Lethargic One Week Old Chick - HELP!!

[Linda49]

I have four one week old baby chicks, who up until today have all been active and acting healthy. They have been on medicated feed plus I gave them electrolytes for the first five days. Tonite I noticed my Dominique chick wanting to lay down while the others were running around. She is definitely not acting normal. (I think I saw her eat some of the pine shavings, but have not seen her eat any food). Since they have been on medicated feed since I got them when they were 3 days old, can I rule out coccidosis? I don't see any bloody poops. I'm not sure what to do. What would cause this? I try to keep the shavings covered with paper towels, but the chicks pull the shavings out. Thanks.

 

[Eggcessive]

Have you checked the vent for pasty butt? What does the chick's crop feel like? The crop is in the chick's upper right chest under it's neck. It should be partially full of food, but not full and hard, in case it has eaten the shavings. Coccidiosis usually doesn't affect chicks until the third week or later. Are they inside in a brooder? What is the brooder temperature? I would give the chick some electrolytes with a dropper every hour (carefully letting it swallow after each drop.)

 

[Linda49]

The chick does not have pasty butt and the crop is partially full. They are inside the house, in a brooder, and the temperature of the brooder is in the high 80's. The chicks are sleeping separately, not piled on each other, so I was thinking that the temp was good for them. When I noticed that chick acting funny, I added electrolytes to their water, but I'll try giving her the electrolytes by dropper, as you suggested. Thank you for your help. I just wasn't sure if antibiotics were necessary. I was thinking that, with newly hatched chicks delivered by mail, if they survived and were doing good after 4 or 5 days, that they would be okay, so I'm kind of bewildered to have one start looking ill now.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have seen on here where people will commonly see shipped chicks die as much as a week or 10 days after receiving them. Dipping the beak in the water is always the safest way for them to drink, but if they are too weak the dropper may be necessary. I usually sprinkle some feed crumbles around on the paper towels for the chicks to eat, but if the chick is not eating, it make not make it. Antibiotics probably won't help.

 

[ten chicks]

I have seen almost 2 week old chicks with coccidiosis,so yes young chicks can have a cocci overload/outbreak. The incubation time for cocci is approx 2-4 days.

Medicated feed does not always prevent a cocci overload/outbreak,it is just an insurance policy,not a guarantee and works by slowly building immunity,but b/c it contains such a small amount of amprolium it will do nothing if bird has an overload of parasite.

 

[Linda49]

I have Corid. Should I try that? Her croup seemed to have food in it this morning. I sent my husband for some PolyViSol (w/o iron). Thought that might help.

Do chicks ever grow too fast? She's the biggest, lankiest one and aside from seeming like she wants to lay down frequently, she's alert, etc.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Eggcessive]

At 1 week, I really don't think it is cocci, but you can try it if you want to. Do your electrolytes contain vitamins? To develop immunity from coccidiosis, the chicks need to become exposed to it, and that usually happens when they are exposed to dirt. Here is some reading on cocci:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/12/coccidiosis-what-backyard-chicken.html
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/poultry/coccidiosis/overview_of_coccidiosis_in_poultry.html

 

[Eggcessive]

Since your chick is alert, I would keep dipping it's beak in the vitamin/electrolyte water as often as you can. Some chicks do revive after intensive care. Here is an interesting article on shipping stress that I just found: http://www.upc-online.org/transport/71408shippingbirds.html

 

[Linda49]

The electrolytes do contain vitamins....Sav A Chick.....so I guess the PolyViSol would be overkill?

 

[Linda49]

That's a very interesting article. Thank you for sending it.