Nevadans?

[HorseFeatherz NV]

How do her droppings look? Are you feeding a medicated feed or ?

I am wondering if it is Coccidiosis - her droppings might look bloody, she would be lethargic and generally really feel poorly. I have not had an outbreak and do not feed medicated food (feed Flock Raiser) - usually chicks raised by their mother build up a natural immunity to it naturally. So, since I do not know how to treat it, I recommend a search – use the search link located upper left in the upper blue line, just above your logged in name (not the google box on the right). This will give you the BYC search and you can search the Emergency forum for coccidiosis and the treatment, you can also search title or title and message body.

Boil up an egg and chop, it is a good source of easy protein for her if she will eat it.

 

[Echetino]

Well, I just checked on her again and she was lying on her side, breathing, but not very responsive. Pretty quick deterioration, approx 24 hrs. from first noticing lethargy to being what I consider very near the end. I couldn't find any poo until just now, and it is bloody.
Now, my concern is with the others. I'll keep a close watch on them and hopefully they're alright.

 

[Penturner]

Echetino, Sorry about your chick. I didn't see your post until it looks like it is already to late. Keep trying to give water, Sugar water is even better. I have seen some amazing responses by just reducing dehydration. Might give you one last shot at treating the problem. From what I understand Coccidiosis is in the soil and all chickens are going to be exposed to it. the trick is to get them exposed so as to develop an immunity. Maybe the one chick was a bit to stressed or something from the swap. I have also heard that if you feed medicated feed to stop after two weeks of age and let the chicks eat unmedicated so they develop their own defenses.

 

[Echetino]

Great advice all! Thank you. We'll give her every chance to recover. All of the others seem to be fine, and they also seem to REALLY enjoy sugar-water. We'll see how it goes. Thanks again!

 

[SunnyDawn]

The problem with Coccidiosis is that by the time you see symptoms in your other chickens it is probably already too late. If one chicken comes down with it the whole flock should be treated immediately. Much of the damage occurs before the symptoms are apparent. Here is a web-site with more info.
http://www.baycox.com/78/Control_of_Coccidiosis_in_Chicken.htm

 

[Bloomie]

Quote:
Quote:
Thanks for not addin' to my humiliation ya'll.
Think 'bout dun doin this

to myself.

I bought 4 temp/hydometers, 2 from Home Depot and 2 from WalMart.....they ended up bein' the pretty much the same thing.....
but I wanted to try whatever was available in this goofy town!

and am recalibrating 2 right now.
The hen that was settin' on the eggs is the best broody hen I ever met.....fact she's the first and only broody hen I ever met

I asked her to set on a few more eggs for me, and so far she's obligin' with only minimal fussin'.
The rooster was callin' her out for a spell so I locked him away in the coop so shes alone in the broody pen, and after a few minutes she went back to settin'.

Questions
How long before I learn she's changed her mind?
Do I discard the eggs if she no longer will set or do ya think I should try the incubator ONE more time?

Incubator Status
Its been regulated, the temps holding at 99.5
If I use the incubator I will purchase an automatic egg turner so I dont mess that up.

I've been readin' different threads about "dry incubation" but its got me a bit confused.

Ya'll know what Nevada's like, as far as humidity.
I'm close to Elko, at 5700 ft. elevation.
Humidity isnt real high outside....inside the room where the incubator is, its registerin' 45% on one hydrometer and 33% on the other, but the inside temp for the room is the same on both, 79 degrees. ( thats at 5 hours into the re-calibration also )

Do ya'll take the humidity outside the incubator into account with the humidity% inside the incubator?
If so, how do ya add humidity to the room? Do ya use a humidifier?

The 2 chicks I lost before pipping were both chirping loudly and rocking alot, but never pipped.
One was stuck to the membrane, the other wasn't and I couldnt figure out why it died.
Ya know how ya can get yer nose glued to the window waitin'....so I went to shower to pass the time....within an hour it had stopped rocking and chirping. I waited and waited for movement but it became apparent the chick wasnt going to respond, so I did an autopsy and it didnt appear stuck to the membrane, but obviously the humidity % wasn't right, why else would it be so alive and active only to die so abruptly?

Anyhoooooooooooo....I'd like to hatch a few eggs with the Granchickie, from beginnin' to end, but I sure dont want to destroy chicks in the process.

Any input about yer incubating experience would be appreciated.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Bloomie - I do not worry about the humidity in the room/house, just in the bator. For the first 18, I try and run the humidity at about 40/45% and the last 3 I try for 50/55%. For lockdown I have to use additional containers of water, with papertowels stuck 1/2 in the water to help evaporation. I have to add water every day, all thru the hatch

I have had two get stuck in the membrane, while other chicks around them hatched just fine - so I have no secret for that. I did have to help my chicks - dripped very warm water on the dry membrane and slowly peeled from the chick, then gave the chick a bath. The extra loud chirping and no advancement on zipping is what tipped me off to their stuck status.

Keep food and water within beak reach of your broody and she might go the whole additional 3 weeks for this clutch. If she does leave the nest for more than an hour, I would put her back and see how she reacts. My Blondie (cochin) on her first clutch would get off and "forget?" to go back, so I would pick her up and set her in the nest box. "Oh yeah" she would cluck and mutter, setting back on the eggs.

This last clutch, she hardly ever left - had two eggs explode (one in her feathers), hatched 5 and I gave her an additional 4 over the next week (duck was hatching chicks). If she continues to leave and you think she has given up, stick the eggs in the bator and candle in a day or two - looking for movement.

I say, get the turner and put eggs in the bator. That way your hen is rewarded when her new clutch hatches with little ones to raise and you and the Grandchick can go from start to finish in the house.

 

[Echetino]

Okay, well, that's a bummer. Opal didn't make it. The hunt for Opal2 is now underway. We'd like to find something white (a Delaware, Leghorn, RIW, or Jersey Giant), but if AUBREYMARIE is still thinking about Silkies, that might be an option too. If anyone has a line on anything that might work for us, we'd certainly appreciate it.
All the other chicks seem to be doing great, drinking and eating a lot, and milling around a lot. But, I'm going to do some reading on prevention assuming exposure. I just want to be sure that Cocci was the culprit.
Thanks again for all the great advice!
Good luck, Bloomie!

 

[Bloomie]

Quote:
How'd ya get to the chick?
Did ya break the shell yerself, and how?

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I just gently pulled the edge of the pipped area. Mine had pipped a hole but not gone any farther. I would drip, trying not to get the drop in the chick's nostrils, wait then peel. Took a bit, maybe 25/30 minutes to free the top of the shell.

Poor chicks. I still have them, when I sold chicks from that hatch, I kept the two stuck chicks back - both are fine and had no problems.



Echetino - sorry Opal passed, hope the others do ok.