Sick 6-7 week old chicks. Please help

[Stewarts]

Chicks and Chickens should never get sugar, its toxic to them. Mix plain, unflavored yogurt and chick starter, put a little in their beaks. You can cook carrots and add a little of that water to sweeten the mixture naturally if they don't like it plain. They always love hard boiled eggs - I peel and process mine in the processor and add a little yogurt. But things like salt and sugar they don't get naturally from what they eat when they free range and it isn't added to their feed mixture.

I had a sick chick, he hatched too early and had not fully absorbed his yolk. His yolk and his body were still merging as one when he came out of his shell, the yolk that he still had to absorb was green in color. I had to tuck him back into his shell for another day before he finally climbed out and was a fully developed chick. Once in the brooder he was fine, ran with the other chicks but he would not eat. I made the yogurt/starter mixture to get him eating. Today he's the healthiest Roo I have! He rules the roost in the coop! Not bad for a chick with half his body not absorbed at hatch time and I owe it to the yogurt/starter mash. Yogurt gives them the bacteria they would normally get from eating their broody's manure. I haven't lost a single chick and none ever became sick.

 

[Aphrael]

Chicks and Chickens should never get sugar, its toxic to them. Mix plain, unflavored yogurt and chick starter, put a little in their beaks. You can cook carrots and add a little of that water to sweeten the mixture naturally if they don't like it plain. They always love hard boiled eggs - I peel and process mine in the processor and add a little yogurt. But things like salt and sugar they don't get naturally from what they eat when they free range and it isn't added to their feed mixture.

I had a sick chick, he hatched too early and had not fully absorbed his yolk. His yolk and his body were still merging as one when he came out of his shell, the yolk that he still had to absorb was green in color. I had to tuck him back into his shell for another day before he finally climbed out and was a fully developed chick. Once in the brooder he was fine, ran with the other chicks but he would not eat. I made the yogurt/starter mixture to get him eating. Today he's the healthiest Roo I have! He rules the roost in the coop! Not bad for a chick with half his body not absorbed at hatch time and I owe it to the yogurt/starter mash. Yogurt gives them the bacteria they would normally get from eating their broody's manure. I haven't lost a single chick and none ever became sick.

I have never heard of sugar being bad for chickens... Now, granted they shouldn't be given sugar in large amounts or for no good reason. But I have used sugar in water (the less refined the better in my opinion) for weak or listless chicks when I didn't have sav-a-chick or poly-vi-sol on hand and needed something for them now. I have a duckling right now that I am sure would never have made it without the raw sugar water I got into him. I would never advocate feeding chickens sugar on a regular basis, but used judiciously it can be a life-saver. My chickens and ducks do get full access to the compost as well which gets all people food scraps dumped on it. They eat what they like and leave what they don't. So they eat baked good leftovers with sugar in them and they are very healthy and lay well.

 

[Stewarts]

I have done the same with leftovers but I'm careful what I give them when it comes to baked goods as there is more than just sugar in that stuff and I'm careful about what I allow them to have in general. Sugar water would only provide a little rush of energy, I'm sure that has helped I just wonder about the crash for the chick - you know it has the same effect on people, the crash that comes after the sugar rush. I should think it has the same effect on a chick but maybe a worse one too. Unlike humans, a chicken's body isn't designed to process or cope with things like sugar water. Its a bit like drinking a can of pop for us and pop is carbonized sugar.
Before I even begin a hatch, I prepare ahead of time for it. I make sure I have SuperBoost and all the other items talked about on this site, on hand. So if I need it, I have it. My first hatching this past Summer has been a real learning experience and I thank everyone on this site who post about their birds and the issues/concerns that they've had to deal with. Such information is invaluable to everyone on the site.

 

[Cynthia12]

I am soo into Denegard! Look it up on here. I can't say enough good about it. It works so fast. For hens, don't have to wait for egg with drawl. Have used it for years!

And yes I have used sugar when they were very young if I didn't have electrolytes around, but not after they were past a week old. Don't suggest giving the chicks or chickens too much sugar in food left overs either..no pastries.

 

[Stewarts]

I'll have to add Denegard to my list of items to have on hand

 

[nikkinewlin]

Okay, so for the past 4 days the chicks have been getting Tylan 50 once a day.
I have added Pro bios to there drinking water. (Probiotics)
They have been eating wet mash, and dry start and grow with a little nutri-drench drizzled over it
The smaller one was not eating or drinking, so I mixed up some very wet mash, added probiotics and syringe fed her for a couple of days. She is eating now
The one with the gunky eyes is being treated with Neosporin.
Every one has started to show improvement.
I have heard of Denegard, it sounds like something I may have to get to have on hand in case of future issues.
Thank you every one for your advise. This site has some very knowledgeable people, and I do not know what I would do with out your help!

 

[Aphrael]

So very glad to hear they seem to be on the road to recovery.

 

[nikkinewlin]

So very glad to hear they seem to be on the road to recovery.

Two out of four babies are outside being regular chickens two are still a little thin, but doing much better. I want them inside till they put weight back on. now that I got threw this respiratory mess I have a mite issue... cant win!

 

[Aphrael]

Two out of four babies are outside being regular chickens two are still a little thin, but doing much better. I want them inside till they put weight back on. now that I got threw this respiratory mess I have a mite issue... cant win!

If you make them a dust bath with dirt, sand, peat moss or something similar with wood ash mixed in with it, it will help prevent mite problems in the future. The wood ash will keep them away when the chickens dust bathe in it.

 

[Chikky Chikky]

My first sick chick! They are 6 weeks old and we just moved the coop outside. Heat lamp and all . One of the Buff Orpingtons is way bigger than the others and has a bigger cone and red flappy things on each side. (Please don't be a Rooster!)

We put them and the coop in the backyard Friday and for two days they all ran around pecking just fine. Then Sunday I noticed the BB was in the coop perched by the heat lamp and it wasn't cold outside. From Sunday to this morning she/he wants to sit in a nesting box or stay inside. She is eating the chick food and drinking fine but her poo looks a little light. Her eyes and beak are clear, she isn't drooping her head or feathers. Only thing is she walks real slow and won't snatch treats from me or the ground like she did 3 days ago. Other chicks are doing great.

Any suggestions? Oh and I do put 1 Tabelspoon of apple cider vinegar per gallon of water for them and I think that's why I never had a pasty butt problem. I'm hoping maybe she just ate something in the yard that didn't agree with her...