- May 6, 2010
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We've just begun keeping chickens, starting with this batch of week-old chicks we bought from a local breeder. DH built a brooder box that has everything you'd want - room to roam, space in the warmth, and a cooler end (the quail prefer the cooler end), with modular components to control air flow and temperature. It's got a roost that the Reds love (I'll learn the abbreviations soon, I promise!) Anyway, they're on medicated crumble. We've all been diligent about keeping the food and water clean and refreshed. We've been on pasty butt alert several times a day (only one has had that problem, and it's fine, now). There is no evidence of mites, lices, fleas, or ick.
We did lose one the first day. A bug got into the brooder box, and the little chick got trampled by the others. Then, we had no problems at all for a week. This morning, one of the boys came to tell me that we had a sick chick. It was lying on its side - almost as if it had simply despaired of living (I know that's not an accurate summary of what's wrong with it, but to give you an idea of the physical posture - legs limp, head down, wing askew), and its breathing seemed labored.
We quarantined it, hand fed and watered it, talked to it, wrapped it in a towel and gently massaged it (I was running out of ideas, at that point). It would perk up w/ some water, but then slump back down. It quit eating. (I tried mixing some crumble in water, to make a mush, but she wouldn't eat it.) Then quit drinking, at all. She expired within ten minutes of refusing water.
I went down to clean out the quarantine area, and found another one dead in the brooder box. That one, the boys had said earlier didn't look "right", and we'd checked it out - no blood, no swelling, no sores, no funky stools, no paste or gunk or funk. Other than just being a little quiet, it didn't exhibit any other problem. 30 minutes later, gone.
Then, just before supper, another chick did the limp, lethargic, lack-of-will-to-live thing. We've got him quarantined, but... good heck, what am I doing wrong? I know that, to some extent, stuff happens. Just wanting to touch base to see if there's something I'm missing that could help prevent this from happening again (or lessen the odds - at this point, I'd be happy with that).
Thanks!
We did lose one the first day. A bug got into the brooder box, and the little chick got trampled by the others. Then, we had no problems at all for a week. This morning, one of the boys came to tell me that we had a sick chick. It was lying on its side - almost as if it had simply despaired of living (I know that's not an accurate summary of what's wrong with it, but to give you an idea of the physical posture - legs limp, head down, wing askew), and its breathing seemed labored.
We quarantined it, hand fed and watered it, talked to it, wrapped it in a towel and gently massaged it (I was running out of ideas, at that point). It would perk up w/ some water, but then slump back down. It quit eating. (I tried mixing some crumble in water, to make a mush, but she wouldn't eat it.) Then quit drinking, at all. She expired within ten minutes of refusing water.
I went down to clean out the quarantine area, and found another one dead in the brooder box. That one, the boys had said earlier didn't look "right", and we'd checked it out - no blood, no swelling, no sores, no funky stools, no paste or gunk or funk. Other than just being a little quiet, it didn't exhibit any other problem. 30 minutes later, gone.
Then, just before supper, another chick did the limp, lethargic, lack-of-will-to-live thing. We've got him quarantined, but... good heck, what am I doing wrong? I know that, to some extent, stuff happens. Just wanting to touch base to see if there's something I'm missing that could help prevent this from happening again (or lessen the odds - at this point, I'd be happy with that).
Thanks!
