Sick baby chick

[cgbanny]

Hi. We got some baby chicks this past Saturday from Rural King. We have a temp regulator on our heat lamp. I change the water every day with electrolytes, keep the brooder clean, we have had 2 chicks pass yesterday with what seems to be a respiratory issue (labored breathing and then shallow), they started displaying characteristics not like the others slowly (not active, not chirping, would let me "pet" them, wouldn't run, etc, one chick one day with symptoms, then the one the next day; however, the 2nd one passed quickly)...Now I have a 3rd chick that is having droopy wings and is being a loner. Should I give antibiotics to the entire flock? Segregate the 3rd chick

 

[Aapomp831]

Do they have a cool spot to go to? You don’t need to regulate the temp, just let them tell you. Loud chirping and huddling is too cold. Panting and holding out wings, too hot. The lamp should only be on one side. And it’s not natural for chicks to want to be “pet,” it’s normal for them to not want to be handled so that’s not a symptom of illness. You also haven’t mentioned what you feed them....
I would suggest getting some Corid and treating them for coccidiosis.

 

[cgbanny]

Do they have a cool spot to go to? You don’t need to regulate the temp, just let them tell you. Loud chirping and huddling is too cold. Panting and holding out wings, too hot. The lamp should only be on one side. And it’s not natural for chicks to want to be “pet,” it’s normal for them to not want to be handled so that’s not a symptom of illness. You also haven’t mentioned what you feed them....
I would suggest getting some Corid and treating them for coccidiosis.

Hi. yes, the lamp is only on one side and will keeps that side at 95. I know it isn't natural for them to want to be petted - hence why I said they aren't acting normal. I am feeding them the medicated chick starter grower. I have fed them chopped up boiled eggs as well.

 

[Aapomp831]

Hi. yes, the lamp is only on one side and will keeps that side at 95. I know it isn't natural for them to want to be petted - hence why I said they aren't acting normal. I am feeding them the medicated chick starter grower. I have fed them chopped up boiled eggs as well.

They don’t need the chopped up boiled egg, and probably won’t eat it. I would go the Corid route; medicated feed is not a 100% guarantee they won’t get cocciadosis.

 

[Chickenslol]

Hi. yes, the lamp is only on one side and will keeps that side at 95. I know it isn't natural for them to want to be petted - hence why I said they aren't acting normal. I am feeding them the medicated chick starter grower. I have fed them chopped up boiled eggs as well.

you really should treat them with corrid for now, just to be safe, coccidiosis can be devastating for a little flock.

 

[Mellowmalt]

Since my opinion goes against what has been suggested I need to add that as a disclaimer. I am not saying what I am saying because I disagree with anything that has been suggested so far but it is purely what I believe and I know it will just confuse more but not everything is black and white.

So coccidiosis interferes with the uptake of certain vitamins and can cause more harm than good if you don't need it! Make sure you absolutely need to treat them.

Electrolytes will do exactly the same and since vitamins are the most important thing to feed an ailing chick, electrolytes will weaken the chick further as it displaces the vitamins that chicks need.

That is just my opinion.

 

[Chickenslol]

Since my opinion goes against what has been suggested I need to add that as a disclaimer. I am not saying what I am saying because I disagree with anything that has been suggested so far but it is purely what I believe and I know it will just confuse more but not everything is black and white.

So coccidiosis interferes with the uptake of certain vitamins and can cause more harm than good if you don't need it! Make sure you absolutely need to treat them.

Electrolytes will do exactly the same and since vitamins are the most important thing to feed an ailing chick, electrolytes will weaken the chick further as it displaces the vitamins that chicks need.

That is just my opinion.

do you mean corrid or coccidiodsis?

 

[cgbanny]

Since my opinion goes against what has been suggested I need to add that as a disclaimer. I am not saying what I am saying because I disagree with anything that has been suggested so far but it is purely what I believe and I know it will just confuse more but not everything is black and white.

So coccidiosis interferes with the uptake of certain vitamins and can cause more harm than good if you don't need it! Make sure you absolutely need to treat them.

Electrolytes will do exactly the same and since vitamins are the most important thing to feed an ailing chick, electrolytes will weaken the chick further as it displaces the vitamins that chicks need.

That is just my opinion.

Hi so I am putting Durvet that has vitamins and electrolytes in their water with duvet probiotics. This gets changed daily. Should I not be doing this?

 

[cgbanny]

you really should treat them with corrid for now, just to be safe, coccidiosis can be devastating for a little flock.

Even if they have no bloody or black stools?

 

[Mellowmalt]

I wouldn't feed the corrid unless it is necessary. It's the medicine that interferes with their vitamin uptake.
https://www.durvet.com/blog/the-scoop-on-vitamins/

Corrid should be used as a LAST RESORT.

Electrolytes are already present in chick feed. Feeding too much electrolytes (which were designed for human health not chickens) will cause problems. Chickens never need electrolytes as chickens do not sweat so don't lose excess salt due to sweating which is a human thing. Taste your sweat - we lose sodium or salt, chickens don't need to replenish it like humans do.

So what are the effects of feeding excessive electrolytes?

https://www.healthline.com/health/high-potassium-hyperkalemia#symptoms
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/salt-and-sodium/

So to answer your question, ask yourself do chickens sweat like humans?
If they don't sweat out electrolytes like humans do, should we be feeding it to chickens?
Can feeding too much of something they are not designed to require cause problems?
Read the articles and decide. Incidentally all the symptoms listed in this thread are the symptoms of excess electrolytes mentioned in the articles I have linked