Lethargic chick; no ruffled feathers or other symptoms of cocci

[CasparAntrim]

Hello all,

I'm new to the forums and to the site, though I've been using information from both since the day I decided to get chicks. I will be making my introduction in the "New Members" section soon enough but first I'm in need of some cooperative brainstorming.

We currently have six chicks; two Silver-laced Wayandottes and four Welsummers. They are all two weeks old (though we suspect the Wayandottes may be a few days older). There was one unhealthy chick who arrived stressed and weak. She eventually died even after a lot of care and attention. I did not suspect coccidiosis as a cause since she had not been exposed to the outdoors. It's been one week since her death and now another is showing lethargy, though much less severe than the other. She seems very tired and is unwilling to join the others in foraging in their brooder. She had one liquid stool followed by a solid a few hours and a healthy bit of feed later. What concerns me is that she will not willingly take water and is simply not herself. Today was her second day exposed to the outdoors for a short ten minute stint. Her "symptoms" began this morning. All the girls are on organic, non-medicated starter feed and healthy helpings of the worms they've already scratched out of my garden.

It's possible that my girlfriend and I are simply paranoid since we lost that first chick! It was a heartbreaking experience. Please advise! Thank you so much in advance. I look forward to meeting you all.

Tyler and Jen

PS While typing these last sentence, my girlfriend got our chick to take her first few willing gulps of water.

 

[MrsBrooke]

I would run Corid through their water.

1.5 teaspoons per gallon for 20% powder.
2 teaspoons per gallon for thr 9.6% liquid.

A chick can get Coccidiosis from your hands, clothes, boots, and good intentions without ever stepping foot on dirt. Two to three weeks is the right age for it, especially since you had one pass.

It is a gentle medication.

Treat for 5-7 days, and make sure it's the only water they can access during this time.

MrsB

 

[CasparAntrim]

Thank you for your reply!

I don't want to treat them with anything but fully organic and natural ingredients, otherwise I'd surely give them some Corid. I'm sorry, I should have specified.

However, upon returning from the store to pick up some yogurt, I found a very energetic and happy chick. It seems she's back to her normal self. We had made her a slurry of her food in order to hydrate her. She was then willing to take water on her own. Perhaps she was just dehydrated? They all will be receiving a light dose of organic ACV and some yogurt for the next few days. I'll be backing them off of the protein-filled worms until I'm sure everyone is in the clear for the moment.

I will update if anything changes. Thank you.

 

[ChickRex]

If you would use medicine on yourself I hope you would treat animals in your care with the same respect.

 

[CasparAntrim]

I don't take medications. Perhaps in a life-threatening situation, perhaps not. I simply didn't want to rush a diagnosis, be wrong, and treat for something immediately with antibiotics/unnatural medication, especially without adequate research. It does no good for the future of these birds. I don't find that to be disrespectful at all, nor do I see the congruence of "medication" and respect.

Thank you for your reply.

 

[ChickRex]

Well, at least you're consistent. I get a bug up my butt about people who'll take cheap antibiotics and anti fungal but withhold them from their home flock.

Best of luck to your girls. Don't play around with their health

 

[MrsBrooke]

I completely understand where you are coming from, as I politely refuse even Advil for headaches. I hate the idea of Big Pharma and wage a personal war against them. We feed our flock corn- and soy-free, nonGMO feed.

However.

There will come a time when you will need to worm your birds.

Diatomaceous earth, pumpkin seeds, apple cider vinegar, or any other "holistic" remedy will fail, and your birds will suffer for it. The worms will laugh at you, and your chickens can die.

Please keep in mind that certain chemical treatments have their place in a backyard flock. Happy chickens that play in dirt can and will get worms and other creepies like mites and lice.

Consider it much like giving a dog a monthly heart worm pill.

I'm the last person in the world to recommend throwing antibiotics at a bird, and I agree that medicating unnecessarily does harm in the long run... but I am the first person to promote the use of responsibly dosing a bird to ease their internal parasitic load. I also recommend dosing with Corid every now and again as a preventative, especially in young chicks.

I am very happy that your chick has recovered. I hope for a long-lived, healthy flock!

MrsB

 

[CasparAntrim]

Thanks, MrsB! We're happy to have our energetic chick back. And thank you for the information. I'd like to research into it further but that real world experience is the input I was looking for. I'll certainly consider Corid for worming. I'm not a brick wall of principle when it comes to these chickens but I am going to do everything in my power to raise a healthier, more natural flock that will hopefully grow stronger with every generation. If Corid is all that works at this time to keep the birds alive, of course I will follow through until there is a better option. Are there any other medications I should consider ahead of time as a possible necessity, or is Corid the staple?

I've found through all the reading I've done that it's easy to be afraid for your chickens; they can seem so delicate. There are so many ailments that can take down entire flocks. Besides coccidiosis and worms, in your experience, are there any others that are more common than not that I should keep a vigilant eye out for?

Thanks, again!

Tyler

 

[CasparAntrim]

Well, at least you're consistent. I get a bug up my butt about people who'll take cheap antibiotics and anti fungal but withhold them from their home flock.

Best of luck to your girls. Don't play around with their health

Understood and agreed. I find many to have confused convictions. I try to keep mine in line but also to be flexible in my principles and ideologies. I distrust medication on a whole, but I don't distrust my ability to learn all I can about anatomy and physiology to make the right call when the time comes. I've found myself to have a healthier immune system since dropping medication almost entirely (let me tell you, I cannot find anything but pantaprazole to control heartburn - even dietary change has not offered relief) and I want to apply the same, within reason, to my birds, in hope that they and their subsequent generations will be stronger because of it.

I won't play around with their health. But lightly testing them as I learn more and gain more experience with chickens I see as a helpful endeavor so long as I put the necessary time and energy into it.

Edit: If you have bugs up your butt, I think maybe you ought to run some Corid through your water, as well!

Thanks again for the replies!

 

[MrsBrooke]

Thanks, MrsB! We're happy to have our energetic chick back. And thank you for the information. I'd like to research into it further but that real world experience is the input I was looking for. I'll certainly consider Corid for worming. I'm not a brick wall of principle when it comes to these chickens but I am going to do everything in my power to raise a healthier, more natural flock that will hopefully grow stronger with every generation. If Corid is all that works at this time to keep the birds alive, of course I will follow through until there is a better option. Are there any other medications I should consider ahead of time as a possible necessity, or is Corid the staple?

I've found through all the reading I've done that it's easy to be afraid for your chickens; they can seem so delicate. There are so many ailments that can take down entire flocks. Besides coccidiosis and worms, in your experience, are there any others that are more common than not that I should keep a vigilant eye out for?

Thanks, again!

Tyler

Corid treats Coccidiosis, which is a protozoa that causes damage to the intestinal tract and prevents the chicken from absorbing nutrients. You'll see lethargy, hunching, and rapid weight loss, in addition to the tell-tale bloody poops... But you don't want it to get to that stage. Corid is not a wormer.

I keep two pouches of Corid on hand at all times... Two is one, one is none!
I have Tylan 50 injectable and TerraVet water soluble powder to treat for respiratory infections.
I keep chlorihexidine (available at Walgreens) for flesh wounds, as hydro perox eats chicken flesh in a bad way.
I have Valbazen liquid goat wormer to keep my chickens parasite-free, and will add Safe Guard soon to rotate the wormers and prevent resistance.
I also keep Sevin dust for mites and lice.
Vetericyn eye ointment was added recently, and it has worked wonders on a chicken with an eye infection.
My "medicine cabinet" has other various implements such as Neosporin and Epsom salts, and "common sense" medical supplies like syringes/needles, latex gloves, gauze wrap, and a couple dog crates for isolating a sick/injured bird.
I've also got Sulmet for Coryza, but it's REALLY hard on chickens, so it's gathering dust on my shelf.

You can keep an organic, happy, healthy flock and implement the use of modern medicines (sparingly and only as needed) for the sake of your birds.

I find that it's easier to "fix" a bird than it is to raise another to the point of lay (cost of the bird, cost of heat lamp electricity, cost of feed, etc, etc). Buying medicine once and treating them for pennies is easier and more cost effective... But that's just my opinion.

I do NOT, however, recommend wasting your time at a vet. For a chicken, anything a vet can do, you can do at home.... With the exception of prescribing antibiotics that would render your bird useless for eggs/meat or indepth, internal surgical procedures. At *that* point, however, I feel it's probably better to cull the chicken. When it comes to vets: Dogs and cats, yes. Goats and horses, yes. Parrots and exotics, yes. Chickens, NO.

I spent $65 to have a vet tell me what she read HERE on BYC. Call me jaded, but an "avian vet" isn't necessarily up to treating a chicken.

Probably more than you wanted to know, but there's my OpEd piece on backyard chicken keepery!

MrsB