Please help, 8 week old chick won't recover

[chipazoid]

Hi all, would appreciate some help please! I have a barnvelder that I've raised since 3 days old. At 2 weeks it got sick (sneezing, weight loss, stopped development) and I had been treating it with a combo of teramycin and amprolium.

After a 2 week course, it showed signs of improvement but always was a bit weak. Its started to feather and walk more but its still not as active as the others. Its been several weeks and I noticed that it stands mildly splayed leg, with one leg out to the side by about 10 deg. It does correct itself standing though, I think. It also used to only walk head stooped down but recently has had better posture too. Any advice on what I should do to help this little fighter get better?

 

[nchls school]

Hi all, would appreciate some help please! I have a barnvelder that I've raised since 3 days old. At 2 weeks it got sick (sneezing, weight loss, stopped development) and I had been treating it with a combo of teramycin and amprolium.

After a 2 week course, it showed signs of improvement but always was a bit weak. Its started to feather and walk more but its still not as active as the others. Its been several weeks and I noticed that it stands mildly splayed leg, with one leg out to the side by about 10 deg. It does correct itself standing though, I think. It also used to only walk head stooped down but recently has had better posture too. Any advice on what I should do to help this little fighter get better?

The only advice I can give it to make sure it is getting its share of the food and water as the other birds will push it aside. How is it doing?

 

[kilby]

I think you need to put in sick care to make sure it's alright and heals/develops normally. Are you using starter or grower and is it medicated? I don't know but see if too much medication is bad. I think feed is medicated for worms only but take a look at yours if it might help. They can develop pneumonia since they have weak respiratory systems. Infections in air sacs or lungs is a possibility. My Roo had an infected heart after a fight even though I gave him tetracycline for five days as perscribed by the package I wish I knew if I could have given him more. I lost him after two weeks of getting better then worse again.

 

[enola]

Medicated feed contains Amprolium, which is used to treat coccidia. There is no medication in medicated feed for worms.

 

[chipazoid]

Thanks for the advice everyone! Actually about a day or 2 after I posted that, my chick got better. We named it Piglet from young since it was perpetually eating and it's no longer the smallest chick.

I actually stopped sick care for it (it was separate for 3 weeks) as I was close to giving up. Funnily enough, I think integrating it back has led to it exercising and playing around more. It still walks a bit stiffly but its now able to fly and roost on the tallest roost.

In case anyone was wondering, after sick care I gave them probiotics and vitamin supps. Progress was slow as you know, but hopefully this one will grow up nice and strong

 

[kilby]

Thanks for the advice everyone! Actually about a day or 2 after I posted that, my chick got better. We named it Piglet from young since it was perpetually eating and it's no longer the smallest chick.

I actually stopped sick care for it (it was separate for 3 weeks) as I was close to giving up. Funnily enough, I think integrating it back has led to it exercising and playing around more. It still walks a bit stiffly but its now able to fly and roost on the tallest roost.

In case anyone was wondering, after sick care I gave them probiotics and vitamin supps. Progress was slow as you know, but hopefully this one will grow up nice and strong

Bravo. a happy ending!