Shaking Chick

[BethsFlock]

We have 5 approximately 6 week old chicks. Last Monday night I noticed one was very lethargic and there was blood in the broader. I suspected it was bloody droppings and the chick was dealing with coccidiosis. I've been treating with 2 tsp per gallon of water (mixed fresh daily) with Corid since Tuesday morning. All the chicks seemed a little off on Tuesday, but now the one that was very sick and three more seem fine. However, one of the chicks cannot stop shaking. She is eating and drinking, but is wobbly and tremors.
They are just some mutt chicks that were abandoned by a neighbor. Their mother was eaten by a coyote shortly before I found them when they were roughly a week old. I'm fairly certain they were not vaccinated. I have them in medicated feed, in a clean broader. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks!

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

Is its whole body shaking or just shaking its head or something. I would try taking each chick mix up 10ml of warm water and mix half a teaspoon of corid in it and give each chick 0.07ml of the mixture once a day to give them a little bit of a higher dosage corid is a very safe thing but u can overdose.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. It's good that you started the Corid. Make sure that she is drinking enough. She needs the fluids worse than food. She may have a more serious infection, and all you can do is give her the fluids, and even a drop or two of the concentrated Corid would help, keep her warm, and hope for the best.

 

[BethsFlock]

Bump?

 

[BethsFlock]

Thanks for the responses! It the whole body that is shaking. I will try the more concentrated dose.

 

[Eggcessive]

Make sure that your chick is not chilling. Sick chicks need extra warmth. Shaking can be from being cold, but also could be a symptom of illness or electrolyte imbalance due to not taking enough fluids. Keep us posted.

 

[BethsFlock]

I gave her a concentrated dose of Corid last night and still no improvement. I'm going to take her out of the broader and put her in a box closer to the light. Does anyone know if you can mix electrolytes with Corid in the water? I feel so badly for her, her whole body shakes and she moves erratically, stumbling around and it's almost like she's having trouble holding her head up. She still gets up for food, though, so I'm hoping that's a good sign.

 

[BethsFlock]

Ok, so I read on other threads that mixing Corid with electrolytes is a big 'no.' So, next question- should I stop the Corid for a day and give just electrolytes? An electrolyte imbalance would make sense with these muscle control types of symptoms she's exhibiting.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can play around with that by giving her concentrated Corid orally, and letting her drink electrolyte water for 24 hours. I would try about anything with a chick that could die. If you have the liquid Corid just give her 2 drops several times a day, and make her drink electrolytes in between. The Corid powder can be made into a concentrate by taking 1 1/2 tsp and adding that to 10 ml of water, which will roughly equal the Corid liquid. Be aware that fluid and electrolyte imbalance can cause many neurological signs, such as imbalance, shaking, weakness, and lameness. Just having coccidiosis or an infection where the chick won't eat and drink enough, can look just like a neurological problem.

 

[BethsFlock]

Thank you so much for your advice, @eggcessive! I'm going to do what you suggested. Fingers crossed...