Lethargic silkie chick

[Jessi.Smith]

I am a not knowledgeable to help you with what is wrong, sorry. I just wanted to suggest contacting the hatchery that you purchased the chicks from. Did you get the older group of chicks from the same hatchery?

 

[AmyJane725]

Whatever this is, it worked super fast, the silkie just died in my hands. Now I'm worried of an outbreak of something

Do any of the others besides the polish look weird/sickly at all? It's always possible it was just shipping stress, but disease certainly shouldn't be ruled out.

@casportpony @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock

Any ideas/help for these poor babies?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I noticed the older chicks were getting on top of the brooder and caused the heat lamp to turn off. I fixed it and picked up a silkie who was extra cuddly and fell asleep in my hand. Today, the heat lamp was off again (same reasons),

2 of my silkies are now droopy and sleepy. I am unsure if they ate or drank yesterday, I assume so since they were all up and around. I isolated them under the heat lamp in case they were cold and tried to give them water with rooster booster

Breathing is quick, lots of peeping then quiet.

Usually feeding chick starter medicated purina brand, ran out and car is in shop so yesterday they got corn meal mixed with plain oatmeal and today was the same with added grits

He keeps his wings out for balance and his poo has alot of white in it...could this be a cocc outbreak?

You mention corn meal with oatmeal and add grits - what's the grits - do you mean chick grit (crushed granite) or do you mean Grits (hominy grits)?

Why does the one chick look wet?
Do they have room to get away from the heat lamp?
What is your bulb - where did it come from?
Can you feel their crops - do they have food in them?

Photos of the poop?
In a black plastic tote, I would fear they are actually overheating in there - are they avoiding getting under the light? Can you tell us what the temperature is in the tote?

It could be Coccidiosis, but my priority would be to try to get them hydrated you can use the Corid water if you wish, but I would get 1-2 drops of Poultry Nutri-Drench into them if you have it. If not give them a little sugar water.

 

[Sentimentalgamer]

You mention corn meal with oatmeal and add grits - what's the grits - do you mean chick grit (crushed granite) or do you mean Grits (hominy grits)?
-- hominy grit

Why does the one chick look wet?
-- one of his chick mates pushed him in the waterer before I isolated him
Do they have room to get away from the heat lamp?
-- Yes, the tote is bigger than it looks in the picture, it was a quick solution because I didn't have anything else
What is your bulb - where did it come from?
Can you feel their crops - do they have food in them?
-- it's a 250 watt bulb/lamp from tractor supply. The polish has been eating, and he did have food in his crop. The silkie I couldn't tell, so probably not.

Photos of the poop?
In a black plastic tote, I would fear they are actually overheating in there - are they avoiding getting under the light? Can you tell us what the temperature is in the tote?
-- they were actually huddling in the middle where the light was directed, there is a section they can go to to get away from it
-- didn't take photos of the poo, it was just mostly white
-- I do not have a thermometer to check temp atm
It could be Coccidiosis, but my priority would be to try to get them hydrated you can use the Corid water if you wish, but I would get 1-2 drops of Poultry Nutri-Drench into them if you have it. If not give them a little sugar water.

The silkie unfortunately died shortly after my post, but the polish seems to be doing much better. I put a little cocc powder, and electrolytes in the water. Maybe he was just over stressed?

 

[Sentimentalgamer]

I am a not knowledgeable to help you with what is wrong, sorry. I just wanted to suggest contacting the hatchery that you purchased the chicks from. Did you get the older group of chicks from the same hatchery?

I contacted tractor supply and theft would only replace online orders within 48 hours of delivery.
Polish was from a different place than silkie

 

[pennyJo1960]

look is the light teflon coated please

 

[Sentimentalgamer]

Here is a picture of silkie poo...this almost looks like worms to me?

 

[AmyJane725]

Is that poop from the one who died?

Do they move at all?

If you pick them up does it come apart like poop or is it solid like worms?

If all they're eating is cornmeal, oatmeal and grits it would kind of make sense for the poop to be corn colored.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The silkie unfortunately died shortly after my post, but the polish seems to be doing much better. I put a little cocc powder, and electrolytes in the water. Maybe he was just over stressed?

Can you answer some of the questions posed in the previous POST?

I'm sorry for your loss, but it would be a good idea to continue to try to figure out what's happening.
You put a "little" Corid powder in the water along with electrolytes. Give the correct dosage of Corid powder which is 1 1/2 teaspoons per gallon of water. Eliminate the electrolytes - nothing should be added to the Corid.

The poop is a bit questionable, but then again, you changed diet on them. The "GRITS" that you added was that Hominy Grits or was it Poultry Grit (crushed granite)? If you are going to give oatmeal, cornmeal, etc.---anything besides chick starter the chicks need to have a source of grit (crushed granite), offer it free choice.

A picture of the whole brooder would be good too instead of just a glimpse of the corner of your setup in the photos.

edited to add, the poop does not look like it has worms to me, I see some mucous and it's thin like the chick is possibly dehydrated or is having a hard time going. Color? Probably due to oatmeal and cornmeal.

 

[pennyJo1960]

still has not said if it is a teflon bulb