves internal defects as a possibility...those often can't be combated.

 

[sphillips]

missnu01: Thank you for your reply. I feel a bit better knowing that I probably don't have a coccidia problem with these chicks, I will keep working with her and try my best to get her going.

 

[luv2greys]

I lost one chick at a few days old out of my 28 with the same type of symptoms. I also tried the sugar water and extra care. But sadly she didn't make it . Hopefully yours will pull through. Keep us posted......

 

[lcammack]

You can try infant vitamins called Poly-vi-sol. Sometimes these really help perk them up. Make sure that it is the one with NO Iron. Give 3-4 drops on the side of the beak, it will roll to the split in the beak and the chick will drink it.

But the above poster is right, some are just weaker and don't make it.

I personally wouldn't treat for anything unless some of the others start showing symptoms also.

Is the chick right under the heat? Maybe it has been getting pushed out of the warmth?

Best of luck.

 

[JanO]

Switch out their water with Pedialite and honey. If they won't drink put a few drops on/in their little beak. I do this with all new chicks to help them get started for the first few days.

 

[lazy gardener]

I have one chick that is puffed up, and sleepy. Sleeps standing up in the same place, doesn't move much, quiet, no peeping. I tried giving her extra sugar water mixed with boiled egg, and she ate that okay, but no improvement. I read other threads about treating for coccidia even though there isn't any bloody poo. Should I start this with chicks this young? I have Corid powder, but don't know if I should worry about this at this point. Should I separate this chick from the others? I searched the forums, but couldn't find anything that really answered my questions. If I need to start Corid, how much powder in the water - I've read 1/2 tsp per gallon. If not Corid, what else can I try? Everyone else seems just fine.

Try nutri-drench. It's a poultry specific vitamin product that you can administer directly to the chick with a eye dropper. I found it to be a life saver with one of my chicks. supposedly, it goes directly into the blood stream without needing the "digestive process."

 

[sphillips]

I can't get Nutri-drench here, nobody has even heard of it. I've been giving her some water with electrolytes and sugar, she'll drink a bit, but not much. She stays close to the light, but just sits or stands with her eyes closed. I haven't been able to get her to eat at all, tried some mash with scrambled egg. I'll just keep trying to get her to drink, if she makes it till tomorrow, I'll get some polyvisol vitamins and try those

 

[lazy gardener]

I can't get Nutri-drench here, nobody has even heard of it. I've been giving her some water with electrolytes and sugar, she'll drink a bit, but not much. She stays close to the light, but just sits or stands with her eyes closed. I haven't been able to get her to eat at all, tried some mash with scrambled egg. I'll just keep trying to get her to drink, if she makes it till tomorrow, I'll get some polyvisol vitamins and try those

How's she doing? what about giving her some "chick saver" It's an electrolyte solution. If you can't find that, run a search on home made electrolyte solution. With a sick chick, it comes down to the point where you've got nothing to loose by trying something.

 

[sphillips]

How's she doing? what about giving her some "chick saver" It's an electrolyte solution. If you can't find that, run a search on home made electrolyte solution. With a sick chick, it comes down to the point where you've got nothing to loose by trying something.

Friday night she was eating and drinking, so I thought she may make it. I did notice she was 'swollen', and her legs seemed farther apart compared to the other chicks. Saturday morning, she was still the same, but I thought she was okay because she had been eating and drinking. A couple of hours later, she was gone. I have tried searches on the internet to see what could have been the problem, but wasn't able to find anything conclusive. It's sad, and I feel like I could have done more, but don't know what. This is my first time with chicks this young, and I'm really stressing over it. We moved the rest of the chicks out to the coop yesterday in bigger brooders, hope the rest make it.