Newbie needs help for baby chick!

[Sevanson Woods]

Hi all...I've had a brood of nine for about three 1/2 wks now from TS...All have been doing very well. Then, this past weekend, I picked up three more chicks (blue laced reds just a few days old) from a local event. All my chicks are located in a spare bathroom with ambient heat but in separate brooders. They all seemed healthy though the smallest one, of the three newcomers, continually peeps-almost nonstop. It seemed to be eating ok, but it kept acting cold; so, I cranked the heat up-but to no avail. I checked for pasty butt, and while it's vent looked a little red & enlarged, I saw no real evidence of blockage-just a tiny little hard poo on some outer feathers that I gently washed off with some warm water, & applied a little plain mineral oil to the area. Now today (two days later), he's still continually peeping, and when I checked his butt it's dry but much of his bottom is now missing down feathers & rather raw! Please help! Any advise appreciated....I'm keeping the brooder pretty clean...now wondering if I should use only paper towels instead of pine shavings & if I should isolate him???? Don't know what's wrong....Thanks!

Ps....I've isolated him for now but seen that he is actually pecking at his bottom himself! Don't see any mites (though probably should look with a magnifier) but the other ones he came in with seem just fine...Any ideas???

 

[nchls school]

Hi all...I've had a brood of nine for about three 1/2 wks now from TS...All have been doing very well. Then, this past weekend, I picked up three more chicks (blue laced reds just a few days old) from a local event. All my chicks are located in a spare bathroom with ambient heat but in separate brooders. They all seemed healthy though the smallest one, of the three newcomers, continually peeps-almost nonstop. It seemed to be eating ok, but it kept acting cold; so, I cranked the heat up-but to no avail. I checked for pasty butt, and while it's vent looked a little red & enlarged A possible intestinal infection., I saw no real evidence of blockage-just a tiny little hard poo on some outer feathers that I gently washed off with some warm water, & applied a little plain mineral oil to the area. Now today (two days later), he's still continually peeping, and when I checked his butt it's dry but much of his bottom is now missing down feathers & rather raw! Please help! Consider using the appropriate antibiotics and separate him from the rest. Any advise appreciated....I'm keeping the brooder pretty clean...now wondering if I should use only paper towels instead of pine shavings & if I should isolate him???? Don't know what's wrong....Thanks!

Ps....I've isolated him for now but seen that he is actually pecking at his bottom himself! Don't see any mites (though probably should look with a magnifier) but the other ones he came in with seem just fine...Any ideas???

Once the chick is isolated, clean and sterilize everything.

 

[Sevanson Woods]

Update: Thank You Nichls School!...I've put the other two blue/reds with my other brood, and they seem to be doing well together. I put the little one in a small clear bin by itself, with paper towels, cleaned feed & water dishes, fresh water, some white sand to lay in, as well as a little feathered chick toy it seems to like to snuggle with....will keep you posted. Considering electrolytes in water... What antibiotics do you recommend/how much would you suggest? Powdered in water...same as electrolytes? Thanks again....

 

[nchls school]

Update: Thank You Nichls School!...I've put the other two blue/reds with my other brood, and they seem to be doing well together. I put the little one in a small clear bin by itself, with paper towels, cleaned feed & water dishes, fresh water, some white sand to lay in, as well as a little feathered chick toy it seems to like to snuggle with....will keep you posted. Considering electrolytes in water... What antibiotics do you recommend/how much would you suggest? Powdered in water...same as electrolytes? Thanks again....

I like ornacycline-a tetracycline product for small chicks. It's available online or at many pet shops. Other people have other preferences. Put your question in the advanced search box at the top of this page and you will get other threads that discuss this. Yes to electrolytes and yes to water-soluble. Good luck.

 

[Sevanson Woods]

Thanks again Nchls School. Just wanted to give you an update: treatment/electrolytes seem helping, also gave a little yogurt....redness fading looking much-much better already...but still
has incessant crying. Before isolating "him" (I think he's a BLR splash roo) he was constantly trying to get under his siblings wings though the thermastat showed he should be plenty warm enough (& the o thers seemed fine)....perhaps emotional? He does seem a runt-is much smaller than the others-but perhaps thats cause cause hes a roo? Anyway...thanks again...will see....

 

[nchls school]

Thanks again Nchls School. Just wanted to give you an update: treatment/electrolytes seem helping, also gave a little yogurt....redness fading looking much-much better already...but still
has incessant crying. Before isolating "him" (I think he's a BLR splash roo) he was constantly trying to get under his siblings wings though the thermastat showed he should be plenty warm enough (& the o thers seemed fine)....perhaps emotional? He does seem a runt-is much smaller than the others-but perhaps thats cause cause hes a roo? Anyway...thanks again...will see....both signs that the chick is not warm enough.

Glad to hear that the situation is better. Incessant cheeping usually means too cold. Try increasing the temperature a little. Roosters are very often the bigger chicks.