Listless chick ten days old and way smaller then the others

[Penny Hardie]

I have 4 bantam chicks that are being raised by a broody hen. They were all fine but in the last 3 days one has become listless, not moving much and just wanting to sit under mum (who keeps moving!). It's not eating well, although is eating and drinking a little. Its poop is a bit watery. The others are racing around and seem really healthy but this one is half their size.. I have brought this little chick inside to sit under a brooder plate with 2 marauding 2 day old ducklings but the chick is not picking up. The vet doesn't open until tomorrow (thought I would try and get some medication for coccidiosis although it isn't at all droopy). Any ideas?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It's not eating well, although is eating and drinking a little.

last 3 days one has become listless, not moving much and just wanting to sit under mum

(thought I would try and get some medication for coccidiosis although it isn't at all droopy).

Not sure what to think - you say in your last sentence the chick is not at all droopy, but at the beginning you mention listless, not moving much, wanting to sit.

Is the chick lethargic or not?

Photos of chick and poop?

How old is the chick?

IF I had a chick that was not eating/drinking well, was listless, wanting sit and huddle under Mom when the others are running amok, then I would treat for Coccidiosis. Corid can be found at TSC in the cattle section.

Powdered Corid dose is 1 1/2 tsp or Liquid Corid Dose is 2 tsp per gallon of drinking water. Give for 5-7 days.

Since the chick is not drinking well, the mixed Corid water should be syringed into her about every hour or so to keep her hydrated and to get the medicated water into her.

Wet chick starter can be given - use the mixed Corid water to make it into a mash.

Provide heat for the chick, but make sure there's room enough that she can move from the heat if she wants.

 

[Penny Hardie]

Not sure what to think - you say in your last sentence the chick is not at all droopy, but at the beginning you mention listless, not moving much, wanting to sit.

Is the chick lethargic or not?

Photos of chick and poop?

How old is the chick?

IF I had a chick that was not eating/drinking well, was listless, wanting sit and huddle under Mom when the others are running amok, then I would treat for Coccidiosis. Corid can be found at TSC in the cattle section.

Powdered Corid dose is 1 1/2 tsp or Liquid Corid Dose is 2 tsp per gallon of drinking water. Give for 5-7 days.

Since the chick is not drinking well, the mixed Corid water should be syringed into her about every hour or so to keep her hydrated and to get the medicated water into her.

Wet chick starter can be given - use the mixed Corid water to make it into a mash.

Provide heat for the chick, but make sure there's room enough that she can move from the heat if she wants.

The chick died, but probably not from Coccidiosis, according to my vet on the island. I have some treatment for it now, just in case and in the meantime I have the whole flock on apple cider vinegar just in case. I guess it was just one of those things with little ones.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The chick died, but probably not from Coccidiosis, according to my vet on the island. I have some treatment for it now, just in case and in the meantime I have the whole flock on apple cider vinegar just in case. I guess it was just one of those things with little ones.

Sorry about the chick

Curious what treatment you have now and what the vet thinks was the cause of decline?
Do you have photos of the product you have?

 

[Penny Hardie]

The vet said that he wasn't going to prescribe anything (apparently he has to do it and then it is mixed into feed - he had nothing off the shelf) as only one chick was affected. According to him if it was Coccidiosis more than one chick would have it. It was always the smallest chick. It seemed to be permanently cold. I have moved the run and put down some ground sanitiser as a precaution, and whole flock is now on ACV in their water.
I found this on Amazon...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The vet said that he wasn't going to prescribe anything (apparently he has to do it and then it is mixed into feed - he had nothing off the shelf) as only one chick was affected. According to him if it was Coccidiosis more than one chick would have it. It was always the smallest chick. It seemed to be permanently cold. I have moved the run and put down some ground sanitiser as a precaution, and whole flock is now on ACV in their water.
I found this on Amazon...View attachment 2801424

It's possible for only one chick to be affected, but usually they have something else going on, like they are failing to thrive/weaker than the others.

Harker's Coxoid is Amprolium, which is the same medication that we in the US know as "Corid". It's good that you are going to have that on hand in case you need to treat chicks in the future.

Hope all the rest do well and you have no more issues.

 

[Penny Hardie]

It's possible for only one chick to be affected, but usually they have something else going on, like they are failing to thrive/weaker than the others.

Harker's Coxoid is Amprolium, which is the same medication that we in the US know as "Corid". It's good that you are going to have that on hand in case you need to treat chicks in the future.

Hope all the rest do well and you have no more issues.

Thank you, and thank you for the advice.

 

[cmom]

Sorry to see the chick died. Sometimes they don't thrive. Maybe try some Sav-A-Chick.