chickens29
In the Brooder
So recently I've noticed one of the chicks wasn't growing properly like the others.
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
Silkie, 2 weeks, a lot lighter than the others
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Sits in corner away from other silkies, occasionally drinks and eats. If you touch her, she is very cold unlike the other chicks. She is also small like a day old chick. She peeps too. She has grown wings.
She lets her wings hang down and puts her head against the wall because she cannot stand at all. Today she was normally eating and walking but now I don't know what happened. She also always wants to sleep and isn't awake and alert like other chicks.
My mom commented that her breathing is labored now, which it wasn't this morning.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Since a week ago I've noticed her size wasn't normal. She seemed to be larger before though and normal..
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Bullying, but all of my bullied chicks have never ended up in such a critical situation. I do not think she was dumped in the water because it is too shallow and she was never wet. Is it possible for a chick just not to grow?
Maybe sickness? None of the other chicks are sick and they are all growing well, except for this one chick.
My mom occasionally gives treats like a piece of an omelette, but nothing has worked.
I did notice that when they were all a few days old and I think on their first day all of the chicks had a crackling noise, similar to rice krispies. It has gone away now. I do not hear it from the limp chick but I do not want to pick her up in case I fatigue her even more.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Yes, but only a fifth of how much she should eat. So sometimes.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Normal
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Separation from production red chicks (because they are jumpy bullies) and put with fellow silkie chicks who don't bully her. She still peeps like she is alone though. My family and I make sure there is constant access to clean water and lots of food.
We also have a furnace on which provides heat like a heat lamp. This year we lost the clamp to the heat lamp. :/
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I would like to treat it myself.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
No, but she looks like a 3 day old chick.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Newspaper changed daily with pine shavings in a large plastic brooder.
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
Silkie, 2 weeks, a lot lighter than the others
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Sits in corner away from other silkies, occasionally drinks and eats. If you touch her, she is very cold unlike the other chicks. She is also small like a day old chick. She peeps too. She has grown wings.
She lets her wings hang down and puts her head against the wall because she cannot stand at all. Today she was normally eating and walking but now I don't know what happened. She also always wants to sleep and isn't awake and alert like other chicks.
My mom commented that her breathing is labored now, which it wasn't this morning.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Since a week ago I've noticed her size wasn't normal. She seemed to be larger before though and normal..
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Bullying, but all of my bullied chicks have never ended up in such a critical situation. I do not think she was dumped in the water because it is too shallow and she was never wet. Is it possible for a chick just not to grow?
Maybe sickness? None of the other chicks are sick and they are all growing well, except for this one chick.
My mom occasionally gives treats like a piece of an omelette, but nothing has worked.
I did notice that when they were all a few days old and I think on their first day all of the chicks had a crackling noise, similar to rice krispies. It has gone away now. I do not hear it from the limp chick but I do not want to pick her up in case I fatigue her even more.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Yes, but only a fifth of how much she should eat. So sometimes.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Normal
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Separation from production red chicks (because they are jumpy bullies) and put with fellow silkie chicks who don't bully her. She still peeps like she is alone though. My family and I make sure there is constant access to clean water and lots of food.
We also have a furnace on which provides heat like a heat lamp. This year we lost the clamp to the heat lamp. :/
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I would like to treat it myself.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
No, but she looks like a 3 day old chick.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Newspaper changed daily with pine shavings in a large plastic brooder.
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