Sick baby chick HELP!

[Beastie]

About a week ago we bought 6 chicks from TS. Up until now they've all been acting super healthy and active. This morning however I noticed one little baby (my favorite one, go figure) just laying down when the others were all standing, she hopped up when I put my hand near her but seems very wobbly on her feet and went right back to laying down even getting stepped on by the others. I have corid but I'm not sure if these chicks were vaccinated or not. Should I try to treat with corrid, should I try sav a chick or something else? Help!

 

[Eggcessive]

It is too early for the chick to have coccidiosis. It may be suffering from dehydration or shipping stress. Get some SaveAChick vitamins with electrolytes (or other brand) and add to water. Then start dipping it's beak into the water for it to drink, letting it swallow in between. Do this the rest of the day with periods of rest. A tsp of sugar in a quart of water, Pedialyte, or Gatorade undiluted will work in a pinch, but make sure water is not cold. Make sure the baby's vent is clean and not pasted close with poop. Do you have a thermometer under your brooder lamp set around 90 degrees F?

 

[Beastie]

I don't have a thermometer but they have all been sleeping at the end of the brooder opposite the heat lamp and haven't been huddling they looked pretty content so I'm assuming their temps have been alright. They're eating dumor chick starter and I'm wondering if it could be lacking in vitamins? I will not be home the next few hours but I'm planning on stopping by TS on the way and hoping they have sav a chick, hopefully she hangs on that long. No pasty butt on any of them I have been checking daily to make sure. Their droppings are pretty dry/hard looking. I did try dipping her beak before I left to make sure she gets a bit of water in her, she still had enough oomph in her to fight me on it.

 

[Eggcessive]

If you can find SaveAChick, other brands such as Rooster Booster Vitamins with Lactobacillus, Durvet vitamins and electrolytes, and Poultry Nutri-drench can be used. The last one is best given undiluted orally 1 ml by mouth daily, then push the water.

 

[Beastie]

Thanks again eggcessive!

 

[Beastie]

Okay, I got rooster booster the directions say to mix 1/3 tsp per gallon. This is the dilution I give it to them at right?

 

[Beastie]

Have you heard of epidemic tremors? Hoping that's not it but the symptoms kind of fit.

 

[Eggcessive]

Avian encephalomyelitis hopefully should not be a problem, since your chicks came from a hatchery via the farm store. Since dehydration and shipping stress is the most common cause of this type of behavior, I wouldn't worry about AE just yet. AE causes chicks to become lame and lie on their sides. They can tremble if you hold them on their backs in the palm of your hand. It's good to be aware of this, and keep it in the back of your mind, but since there is no cure, let's hope it is not that. The dosage on the contain should be correct.

 

[Beastie]

I'm hoping not but I am keeping it in the back of my head for sure. I haven't tried putting her on her back but when I cup her in my hand she does feel kind of like she is vibrating/trembling. She seems to have perked up a bit since giving her the rooster booster, I also wet down a bit of food and gave her that in a lid, she gobbled it down quite hungrily. I have her inside of the little box they came in inside the brooder since I don't have anywhere else to put her with a heat source. I also put one other chick in with her because she was very stressed being alone. Tractor supply doesn't know what hatchery they get their birds from, nor whether or not they're vaccinated, in fact their staff knows pretty much nothing about them (it's pretty frustrating really, I'm thinking about writing corporate). Does shipping stress still makes sense with the fact that she was in store at least 24 hours and has been with me for 4-5 days?

 

[Wendi8348]

I have a polish chick acting the same way. I have been giving water and save a chick. So far it has been holding on for 8 hours. I just got done giving it water and sadly, I don't think it will make it the rest of the night. :-( I hope your chick pulls through.