This is the first time in 4 years and hundreds of baby chicks that I've had one die. I've even managed to revive a couple that were nearly dead from shipping. But this has me completely stumped.
He was a packing peanut in my last order, one of 11 (I purchased 9 chicks). Either a Barred Rock or Black Sexlink male. Total of 20 chicks in the brooder, plenty of space. Clean, temp is good. Everything perfectly fine. On medicated chick starter (which I have used for years and always will use), fresh clean water daily. All the other chicks are perfectly fine.
All the chicks were fine all day yesterday, but about 11pm last night, I saw this one acting lethargic, standing a bit wobbly with drooped wings. No other symptoms. He still moved about to adjust his temperature. Took him out and gave him some warm electrolyte/vitamin water by syringe. He would still swallow on his own. After a bit of that, he pooped. But it was just clear liquid, no foam, basically looked like it was just water. So I added some chick starter to the water and fed him some mush through the syringe. Put a colored zip tie on his leg so I knew which one he was. Crop slightly filled, I put him back in the brooder (no place else to put him, since the heat plate is in use). He found a comfortable spot and stood in his lethargic state again. Checked on him two hours later (I fell asleep) and he was dead.
He didn't feel skinny at all, as if he hadn't been eating. Same size as the other packing peanut chicks. One week old, weight was 61 grams. No injuries or anything. Nothing looked wrong except being lethargic and the watery poop.
As I said, this is the first chick I've had die in 4 years, out of hundreds of chicks. So I'm completely at a loss as to what may have been wrong with him. Any ideas?
He was a packing peanut in my last order, one of 11 (I purchased 9 chicks). Either a Barred Rock or Black Sexlink male. Total of 20 chicks in the brooder, plenty of space. Clean, temp is good. Everything perfectly fine. On medicated chick starter (which I have used for years and always will use), fresh clean water daily. All the other chicks are perfectly fine.
All the chicks were fine all day yesterday, but about 11pm last night, I saw this one acting lethargic, standing a bit wobbly with drooped wings. No other symptoms. He still moved about to adjust his temperature. Took him out and gave him some warm electrolyte/vitamin water by syringe. He would still swallow on his own. After a bit of that, he pooped. But it was just clear liquid, no foam, basically looked like it was just water. So I added some chick starter to the water and fed him some mush through the syringe. Put a colored zip tie on his leg so I knew which one he was. Crop slightly filled, I put him back in the brooder (no place else to put him, since the heat plate is in use). He found a comfortable spot and stood in his lethargic state again. Checked on him two hours later (I fell asleep) and he was dead.
He didn't feel skinny at all, as if he hadn't been eating. Same size as the other packing peanut chicks. One week old, weight was 61 grams. No injuries or anything. Nothing looked wrong except being lethargic and the watery poop.
As I said, this is the first chick I've had die in 4 years, out of hundreds of chicks. So I'm completely at a loss as to what may have been wrong with him. Any ideas?
