Please help - one of my chicks is listless

[adrian]

He's just lying there in a corner, eyes closed. He has separated himself from the others. He's not eating or drinking. When I feel his crop, I can feel stuff in it, mostly water. He poops, but only mucus, and it's all white, no fecal matter. Does anyone know what this is and if it will spread to my other chicks?

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

How old is he? When I have weak chicks I do a couple things to try and help them get a jump start...

A. Poly-Vi-Sol (WITHOUT added iron) couple drops on the corner of the beak and let them lick it up, couple times a day
B. Crumbled hard boiled egg mixed with plain yogurt and a little chick crumble. You don't want to force feed them, it can cause them to aspirate, but if you are patient and put a little bit on the corner of their beak and let them lick it up you can get some nutrition in them. It can take a little while, just a little bit at a time.
C. Apple Cider Vinegar (just a little bit) in the water, this is good for all chickens. It helps boost their immune system and helps them absorb vitamins.

Hope this helps, just try and get something nutritional in his system as quickly as possible. I've had this method work for me a couple times with listless chicks, unfortunately though, some chicks are just failure to thrive cases and can't be saved, but at least you know you did everything you can.

 

[adrian]

He's a week old today.
I've had lots of problems with these ones; they are buff opringtons and I don't think they came from a good line. I had one DIS with organs on the outside of his body, one was a runt with problems at the beginning who was an assist hatch. I fed her vitamins and she picked up.

I've already fed this little guy a vitamin/ACV mixture, and nothing came of it. Should I continue trying? Like I said, the others are doing great. So I don't know whether it could be environmental or anything that can spread...

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

I would keep trying, try the hard boiled egg/crumble/yogurt slurry to get a little food in him. It doesn't sound infectious, just a weak chick. Could also be something internal, sometimes you'll never know. Sorry you've had a tough going with this batch and good luck on the little one!

 

[adrian]

Thank you.

Yes, he's been weak from the start, and hasn't exactly gotten his "spunk" back like the other two have. My Ameraucanas are great, but these little buffs... Not so much. I'll try to help him and see what happens. He just seems to be getting progressively worse, though.

Edit: Went and looked at him, he seems to have regurgitated some of his crop contents and now is gasping for breath. Looks like he's going to die. His eyes are closed. I don't see any neurological symptoms, just that he is weak, won't walk, wobbles on his feet when I put him back down. I usually see birds gaping for air when they are near death, so I doubt there can be anything done with this little one...

However, that said, I'm terrified that it's something infectious. My birds are isolated from other chickens, and this popped up really suddenly despite the fact that he'd always been weak.

 

[adrian]

Just a quick question... It wouldn't be botulism if my other chicks don't have symptoms from the food, would it?

I have other babies coming, and I'm concerned about there being anything a) infectious or b) environmental that could lead to their deaths as well, because they have been very much anticipated for quite a long time. (Goslings + Ducklings). Like I said, the other chicks are fine; if it were botulism, would I see symptoms in them as well?