Seemingly recovered chick now fading

[adamthomas]

Unfortunately Penny (From this thread), who we believe to be a Partridge Penedesenca is 2 weeks old is fading. Initially she had had weak or possibly splayed leg but responded extremely well to a 24 hour hobble and appeared to have completely recovered for several days. We were elated. She and was eating and drinking and energetic but now she is fading and I'm not sure what to do. She is wobbly and can't keep her eyes open for more than a few seconds and is lashing out (pecking and pulling feathers) at the other birds. She will take water and food if I hand feed her and put it in her face and encourage her but I don't think she is going to it on her own. The other birds appear to be fine at this point.

I have isolated Penny in a separate brooder, switched out the electrolyte for regular water, and checked her crop for hardness as my wife read this can be a problem. She does not have pasty butt. The new brooder has a 250W red heat lamp rather than the Brinsea 600 brooder in the main pen so I can't compare temperatures but I measured the heat in the new pen at around 90 deg. Will increasing the heat to 100 or 105 help her at this point in a possible recovery or cause more stress and how hot is OK at 2 weeks? She has developed much of her primary and secondary feathers on her wings and primary coverts and tail feathers are coming in as well.

I really want to save this chick if I can. She has been a real trooper through initial treatment for the leg issue and will be a beautiful bird if she makes it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you please post some photos of the chick, the brooder and her poop?

100-105F is too hot for a 2week old chick. 90F probably is too. I would try one warm spot at 85F, let the rest of her space be cool - she needs room to get away from the heat lamp.

If you have some Poultry Nutri-Drench, I would direct dose her with 2-3 drops twice a day.
Provide her with plain fresh cool water and wet chick starter.

Sometimes chicks that has difficulty starting out, whether leg issues/slow to start, etc. are failure to thrive.

Keep us posted and look forward to your photos.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

X2
WAAAY too hot for a chick of any age. At this age they don't have the ability to regulate body temperature like older birds but 105 would even be too hot for adults.
I don't even go over 90F for day old chicks and still provide them with lots of cool space.
I think you are cooking the bird. Definitely lose the 250W heat lamp.
Your ambient room temp should be nearly adequate for a 2 week old chicken. If you think they need warmth, switch to a 75 watt ceramic emitter.

I'll do anything to save a Penedesenca so keep us informed and I'll walk you through it.

 

[adamthomas]

Thanks for the info on the temps. I'll check out Nutri-Dench. It appears the local Tractor Supply has it in stock.

I have not seen her poop yet since I isolated her an hour ago but will keep watching a post a pic when I get one.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Hopefully your other chicks aren't suffering those extreme temperatures.
Nutri-Drench is definitely the way to go. However, too much of a good thing is a bad thing. That goes for vitamins and heat.
Just follow the dosing directions on the label. 2 to 4 weeks of age get 1 oz. per gallon of water. That along with cooler temperatures may do the trick.

 

[adamthomas]

To be clear I have not exceeded 95 with any of the chicks at any point was able to stabilize the hospital environment for Penny with the heat lamp at 90 deg in the shaded portion. I have been trying to get her to drink off an on all day with mixed results and looking for her to poop, which she finally did just an hour or so ago. I only see 2 poops in the pen all day but it's hard to see with the pine shavings, and she has not been eating and drinking normally so the minimal poop could be attributed to that. Pics of the two I found are below.

The chick starter kit we have ben using from Meyer Hatchery since day one contains medicated chick feed with Amprolium, and we have been watering them with Vital Pack with vitamins and electrolytes. We have been super good about washing our hands every time before and after handling them so I hope it's not Coccidiosis. Note that the chick were also immunized for Marek's. Ideas?

I'll post a video somewhere if I can.

 

[adamthomas]

Here's a link to 2 videos of Penny to show her behavior. Note the wobbling and imbalance. She also seems to be grooming or picking at herself excessively, like she is itchy or irritated.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0fX6qarqsaCVKhTzKnecAZbsg

These chicks have been isolated in the laundry room since day 1 which is between 75-85 deg all day and night. They have a Brinsea 600 to keep them warmer if needed and it has been between 1.5 - 2.5 inches off the bedding surface. Chicks have been happy but do seem to "pile" on the opposite side of the pen from the heater when it's bed time.

Only the hospital brooder for Penny was taken to 90 deg with a brief (15 min) period up to 97 until i was able to rig the light approx. 3 feet above the bedding with a custom rig. It has now stabilized around 87-90.

I'm willing to do just about anything to save Penny. She's attached herself to my heart strings...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have been trying to get her to drink off an on all day with mixed results and looking for her to poop, which she finally did just an hour or so ago. I only see 2 poops in the pen all day but it's hard to see with the pine shavings, and she has not been eating and drinking normally so the minimal poop could be attributed to that

Isn't she sweet!

@ChickenCanoe may have other ideas for you, but this is what I would do.

Replace the shavings with puppy pads. Easier for her walk and easier to get a good look at poop. (easier clean up too!) Once you get her going, then you can add the shavings back.
Put the water station on a little block of wood or something to raise it up for her about chest high. I do start out with water on the floor, but start raising it in a couple of weeks. I've never put rocks in a chick water station, but that's up to you, I try to make water as "deep" as the little cup allows so they can really dip and drink - I know lots of folks put rocks in the stations and the purpose behind it, so no judgment there.

The food, she seems to migrate to the lid, so I would make that one available. The one with the holes you can leave that one too...those things are a pain to me (yes, I use them LOL) but they accumulate shavings. I also start raising the food higher in a couple of weeks too, but chicks like to pick and scratch so I like to give food on the brooder floor (puppy pads) and in an open dish as well.

Grit, I provide free choice.

She's not happy. Hard to tell if she's stressed because of separation or .....
Is her crop emptying? What does it feel like? I would focus on hydration. Was she drinking the electrolytes better over plain water?

 

[adamthomas]

Thanks for the suggestions. If she is still with us tomorrow AM I'll make run for puppy pads. Unfortunately there are no 24 hour stores in my area.

It was a real struggle to get her to drink in the beginning because she was unable to stand but we got past that with hand watering from a plastic lid and a 24 hr hobble. She bounced back for 5 days or so growing strength in her legs with frequent bursts of energy and sprints across the pen. Now she is spiraling and wont take drink of any kind from me. She just cries when I try and wants to snuggle up to my hand. I just hope she is drinking when I'm not looking but I'm doubtful...

The rocks are there in the waterer to prevent her from drowning since she is so unstable. I washed them very well before putting them in there but now i'm wondering if I introduced. Coccidiosis. I have no other animals but we have a lot of birds in the yard where the rocks came from . Should I have boiled them? Would the medicated chick starter help prevent infection from Coccidiosis or is that a fallacy.

Lastly, I checked and carefully massaged her crop but it felt soft and not hard so I don't think there is an issue there.

I will update tomorrow.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks for the suggestions. If she is still with us tomorrow AM I'll make run for puppy pads. Unfortunately there are no 24 hour stores in my area.

It was a real struggle to get her to drink in the beginning because she was unable to stand but we got past that with hand watering from a plastic lid and a 24 hr hobble. She bounced back for 5 days or so growing strength in her legs with frequent bursts of energy and sprints across the pen. Now she is spiraling and wont take drink of any kind from me. She just cries when I try and wants to snuggle up to my hand. I just hope she is drinking when I'm not looking but I'm doubtful...

The rocks are there in the waterer to prevent her from drowning since she is so unstable. I washed them very well before putting them in there but now i'm wondering if I introduced. Coccidiosis. I have no other animals but we have a lot of birds in the yard where the rocks came from . Should I have boiled them? Would the medicated chick starter help prevent infection from Coccidiosis or is that a fallacy.

Lastly, I checked and carefully massaged her crop but it felt soft and not hard so I don't think there is an issue there.

I will update tomorrow.

Right, I understand about the rocks. Washing them is probably sufficient.
Coccidia live in the poop and in soil - so chicks are exposed early on. Medicated feed in the US with Amprolium can help but won't treat an outbreak (overload).

She's quite boisterous, so likely Coccidiosis is not a concern at this time. If she were hunched up, ruffled, lethargic and staying under the heat, then I would be.