sick brown leghorns, lost one already Update: he didn't make it

[charliesgrace]

Can anyone help please? I have a 1 and a half week old brown leghorn chick that is sick. It is listless, won't eat or drink, and makes a clicking noise when it breathes. It isn't holding it's wings up properly either, they just dangle. My other brown leghorn was found dead in the brooder yesterday. All other chicks are fine. RIR, Barred Rock, NewHampshireReds, and silver gray dorkings, 17 in all.
Is on chick starter, we have well water, and no signs of diarrhea. We have it separated Hubby is acting as a heater.
I am dipping it's beak in water and it will pick a little bit at a strawberry. Should I give yogurt or mashed yolk?
What else do I do?
I had hoped as a newbie my first post would be a fun one, but Duster needs help.

 

[sammi]

check the nostrils to make sure they are clear..
is it wheezing? sneezing? any mucus in eyes?
is the vent clear?

what bedding do you use?
what temp are you keeping them at?
what color are the droppings?

 

[charliesgrace]

they are on pine pellets, he is by himself and wrapped in a blanket for warmth, and cuddled in my hand. i haven't seen one of his droppings yet, we isolated him just recently, and he is just sleeping all the time.
i think the nostrils may be plugged, but not near the surface.

 

[threehorses]

In addition to what Sammi said, this baby will need an actual heater rather than just your sweet husband.

What temperature are they kept at please?

The clicking is most likely phlegm somewhere inside. Is the bird breathing through his mouth at all?

As for the food, make sure it eats the chick feed rather than the strawberry. That strawberry is high in water and is going to come through as watery red droppings which will make you panic.

Water some chick crumbles down. (make sure they're medicated with amprolium by the way.) If you want, you could add a dab of yogurt to it. If you add the water to the crumbles, he'll get a little extra moisture to help him from getting dehydrated.

When the babies are in the brooder, where are they in relation to the heating implement? Are they directly under it in a heap? Are they slightly under it? Away from it? Spread out throughout the brooder?

If you'll please answer our questions (there's a reason for each of them), we'll do our best to help you. thanks!

 

[charliesgrace]

i have a heat lamp in there, and they can go directly under or move away, they have lots of room to move around but i don't have the actual temp. most of the chicks don't like to be directly under but just to the side. this guy is not breathing thru his mouth at all. seems to be failure to thrive to me, but i don't know chickens.
last nite i fed him some yogurt he won't touch the wetted starter. he just lets it sit on the beak.
i put a warm wet cloth near his face and he burrowed right in.
i also misted some baby saline nasal spray ( hydra sense, with sea salt) to try and clear his blockage. now is only clicking in one side when it breathes.
seems no better or worse this morning other than improved breathing. normal stool, but smaller amount, and i have to wash off his butt, as some is stuck there.

 

[charliesgrace]

he didn't make it. thanks for the help sammi and threehorses.

 

[threehorses]

Awww I'm so sorry to hear that he didn't make it. Sometimes there might be one or two in a batch that aren't thrifty. I'm glad at least he had kindness in his first and last days. Thank you for that.

 

[sammi]

so sorry...
you did your best..