Lethargic 3.5 week old chick

[Victoria-nola]

I usually splash my finger in the water but tapping is a great idea! I will try the stuffed animal/mirror. THANK YOU!

 

[Victoria-nola]

Quote:
I usually splash my finger in the water but tapping is a great idea! I will try the stuffed animal/mirror. THANK YOU!

My chick is doing well, on the mend. None of the other chicks or chickens has been affected. I wound up not treating with Corid (though did buy it), because the Kocci-Free tincture was already working. I also gave 3 doses of homeopathic Aconitum at the beginning of all this before contacting byc, which I do think helped decompact her crop that first day. Her poops have been mostly normal since early on, but for a couple of days I did find some little light-red chunks that look like the pictures of intestinal-wall shedding that is described as normal to healing cocci, and some mucus on and off, despite solid formation of poo. So we're still in recovery and she needs the full length of treatment (KocciFree says "up to 10 days"). I know that people worry about non-standard treatments, but I have been treating my animals and myself holistically for 40 years and find that wherever possible, building the immune system response is preferable in the long-run. So I like to give herbals a chance. In this case, the herbal was all I had to give that first night until I could get to the feedstore, and she'd already responded to the herbal by the time the Corid was in the house.

The chick is still not strong enough to rejoin her family, but she's starting to drink a lot of water and eating even better, so I expect her to recover and rejoin. I did add the mirror to her crate and she gazes into it, likes to sleep right next to it. I didn't have a stuffed animal of the right size, but did have a brightly colored baby blanket that I wadded up and she loves that too. The last couple of nights I've made the baby blanket into a little tent (facing the mirror) and she goes in there and stays happily until morning. I took her outside near the biofamily a couple of days ago, and while she could see them and they saw her, she seemed disoriented and unable to rejoin. That allowed me to relax and realize that she just needs to fully recover and then can go out, that I wasn't holding her back.

I was worried she might get attached to being a housepet, but now I can tell she is still yearning to be with her biofamily, which I'm so relieved and happy about.

My remaining question at this point is, about rejoining the family, should I take her out and put her under the hen at night, or take her out during the day when I can observe and intervene if necessary?

Thank you to you both for your friendly and helpful advice. byc rules!!!!

 

[casportpony]

Some percentage of chicks will recover without any treatment.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Quote:
I usually splash my finger in the water but tapping is a great idea! I will try the stuffed animal/mirror. THANK YOU!

My chick is doing well, on the mend. None of the other chicks or chickens has been affected. I wound up not treating with Corid (though did buy it), because the Kocci-Free tincture was already working. I also gave 3 doses of homeopathic Aconitum at the beginning of all this before contacting byc, which I do think helped decompact her crop that first day. Her poops have been mostly normal since early on, but for a couple of days I did find some little light-red chunks that look like the pictures of intestinal-wall shedding that is described as normal to healing cocci, and some mucus on and off, despite solid formation of poo. So we're still in recovery and she needs the full length of treatment (KocciFree says "up to 10 days"). I know that people worry about non-standard treatments, but I have been treating my animals and myself holistically for 40 years and find that wherever possible, building the immune system response is preferable in the long-run. So I like to give herbals a chance. In this case, the herbal was all I had to give that first night until I could get to the feedstore, and she'd already responded to the herbal by the time the Corid was in the house.

The chick is still not strong enough to rejoin her family, but she's starting to drink a lot of water and eating even better, so I expect her to recover and rejoin. I did add the mirror to her crate and she gazes into it, likes to sleep right next to it. I didn't have a stuffed animal of the right size, but did have a brightly colored baby blanket that I wadded up and she loves that too. The last couple of nights I've made the baby blanket into a little tent (facing the mirror) and she goes in there and stays happily until morning. I took her outside near the biofamily a couple of days ago, and while she could see them and they saw her, she seemed disoriented and unable to rejoin. That allowed me to relax and realize that she just needs to fully recover and then can go out, that I wasn't holding her back.

I was worried she might get attached to being a housepet, but now I can tell she is still yearning to be with her biofamily, which I'm so relieved and happy about.

My remaining question at this point is, about rejoining the family, should I take her out and put her under the hen at night, or take her out during the day when I can observe and intervene if necessary?

Thank you to you both for your friendly and helpful advice. byc rules!!!!

Thank you for the update, I'm glad to hear she is improving

It sounds like she is still recovering, so you will want to wait until she is strong enough to defend herself, not need supplemental heat and be able to fully interact with the whole group. The hen will probably attack her and view her as a threat if you try to re-introduce her at this point. She will have to be introduced as a "single chicken".

There are many threads/articles here on BYC about integration, but this one will give you the basic concept of how to introduce her when she is ready:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/introducing-a-single-hen-to-an-existing-flock

 

[Victoria-nola]

::sigh:: ok, I'm reading that thread now. Yes, I won't take her out until I'm sure she's well enough. I'm going to have to hold out some hope the broody might take her back, but I'll be prepared for not.

Thank you.

update: I just read the article, and I can definitely do that if she does need separate integration as a singleton.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Quote:

::sigh:: ok, I'm reading that thread now. Yes, I won't take her out until I'm sure she's well enough. I'm going to have to hold out some hope the broody might take her back, but I'll be prepared for not.

Thank you.

update: I just read the article, and I can definitely do that if she does need separate integration as a singleton.
LOL Sorry. I just don't want you to have an injured, pecked or possibly dead chick. Broodies with baby don't do well with "intruders".

A dog kennel or wire crate is one of the most useful things in the world to a chicken keeper

 

[Victoria-nola]

Quote: LOL Sorry. I just don't want you to have an injured, pecked or possibly dead chick. Broodies with baby don't do well with "intruders".

A dog kennel or wire crate is one of the most useful things in the world to a chicken keeper

No worries... I won't let her get hurt. I will just hope for acceptance. I appreciate your care.

 

[Victoria-nola]

Just to let folks know, I took the recovered chick out to the coop today. The timing was right because the hen had gathered the chicks and taken them back inside the coop (we free range). So I went back and brought out the chick, and sat down in the coop to watch (I use the deep litter system and the pine-shaving litter is dry and "clean" seeming). The chick drank water and started scratching around, a couple other chicks came over to investigate. The hen saw her, I think was a little confused at first but never gave the slightest inkling of hostility. I explained to the hen that this chick had been sick and I took her inside to heal up and she was ready to rejoin the group. When I finished my second telling of how this chick came to appear again, the hen started cackling like she'd just laid an egg, that lasted a couple of minutes. Then she got into the hay-filled manger and fluffed up. My little recovered chick was the last to join them, but when I left she was snuggled under her mom, along with the others, with a couple of the now-bigger, more fully feathered chicks lounging to the side. I'm so happy, and based on people's warnings, it would seem my broody hen is extra special for her immediate acceptance back into the fold.

Thanks again for your kind assistance and support, it is much appreciated.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Just to let folks know, I took the recovered chick out to the coop today. The timing was right because the hen had gathered the chicks and taken them back inside the coop (we free range). So I went back and brought out the chick, and sat down in the coop to watch (I use the deep litter system and the pine-shaving litter is dry and "clean" seeming). The chick drank water and started scratching around, a couple other chicks came over to investigate. The hen saw her, I think was a little confused at first but never gave the slightest inkling of hostility. I explained to the hen that this chick had been sick and I took her inside to heal up and she was ready to rejoin the group. When I finished my second telling of how this chick came to appear again, the hen started cackling like she'd just laid an egg, that lasted a couple of minutes. Then she got into the hay-filled manger and fluffed up. My little recovered chick was the last to join them, but when I left she was snuggled under her mom, along with the others, with a couple of the now-bigger, more fully feathered chicks lounging to the side. I'm so happy, and based on people's warnings, it would seem my broody hen is extra special for her immediate acceptance back into the fold.

Thanks again for your kind assistance and support, it is much appreciated.

Sounds like a happy ending

Thank you for the update, I hope she continues to do well.

 

[Victoria-nola]

Sounds like a happy ending

Thank you for the update, I hope she continues to do well.

Thank you. It feels that way. Went out and checked a few minutes ago and the broody was standing guard at the pop door, I could see my little chick in there being a chicken. I put a band on her leg so I'd be sure to be able to track her, and will keep checking on her to watch for any relapse. The chick's energy really perked up when I brought her out there, so I'm sure she was ready. That was part of my plan, was if she was at all hesitant, confused, or lethargic I would bring her back inside, but not at all.