Not growing, lethargic chick

[cbasser]

Hi, I am new to chickens and just got a little Buckeye a week and a half ago. I'm needing some help and advice. Last Saturday my Buckeye started looking sick. She pasted up and I cleaned her off. Later I noticed she had wandered off to the corner of the brooder all puffed up and very sleepy. She wasn't eating for drinking so I separated her. I didn't think she would make it through the night but she did. I treated the next day for coccidiosis with Corid. She is eating and drinking and pooping now but she is much smaller than all the other chicks I got at the same time and still seems tired. It sits while eating and peeps quite a bit more than everyone else. Is this just because of her illness or is there still something wrong with her? Thanks for any input. Cathy

 

[MustLoveHens]

Hi and welcome to BYC. I have brooded tons of chicks and every once in a while you get one like this. They are small, sleepy, peepy and just un-thrifty. Since you have already treated her with Corid, you might try adding some vitamins and electrolytes with sugar in her water. See if this perks her up. I had a chance to meet a show chicken owner last night at a seminar and as we talked this subject came up. He told me to mix a drop of molassas (sp?) in a gallon of water. It is the same as adding sugar in the water plus it ads in iron. I have yet to try this method since I just got this tip and I have no punkie chicks. I'd give it a try.
Unfortunately, from my experience, sadly these types of chicks don't generally make it.
HTH and Good luck

 

[cbasser]

Thank you for the reply. I actually gave her molasses water the night I didn't think she would make it. I'll try adding some vitamins.

 

[cbasser]

So, after much research I think my chick has a plugged vent. I am trying all the suggestions (i.e. molasses water, butt soaks, massage) nothing is working. She gets small amounts of poop out but the area beneath her vent is rock hard.