Sick 5-6 week old Brahma?

[SurfCityBumpkin]

I am concerned about my 5-6 week old light brahma. I brought her home yesterday with 2 mini Cochins and a silkie all 5 weeks old. They are housed together inside for 2 more weeks. I am a newbie so please bear with my lack of chicken lingo.

The brahma had already been moved outside with the other 8 week old pullets at the breeder. She stood out because she was so small compared to the others in her flock and I thought it might be a good idea to get a smaller gal since my others are bantams. When the breeder picked her up he mentioned she might be younger since she wasn't quite fully feathered and small.

They are all now home with me and everyone seems to be doing their normal chick things except for her. She always seems sleepy and she sleeps off by herself most of the time. She is also very thin. Her breast bone is very pointy.

When I open the door to their house she has been bolting toward me as if to say, "get me out of here!" When I hold her, her body feels very warm and she closes her eyes and sleeps. I am including pictures of her neck and under her wings to see if she is just still getting her feathers or if her skin looks damaged.

I don't know if I am just being a paranoid first time mommy or if there is something wrong with her.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

She needs access to warmth since she isn't fully feathered. Hopefully your temps are 70 degrees or above.

You might consider treating her for coccidiosis if you think she is lethargic at that age. I would make sure she is nice and warm...she may need a heat lamp if she is cold.

 

[SurfCityBumpkin]

Thank you for the great input. I have been checking her frequently all day and she is more active but she still seems to always run to me like she wants me to get her away from the others. Of the 4 chicks, she has most quickly become used to me. Should I separate her and provide the heat lamp? She was outside prior to coming home with me.

 

[SurfCityBumpkin]

Oh, I forgot, their indoor coop/box is in the garage where it is nice and warm (75 degrees or so) I am in Huntington Beach, Ca.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Thank you for the great input. I have been checking her frequently all day and she is more active but she still seems to always run to me like she wants me to get her away from the others. Of the 4 chicks, she has most quickly become used to me. Should I separate her and provide the heat lamp? She was outside prior to coming home with me.

If you separate her she will be picked on when reintegrated- unless you bring one or two of her buddies with her. That is a judgement call...depending on your temperatures etc.

We are a bit cold up here at night in the Pac NW...I don't know how your temps are.

 

[SurfCityBumpkin]

It is in the mid to upper 60's at night so I covered their enclosure with a heavy blanket all night

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Oh, I forgot, their indoor coop/box is in the garage where it is nice and warm (75 degrees or so) I am in Huntington Beach, Ca.

Oh then that sounds wonderful!!

 

[SurfCityBumpkin]

Do you think I should just wait it out or treat them all for cocci since they have been housed together to be safe? Will it harm them to be treated if they don't need it? I truly appreciate your info

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Do you think I should just wait it out or treat them all for cocci since they have been housed together to be safe? Will it harm them to be treated if they don't need it? I truly appreciate your info

If she always seems sleepy and sleeps all the time, it sounds like Corid may help her out. But I am not sure of course. It is what I would do if I saw that in my flock at that age. I always treat all the chickens who have come in contact with the poo of the sick one.

Of course there are infections and other conditions that can make a chick lethargic. But I always start with Corid because I have dealt with so much coccidiosis.

 

[KristineY]

I would go ahead and treat her for cocci (and any others you have her with). Any chicks I've lost so far have all had cocci. I started using the medicated starter feed (with amprollium) and I keep them on it until their first egg. I haven't lost a chick to cocci since, nor have I had it in any of my adult birds.

Important thing I did not know starting out is that of you have your bird on amprollium, don't supplement with vitamins which contra-indicate the effects of the amprollium (I can't explain better than to say the amprollium prevents the cocci from getting a supply of nutrients and if you supplement with vitamins you override that).

I would give her some probiotic powder with scrambles eggs and try to build her up a bit. If the breeder put her out prematurely with older birds she may have been getting bullied away from eating enough to support growth.

The young ones do eat and sleep A
LOT! sleepiness isn't a worry if the chick is acting normally when awake.