My Brahma is not looking good... =(

[tiny529]

What is the ratio of sugar to water that you give an ailing chick? She's always been sleepier than the other chicks, but now I'm noticing that she doesn't stay awake for more than a few seconds. She showed no interest in her hard-boiled egg and every so often she makes louder than usual peeps. I can imagine that any illness can take them quickly, so if there's anything that I can or should do for her, please let me know...

 

[BrattishTaz]

Did I see you post earlier that you have Pedialyte pops? If so check the label and see if it has sugar in it. If it does, warm the pop to room temp or a little warmer and give that instead of sugar water. If you tell us more about what is going on, maybe someone can help you figure out what is wrong. How old is the chick? How long has it been having problems? Is it pooping normally? Whatever info you can give could be helpful.

 

[NottinghamChicks]

She needs electrolytes. How old are they? Are they on medicated feed? Is she pooping or is her vent covered with dried poo? Keep her warm, get some elecroytes into her with a dropper and clean her bum if necessary. I hope she makes it...

 

[tiny529]

She was hatched on Monday, so she's still pretty little.

I only really noticed a problem within the past hour. Since day 1, she's been sleepier than the others, but I didn't think much of it. Still, she ate and drank fine and ran around if someone stepped on her while she was sleeping. Now she just peeps loudly when someone steps on her.

Yeah, it looks like the pops have sugar... Dextrose and Fructose. I'm thawing one out now. Would I need to use a dropper?

Edited to add... Vent looks good... She's on medicated feed... I'll dig out a dropper for her...

Edited again... How much should I give her? And should I give some to the others, just in case? She's snuggled against my chest right now...

 

[NottinghamChicks]

I would try to get as much into her as she will take. If she wont take any or very little there may not be much hope

Sometime chicks just fail to thrive and theres nothing we can do. It could be something internal that you just can't see. Good luck
~Julie

 

[BrattishTaz]

Quote:
I use a spoon and dip the beak into it. Be very careful not to get liquid in her nostrils. You should not drop liquid directly into her mouth. If she will not drink from the spoon, put one drop at a time on the end/side of her upper beak (away from the nostrils), some should go into her mouth. Let her have as much as she will take. It probably won't be much. Offer more every 30 minutes or so. The sugar may help her perk up enough to eat so have some scrambled egg yolk ready.

Considering this chick has been weak from the beginning, I am thinking you may have a chick with "failure to thrive". Do what you can but don't get your hopes up too much. Sometimes the are just too weak.

 

[tiny529]

Thanks...

Over the past 20 minutes, she stayed mostly asleep on my chest and took about a milliliter of the pedialyte... Then she started peeping loudly and wiggling, so I put her back in the brooder. Now she's just standing there peeping louder than usual but not as loud as she can.

Edited to add... I think someone said that trilling is a sign of cocci? She trilled on the 1st day and is trilling a little now. But she's been on the medicated feed since day 1. Can they still get it?

 

[BrattishTaz]

Quote:
Get her away from the other birds and see if she will eat.

 

[BrattishTaz]

Quote:
They can still get it but I am not aware of trilling being a symptom. Search "cocci" for symptoms and treatment options. I am still thinking failure to thrive because she hatched weak. You can get vitamins (I like polyvisol without iron) for her. It couldn't hurt.

 

[tiny529]

I'm going to go scramble up an egg for her now. I just got another ml of pedialyte into her. I'll look into the vitamins tomorrow.

I'm thinking of giving some pedialyte to the others too. Couldn't hurt, right?

Could the fused toes be a sign of a problem too?

I'm just bummed because of the 6 I got, my Brahma was the one I was most excited about.