Peculiar series of events

[Chandlerharris]

Hello, decided to post here because I knew all you seasoned fellow chicken lovers know more than I do. Apologies for the lengthy post but I’m very confused. Depending on who is reading this, you may remember my mislabeled “Leghorn” AKA Cornish X purchase from TSC situation earlier last week. I have those two birds in a brooder along with two other RIR chicks. All hatched around about the same age (almost 5 weeks old) but obviously the Cornish X are much larger. Anyways. I noticed one of my RIR chicks yesterday acting very.... “puny”. Not really eager to walk around.. eyes closed/half closed. Not perking up to my presence near the brooder like the other 3. Just generally ill acting. I did notice it occasionally eating but something seems definitely off. All poop in the brooder looks normal. Nothing foamy or weird colored. I did pick it up to look it over and held the other RIR chick in my hand and WOW it’s so much lighter. I went and wet some chick crumble and held it up shooing the others away and I swear it are for 10 mins solid. Finished half the cup I offered it. I guess my questions is.. is there such a thing as “failure to thrive” in a chicken? This one has shown no weird behavior whatsoever until very recently. Could the Cornish X’s be hogging all the food and that one is more shy and isn’t getting enough? I’m just really scratching my head especially because I’ve had FIVE out of the blue chicken deaths in the last four months and wondering if this is all connected?? Three of those being just this week (Two of them were 1 week -ish old chicks out with hens in my coop and one was just two nights ago 8 mo old bantam who died very quickly) Just paranoid I’m missing something or is this all bad/weird timing...?? I will say my 4 chicks in my brooder have had no contact with my big chickens out in the coop. So I’m confused! Thanks for taking the time to read and this chicken newbie appreciates any advice at all!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Show some photos of where you are housing them, the chicks, feeders, etc.

It's possible the CX are hogging the feed. What are your plans for the CX? If free fed they are going to gain weight quickly. I'm not a nutritionist, but I do know you may be able to extend their life for a while by limiting how much they eat and them getting some exercise (free ranging, etc.)

OK Back to the RIR. Photos of her poop would be good too please.
If she was hungry, then likely that's the cause of her weakness - let's hope. I would offer her some poultry nutri-drench or electrolytes too. See that she's drinking well and eating.

 

[Chandlerharris]

Show some photos of where you are housing them, the chicks, feeders, etc.

It's possible the CX are hogging the feed. What are your plans for the CX? If free fed they are going to gain weight quickly. I'm not a nutritionist, but I do know you may be able to extend their life for a while by limiting how much they eat and them getting some exercise (free ranging, etc.)

OK Back to the RIR. Photos of her poop would be good too please.
If she was hungry, then likely that's the cause of her weakness - let's hope. I would offer her some poultry nutri-drench or electrolytes too. See that she's drinking well and eating.

I will post some pics of the set up tomorrow. It’s a x large dog crate with the lamp tied up top and I’ve got one small chick waterer and feeder I fill up way too many times a day. I should probably switch to something bigger but I planned on them being ready for being out in the coop in a few weeks (in AL).

As for the Cornish X we do plan on processing and eating them but I’d love to improve their quality of life while they are here and hopefully buy them some more time. I do let them walk around the yard which they enjoy but wow they eat a lot. I’ve gone through almost a 50 lb bag of crumble in about 3.5 weeks on them. But I just have been putting out food as it disappears.

I’ll get some pics of her poop tomorrow as well. I think I’ll have to dedicate time each day to supervising her eating and keeping the others away and see if she improves. And I’ll give her what you suggested.

 

[Chandlerharris]

Show some photos of where you are housing them, the chicks, feeders, etc.

It's possible the CX are hogging the feed. What are your plans for the CX? If free fed they are going to gain weight quickly. I'm not a nutritionist, but I do know you may be able to extend their life for a while by limiting how much they eat and them getting some exercise (free ranging, etc.)

OK Back to the RIR. Photos of her poop would be good too please.
If she was hungry, then likely that's the cause of her weakness - let's hope. I would offer her some poultry nutri-drench or electrolytes too. See that she's drinking well and eating.

Well just went down to check before bedtime and she pooped and this does not look like good poop to me also.. got a pic of general demeanor.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would treat for Coccidiosis.
You can find Corid in the cattle section of TSC

Liquid Corid dose is 1 1/2tsp per gallon of water and Powdered Corid is 2tsp per gallon of water. Give as the only source of drinking water for 5-7 days. Make sure she's drinking the water.

Let us know which Corid (powder or liquid) you get, if she were mine I would give her a drench in addition to her drinking the mixed water. I'll give you instructions for drench once I know which Corid you have.

 

[Chandlerharris]

I would treat for Coccidiosis.
You can find Corid in the cattle section of TSC

Liquid Corid dose is 1 1/2tsp per gallon of water and Powdered Corid is 2tsp per gallon of water. Give as the only source of drinking water for 5-7 days. Make sure she's drinking the water.

Let us know which Corid (powder or liquid) you get, if she were mine I would give her a drench in addition to her drinking the mixed water. I'll give you instructions for drench once I know which Corid you have.

Alright I’ve called in and paid for the liquid Corid. I’m going to pick it up later today! What is this drench?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Alright I’ve called in and paid for the liquid Corid. I’m going to pick it up later today! What is this drench?

Make the mixed Corid water for them all to drink. See that she's drinking the water too.

In addition to her drinking the mixed Corid water, give her undiluted liquid Corid at a rate of 0.10ml per pound of weight once a day for 3 days. The undiluted is the "drench". This will give her a jump start hopefully.

AFTER you finish the treatment in 5-7 days, I would give her some wet feed with a little buttermilk or yogurt stirred in and direct dose her with poultry vitamins for a couple of days too.

 

[Chandlerharris]

Make the mixed Corid water for them all to drink. See that she's drinking the water too.

In addition to her drinking the mixed Corid water, give her undiluted liquid Corid at a rate of 0.10ml per pound of weight once a day for 3 days. The undiluted is the "drench". This will give her a jump start hopefully.

AFTER you finish the treatment in 5-7 days, I would give her some wet feed with a little buttermilk or yogurt stirred in and direct dose her with poultry vitamins for a couple of days too.

I did give them the mixed water and made sure she is drinking it.

I looked up the drench earlier and had to go with the grams dosage (.02ml/g) because she is SO LIGHT. I weighed her on our kitchen scale and she weighs 210 grams. I didn’t even know how to measure out so little so I ended up just pushing two small drops out of the syringe and just giving those to her.

I did see her eating today so that’s good but she didn’t want any of the feed I offered her after her drench. I will do the yogurt and vitamins!! Thanks.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I did give them the mixed water and made sure she is drinking it.

I looked up the drench earlier and had to go with the grams dosage (.02ml/g) because she is SO LIGHT. I weighed her on our kitchen scale and she weighs 210 grams. I didn’t even know how to measure out so little so I ended up just pushing two small drops out of the syringe and just giving those to her.

I did see her eating today so that’s good but she didn’t want any of the feed I offered her after her drench. I will do the yogurt and vitamins!! Thanks.

Glad you found it.
Corid is mild and won't hurt her at that weight I would give 2-3 drops, that should be fine.
Then see that's she's drinking the mixed water. Sometimes when they are not well they don't drink very good and become dehydrated, you may need to syringe the mixed water into her too - that will be o.k. to do.

Remember, the vitamins come after you finish out your 5-7 days since there could be a conflict if they contain B1 (Thiamine).

Hope she perks up. Keep me posted.

 

[micstrachan]

Oh, thank goodness you were able to get the corid so quickly. I, too, suspect coccidiosis AND she might be bullied off feed from the others.