Poor 7 Week Old

[Treegod]

This morning I turn up at the coop and find one of the 7 week olds look lethargic. He just finds the nearest corner and stands there with his feathers puffed up and doing nothing.

A bit of back story that might help... at around 4 weeks I let them out of their nursery. A week later the hen lost interest in her chicks and they've been on their own since (the mother of this hen doesn't get broody, maybe that's something to do with it?).

The chicks have been fine for all that time, though I did notice recently that this chick looks cold in the mornings with his feathers puffed up, not all of his feathers have developed, unlike the other chick who seems perfectly fine. By the evenings the chick seems better again. But now he's really lethargic. I've taken him and the other chick and put them in a cage, to avoid the rest of the flock attacking the "weakling".

What possible problems could make it lethargic, and could it have anything to do with the hen abandoning them that early?

 

[donnaps23]

ours were acting that way because they were exposed to some bacteria in the grass and it got in their systems and basically gave them rot gut.

watch and see what hte stool looks like - I am guessing little thing is cold because it is dehydrated - it might have diarrea as well. Does it feel comparatively lighter than the others when you pick it up?

Ours had some blood in the stool - we lost 10 chicks before we figured out the problem and got them some tetracycline that they are drinking now in their water - this is the 3rd day of nursing them along so we are looking towards full recovery on the ones who are left.

 

[Treegod]

Thanks for the advice. I put him in a cage and saw that he did produce liquid poo. It might be that he didn't have access to water or food, being pushed away by some of our older chicks. But perhaps with a few days on his own he might be able to recover. I'll see what happens.

 

[chkn]

You might want to check out threads in the last day or two on legargic chicks, supplementing, special care, respiratory infections.

 

[Pola]

Echoing CHKN, you should definitely look into the 'cocci' threads if there is any hint of blood in the poop. Corid (amprolium) is what most people here seem to be recommending and what we have put our 7 week olds (who caught cocci just a couple days ago) on now. Good luck!

 

[Treegod]

After a couple of days in a cage he's perked up. I think it might be something to do with not having good access to food and water. Or perhaps it has been the hot weather. Either way he's certainly better. Leaving him in the cage again and see how he is later and just keep an eye on his condition.