Puffed up chick. I've read the possible causes. Stocking a first aid kit. Advice.

[Ruby Rogue]

This is my first time having a sick chicken. I've read up on what could possibly be wrong. Someone else put them in last night so she may have even been left out in the cold for all I know. I've given her water with vitamins and she drank when I dipped in her beak. I gave her scrambled eggs with a sprinkle of poultry vitamins in there as well. Warmed a towel in the microwave and she's wrapped up and cozy with me on the couch. She hasn't pooped yet so I can't check for blood or parasites.

I've never had to use meds for my birds and they are hard to get where I live. I'm going to do an Amazon.com order today, can I have some suggestions on medications and supplies I should have on hand? Corid for calves was listed as cheaper, would that also work for chickens in a lower concentration? Thanks for all who respond.

 

[DobieLover]

She has the posture of a bird ill with coccidiosis. You need to start Corid immediately. Do not wait for it to arrive in an Amazon order. Find it today.

The Corid for calves is the same concentration as it is for chickens: 9.6% in liquid form. If you have a nearby dairy farm, perhaps they'd give you some. You don't need much. 25 mls would get you through treatment.

I would get this ASAP and drench the chick once daily for 3-5 days with 1/4 cc of UNDILUTED Corid. Additionally, provide only Corid water for drinking and use it for making mashes out of her chick starter. For the first 7-10 days dilute 2 tsp of Corid to a gallon of water giving fresh solution daily.

After this initial dosage is complete, give her Corid diluted 1 tsp per gallon of water for another 5-7 days.

During treatment with Amprolium (Corid) you need to stop giving any vitamins that contain thiamine (vitamin B1). After treatment is over, you should feed probiotics to help the gut heal. I've read that some buttermilk in rice is good to offer but I've never fed that.

 

[cooingdove]

what beautiful bird you have!! hope your treatment works out.

 

[Lovem all]

Idk how to help her but all chicken owners should have vetricyn spray. It works wonders

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Thank you all for your suggestions.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

She seems better...I think she may have been left out in the cold all night, scared and not sleeping. She is eating and drinking eggs and vitamin water. She loves the warm towel snuggle. I really have no way of obtaining Amprolium until at least next week. The closest I can get is medicated chick starter. So if there are any other suggestions I would be grateful.

Also any other medications besides Amprolium or corid that I should have on hand in case of emergency. Thanks to all who reply.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Could malnourishment cause her to act like this? She feels very bony. Her group of 5 have been kept in with our Cornish x. They have a separate cage for sleeping in and I leave food and water in their cage at night, but it is possible that the meat birds aren't letting her eat during the day. No others from her flock are affected and the Cornish x are acting normal.

She seems much better, still hasn't pooped yet.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

All she wants to do is sleep....

 

[Eggcessive]

It is good that she has been eating and drinking. She may have been kept from eating, so it might be good that she and her flock mates are divided from the c.c. or have multiple feeders and waterers. If you have chick or baby vitamins, you can give some, but they are not given when Corid is given, since it is a thiamine inhibitor. Symptoms of coccidiosis are lethargy, sitting puffed up, not eating, and runny poop or bloody poops.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

She is still lethargic, had one runny poop...only that one poop all day. No blood. Not really puffed up anymore. Not eating much. I bought the medicated chick starter because that was as close as I could get to corid... I also bought worm medication but haven't administered it. She will be kept separate from the rest of the flock until she improves, or dies ( )

Is there anything else I can do?