Listless chick, sleepy, losing weight?

[GoodEgg]

Hi all,

I hate that I have to post in this particular forum again (emergencies). Most of the little ones from last week are much better, except the Japanese Banty ... he's the same.

(And sorry this is long, just wanted to provide all info.)

I have a new problem child though. And this time it's my very favorite, probably a red sex-link, sweetest thing that always came running and jumped into my hand. I got the shipment 6 days ago now. They might have been in transit a day or two longer than they should have, not sure.

So far have fed starter grower, vitamin/electrolyte water (Quik Chik from Murray McMurray), and started with crumbled egg yolks a couple of days ago since I can't find regular chick starter ANYwhere. And I know some of them got a few ants.

Last night I noticed when I put her down (she always wants to be held, and I hold her for about 2 minutes) that she stayed on that end of the brooder and didn't go back to the others, so I picked her up and put her back with them. She seemed fine otherwise. This morning I found her huddled alone back in the same spot, very listless and seems sleepy, she felt a tiny bit chilled and seems a little lighter and not very strong.

I put her in the "hospital" aquarium, and removed all the others because the big ones picked her and the banty cried too pitifully from having his pals taken away, so she's in there alone. I made a slightly stronger vitamin/electrolyte mix with the water (which she climbed into twice, but didn't drink ... it was in the corner so she may just be wanting a corner, so I put in the middle, and I gave her crumbled yolk mixed with starter/grower, which she picked at a few times but seems more interested in wiping her beak than eating. I did dip her beak twice into the water just to make SURE she drank something and had those couple of bites, then I left her be with the heat up a little.

She just sleeps, and her head really droops.

Sigh ... I'm so upset about possibly losing that one. She's always the first to come running and just wants to be held. She's also feathering her wings more quickly than the others (in case that tells anyone anything).

I guess there's no way to tell from this description what might be wrong with her? I am just wondering if anyone has any other ideas of anything I can do for her. I might go ahead and put sugar in the water too. I just wondered if there's anything else I can try? I think it has to be something quick, because she is SO down compared to last night, and I don't think I have much time if I don't turn her around.

Thanks,
trish

 

[MTchick]

You should be giving all of them fresh water now. The electrolytes are only for the first few days. It is possible that your chick is actually getting MORE dehydrated from the water because of the electrolytes, in which case adding more of that stuff to the water is actually what is making her so sick.

So my advice is this- keep doing everything you are doing but immediately give all the chicks fresh, clean, out of the tap, water. And they should have fresh water for the rest of their lives- sugars and salts in the water are not good for them on the long term- only the first 24 hours after shipping.

-MTchick

 

[dlhunicorn]

is the starter medicated??? if not then you might have cocci...this will need a cocci med you can find at your feed store.

 

[GoodEgg]

Thanks for replies. The QuikChik said to give it until it was all gone, which now that I think of it is kind of stupid. It's going to be gone a LOT quicker if you have 300 chicks than if you have 5. A time frame would have been more helpful.

And the feed isn't medicated, but they were vaccinated for coccidiosis and marek's, so I hope they can't have that?

Thanks so much, still would appreciate any other replies. I've heard of ACV for sick chicks, and I know I have some somewhere, but I haven't found it or tried yet.

trish