Listless Baby Chick

[blessednest]

HI there everyone, I am a new chicken mama and still learning as much as I can. Right now we only have four babes, all born on Sun/Mon. My most boisterous, loudest, leader of the pack chick suddenly did a 180 this afternoon. It went from crazy chick to sleeping and standing off on its own. The temp is cozy 95, water is fresh every day, food always available, box of sand always available, clean brooder every day. What are some things that would cause this, and what can I do?

Thank you

 

[Marty1876]

I would offer this chick sav-a-chic vitamin in moderation. (Iron free children's vitamin works too). Mix it with water, and offer a few drops every 30 minutes. If its not something internally problematic (is its bum chacked up? Is it eating and pooing ok?) this may bring it around again.

If you don't have vitamins, I've had luck with 1/4 c. water, a pinch of sugar, a pinch of salt, and a bit of potassium if you have it. Force sips every 30 min. for a few hours, like with vitamin water.

 

[FlyHigher]

For baby chicks, the most common disease is coccidiosis.
good luck!

 

[cafarmgirl]

Are they on medicated starter? Is the sand in the sand box just dirt from outside that could have exposed them to cocci? I agree with HighFlyer. With a week old chick acting like that, personally I'd treat them all asap, even just to be on the safe side. IF it is coccidiosis you don't have much time.

 

[donrae]

I always think of temperature. Too hot is worse for them than too cold. You say the temp is 95,do they have an area of the brooder to get to ambient room temp? Chicks aren't meant to stay that warm all the time, they just need access to an area that warm. They'll spend most of their time at ambient temp, going under the lamp to warm up every so often.

 

[blessednest]

Is the sign of cocci red poo, because I haven't noticed any, but I will look it up.

They have a whole separate room to their brooder that gets no heat so they can get away from the heat.

Thank you ladies!

 

[cafarmgirl]

You will not always see bloody stool with coccidiosis. Sometimes you may see it when it has progressed, by that time you may not save the chick. The first symptoms are just standing around, puffed up, listless and by that time the bird is sick enough that it can not longer hide it's symptoms. You have to remember that they hide illness until they just can't anymore. That's why when I see something like that in a young chick I'm on it right away. If this chick went from active and normal to the above quickly I would be very suspicious.