Please help.... 9 week chick with standing/balance issue.

[CrystalMosko]

Sadly, my chick seems to no longer be eating (even scrambled egg) or drinking. I'm trying to figure out what to do now. I don't want to have her endure something if she can't recover, but I also don't want to give up on her.

 

[CrystalMosko]

Any feedback since switching off of the medicated food?

she's not liking the new food.....

 

[MROO]

Have you tried treating for coccidiosis? You need Corid (amprolium.) It should be in any and all water she gets - with no other vitamin supplements (including medicated feed.) Lay an undiluted drop or two alongside her beak with an eyedropper or spoon tip. She should swallow reflexively. If she has coccidiosis, you should notice a difference within 24 hours. If she doesn't, it's a benign treatment and won't hurt her or your other chicks.

 

[Airyaman]

Have you tried treating for coccidiosis? You need Corid (amprolium.) It should be in any and all water she gets - with no other vitamin supplements (including medicated feed.) Lay an undiluted drop or two alongside her beak with an eyedropper or spoon tip. She should swallow reflexively. If she has coccidiosis, you should notice a difference within 24 hours. If she doesn't, it's a benign treatment and won't hurt her or your other chicks.

Reminder: she's been on medicated feed her entire life.

 

[Airyaman]

she's not liking the new food.....

Is it the same brand but unmedicated?

 

[MROO]

Reminder: she's been on medicated feed her entire life.

Chickens on medicated feed can still get coccidiosis. It's like a Marek's vaccine. It doesn't prevent the virus, or in the case of coccidia - the parasite. It just gives them a better chance of fighting it off when they're exposed ... and it doesn't work for everyone!

 

[Airyaman]

Chickens on medicated feed can still get coccidiosis. It's like a Marek's vaccine. It doesn't prevent the virus, or in the case of coccidia - the parasite. It just gives them a better chance of fighting it off when they're exposed ... and it doesn't work for everyone!

Signs don't really line up with coccidiosis though, more of a nutrient deficiency. If it is a thiamine deficiency, further treatments (with Corid for example) will worsen the deficiency.

 

[Airyaman]

Sadly, my chick seems to no longer be eating (even scrambled egg) or drinking. I'm trying to figure out what to do now. I don't want to have her endure something if she can't recover, but I also don't want to give up on her.

As to her not drinking, have you tried feeding or watering her by hand? My recently passed SS pullet was not drinking close to the end, but if I put the water directly under her beak with just the tip in, she would take some. A little bit is better than none.

You could try the same with egg yolk instead of scrambled. A bit messy but it would get some nutrients in her.

 

[CrystalMosko]

Is it the same brand but unmedicated?

no, they didn't have the same brand in unmedicated.....should I try that?

 

[Airyaman]

no, they didn't have the same brand in unmedicated.....should I try that?

If she is used to a certain brand then the non-medicated version would be the closest to what she is used to. I would think without looking at labels that the only difference would be the amprolium.

As to why we're talking, here's another thread I found:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/vitamin-deficiency.1556046/