Possiple Sick 3 week old Chick

[swadle]

I have a three week old True Blue Chick that was pretty active until yesterday. Yesterday she would eat and drink but she would then just stand there and close her eyes and sleep. I thought she might not make it but in the morning she was walking around and if is startled she will run away. She drank and might have ate. But is still sleeping quite a bit. She is skinny but her poop doesn't look bad. Any ideas if I am just paranoid or if she might be ill.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Possibly cocci.

Poos can look normal or maybe only an occasional bloody or gross one.

How many chicks in how much space and what are you feeding?

Corid is a name brand medication (feed stores or amazon) that works for most strains of cocci. Can be put in the water and whole flock treated. It works by acting as a thiamine blocker which SLOWS the growth of the coccidia which are in EVERY single chicken poo and only an issue when they bloom out of control, usually in warm humid conditions like that of a brooder. If poo got into the water it is a very fast way for it to spread, so making sure that doesn't happen can help. But I've even see chicks take a drink directly from a fresh dropping, so these things happen. In addition once I discovered my shaving looked much dryer on top then they were in reality. If you treat like this it is important NOT to supplement vitamins during treatment and to make sure it is their only source of water.

Even if you are feeding medicated, it may not be enough to inhibit your load and still may need to treat for coccidiosis.

That is the most likely culprit if you got your birds from an NPIP supplier, at this age. Treating with Corid (or amprolium the active ingredient) won't harm them if it isn't the issue. Cocci is NOT a death sentence and will not present the same in every bird or even effect everyone equally since some have stronger immune systems than others. If it is indeed cocci, treatment is simple and recovery is fast when caught early enough.

NO, you are NOT being paranoid! Noticing things quickly is key to chickens survival as they will hide any weakness as long as possible to not appear as easy prey. They are masters of "nothing was wrong to suddenly gravely ill or deceased". Good looking out!

ETA: make sure to use the treatment level dose and not the prevention level.

 

[swadle]

We are feeding them medicated feed. We just got 9 chicks in a 20 by 36 rabbit cage we just got them Sunday. The chicks are from 1 week to 3 weeks she is the oldest. I have separated her with another chick who is a couple of days younger but started Corid last night. I have stopped the save a chick which I had been given them earlier. The other 7 are running around like nothing is wrong. I hope I caught it in time. I just wanted to make sure.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would make sure that she is drinking frequently to get enough of the medicated Corid water. Dip her beak for a second if necessary.

 

[swadle]

Thank you she seems to be but I will make sure when I get home.

 

[swadle]

How long does it take for Corid to work?

 

[Eggcessive]

Which kind of Corid do you have? If you have the liquid, you can give her 2 drops of the undiluted Corid twice a day in addition to her drinking the water. If you have the powder, add 2 tsp to 2 tsp of water, and give the same 2 drops twice a day. That will jumpstart the Corid if she is not drinking enough. Corid dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid or 1 1/2 tsp of the powder per gallon of water for 7 days. A lot depends on how sick she was, and if it is coccidiosis or not.