Runt of the hatch

[rellwill]

Our peahen successfully hatched four out of five eggs. They’re about five weeks old, all free ranging with supplement medicated and other appropriate foods always available. One has always been smaller, is always the last to follow mum. Over the last few days we’ve noticed it’s feathers are ruffled, will sit a lot longer than the others, it’s head feathers not developing as the others - this could be because they also pick on this one. Generally lethargic. It’s lost mum a few time with us needing to herd it back to mum. It seem to be eating and drinking, flying fine. This probably sounds silly but you look at it and with our anything really specific to say, it just doesn’t look right and we don’t think it’s going to make it, after raising chickens for years it’s one of those gut feelings. Sorry but I cant get a decent pic to show, mum wont let us near her brood.
? Should we leave this chick with mum, take it from mum and hand rear it alone/get a similar aged chicken for company, or put it in with my chicken hen and her 3 day old chicks. Any advice appreciated (in Australia so weather/temp is perfect)

 

[KsKingBee]

The main killer of peachicks is cocci and they are of age to contract it. Cocci can take them fast once they start looking rough and hunched up. I am not saying that is its problem but it is the first thing I look at.

 

[rellwill]

The main killer of peachicks is cocci and they are of age to contract it. Cocci can take them fast once they start looking rough and hunched up. I am not saying that is its problem but it is the first thing I look at.

Thanks. If this is the case, other than the medicated food it's getting anything else we can try?

 

[KsKingBee]

Thanks. If this is the case, other than the medicated food it's getting anything else we can try?

Medicated feed is a misdenomer, it does not treat a bird. The slow release of amprolieum is supposed to help build a resistance but most of us do not rely on it as they will still suffer from cocci especially in pen raised birds where the soil has a heavy contanimation of oscts and worms.. Your bird could simply be a slow to develop runt or 'dink'. Nature normally eleminates those type of weak birds in the wild to make a stronger species.

There may be other developmental problems you can not identify until after it dies. Corid is a treatment for cocci that works well with chickens, it is cheap and easy to obtain from the farm stores but does not work well for peachicks. Sulfadimethoxine works better for peas but dosing is critical. Our favorite is toltrazuril but you have to order it from Canada.

Your birds being free range are not as likely to get cocci since they roam over a large area and are not confined to heavily soiled dirt.

 

[Midnightman14]

I would just leave the chick alone. Even if you were to take it away from the mother it probably wouldn't make it in the long run. Some are just born weaker than others.

 

[old biddy]

The main killer of peachicks is cocci and they are of age to contract it. Cocci can take them fast once they start looking rough and hunched up. I am not saying that is its problem but it is the first thing I look at.

Wouldn't it help to treat it with Corid? I do that for my peachicks since I have chickens all over the place and know I have cocci in the soil. Doesn't that help with cocci?

 

[KsKingBee]

Wouldn't it help to treat it with Corid? I do that for my peachicks since I have chickens all over the place and know I have cocci in the soil. Doesn't that help with cocci?

It does indeed.