Lethargic pullet, sick, depressed, what?

Lnzsmith

Songster
5 Years
Nov 14, 2017
115
45
118
Central Missouri
Hi there:
We have a tiny backyard flock--down to one a couple weeks ago when a fox took our Buff Orpington. We found two new birds from a breeder in the area, one a big healthy adult Australorp and one a pullet (maybe 6 wk to 2 month) Lavendar Orpington. The big one has adjusted to our Sliver Laced Wyandotte well. The baby is struggling. Now I think it is sick.
It seems lethargic and falls asleep a lot in the day. We have had a hard time integrating it into the roost at night, it jumps on the other hens and makes them mad. They are not accepting it well. Last night when everybody was asleep I moved it from its ddog crate into the roost and that worked (I took her out again before sunrise).

But increasingly it seems listless and sleepy.
We need to worm everybody. I am wondering about treating for coccidiosis as well. Here are my questions:
1) Medicated feed? and what feed for chickens this age?
2) Treat by mouth for coccidiosis? All three? How long?
3) Baby vitamin?
4) Other ideas?

It is about to get really cold around here, we need this baby to grow. She doesn't seem to be growing at all.

I think I am starting to get the reason why people raise their own chicks instead of getting big ones from a breeder. We have always done that but I can see how you don't have any control over how the flock is cared for (although it looked like a clean place).
Thanks!
 
I would buy some Corid at your feed store to start treatment for all 3 for coccidiosis. Dosage is 2 tsp of Corid liquid per gallon of water for 5 days. The pullet is the right age for coccidosis. Symptoms are lethargy/sleepy, not eating, diarrhea, and sitting puffed up or hunched. After 5 days, if she is still weak, give another 5 days at 1/3 of the dose. If you give Corid, hold off on any vitamins until the Corid is finished.

Observe to make sure the pullet is eating and drinking. It could be that she is being kept from food or water, but Corid is not harmful to use. She is young to be kept with older grown hens. I usually keep young pullets in a dog crate, but with other chickens until they are similar in size. They still will need to adjust their pecking order.

For flocks with young chicks or pullets, it may be best to raise them on Flock Raiser feed or chick grower until the youngest starts laying eggs. The others who are laying need extra calcium though, and you can have a separte bowl of crushed oyster shell for them to take as they need it. Crushed egg shells are food to use as well. Layer feed has too much calcium for young chicks and pullets.
 
Will she get enough Corid through the water if she's not drinking a ton? What about warmth, the dog crate seems so exposed overnight?

I would buy some Corid at your feed store to start treatment for all 3 for coccidiosis. Dosage is 2 tsp of Corid liquid per gallon of water for 5 days. The pullet is the right age for coccidosis. Symptoms are lethargy/sleepy, not eating, diarrhea, and sitting puffed up or hunched.

Observe to make sure the pullet is eating and drinking. It could be that she is being kept from food or water, but Corid is not harmful to use. She is young to be kept with older grown hens. I usually keep young pullets in a dog crate, but with other chickens until they are similar in size. They still will need to adjust their pecking order.

For flocks with young chicks or pullets, it may be best to raise them on Flock Raiser feed or chick grower until the youngest starts laying eggs. The others who are laying need extra calcium though, and you can have a separte bowl of crushed oyster shell for them to take as they need it. Crushed egg shells are food to use as well. Layer feed has too much calcium for young chicks and pullets.[/QUOTE
 
Do you have the liquid Corid? You can give her 2 drops of the undiluted liquid Corid twice a day, and then try to drop some medicated water into her beak throughout the day. Also you can add Corid water to a small amount of chick feed. Cover her crate with a blanket leaving some air ventilation if you think she is cold. If she is not fully feathered she might need some heat, but if she is feathered, and at 6 weeks most chicks are feathered, she should be okay. Do you think she was pecked in the eye? Keep a watch on her eye for any drainage.
 
I got some Corid yesterday and put it in all waterers. Her stools seem fine and well formed, she is just...not right. We brought her in to our sunporch last night, it rained buckets and the dog crate would have been a bad idea. I don't know. I hate to see animals suffer.
 
When I checked on her this morning, she had eaten a whole bowl of food! and was chirpily walking around. I put her back out in the dog crate with food (got her some chick grower, unmedicated, because I read you give them UNmedicated when you are treating with Corid, right?) and Corid water. She does seem to feel better today. I know they can rally and then have a setback. Her eye seems a little? gooey, halfish open. Wondering about putting some neomycin on it?
 
Yes you can use some Neosporin, Terramycin ointments, or some Vetericyn gel or eye wash. Medicated feed has so little amprolium in it, that it doesn’t matter if you use medicated or non-medicated feed while on Corid. Corid is amprollium

So glad to hear that she has perked up today and is eating. Hopefully she is not getting a respiratory or sinus infection. Watch for watery or crusty eyes, head shaking, or gasping.
 
Now both eyes seem shut. She ate and seemed happy all day, slept off and on. I dunno. I have been reading that sometimes they just don't develop right if they have coccidiosis...she seems so terribly small for an orpington pullet...
 
It sounds like she has some respiratory infection going on, from her swollen eyes. The lethargy may be from that. Does she smell bad around her head? Mycoplasma (MG) can be common in backyard flocks, and that can cause the eyes to swell, with watery or foam in eyes. If there is a bad odor, taht can be coryza, and that can cause pus in the eyes and nasal drainage. Make sure that she is getting plenty to drink and eat, since she probably cannot see well enough. Pecking can cause swelling, but respiratory diseases can cause gasping, lethargy, nasal drainage, and other signs. Here is a good link that lists symptoms of both MG and coryza:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
 

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