Sick Chick, Any Help Would be appreciated

[PaigeAshbaugh]

I recently got into the chicken world and honestly have no idea what one doing, last week we bought 6 chicks, they are currently in a brooder in my house as I let them grow some more before moving them to their coop.

5 are growing fine,
One has pasty butt, I’ve cleaned her a lot to prevent it from clogging her vent, but She’s also extremely weak, I noticed the 5 others began trampling her so I’ve seperated her out to try to nurse her back to health. I’ve been forcing her to eat/drink, and today she has began to kinda do it on her own if I place her in front of the water/food. She’s lethargic and has pretty much slept all day, but hasn’t had any issues with the vent clogging. Her breathing is very forced it seems, and she won’t move away from the heat source for very long. But the brooders temperature isn’t off.
Is she a lost cause or is there something more I can do?

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! You are doing well so far, but who knows? If she's really getting better, that's great, and continue the nursing care a bit longer. Then she needs to be back with the group as soon as possible, or at least with the mildest chick, and then with the group.
I'm not a fan of treating an unknown illness with every possible antibiotic; I'd likely continue nursing care and see what happens.
Every chick isn't going to live and thrive regardless of anything you can do. Because I raise chicks from my flock, I'm not really interested in having 'poor doers' in the breeding group.
Mary

 

[dunnmom]

I wouldn't write off a chick who will eat, drink, and poop just yet. My mom swears on nutri-drench for weak chicks.

 

[Folly's place]

It's a good addition to what you are already doing. Good luck,
Mary

 

[PaigeAshbaugh]

Welcome! You are doing well so far, but who knows? If she's really getting better, that's great, and continue the nursing care a bit longer. Then she needs to be back with the group as soon as possible, or at least with the mildest chick, and then with the group.
I'm not a fan of treating an unknown illness with every possible antibiotic; I'd likely continue nursing care and see what happens.
Every chick isn't going to live and thrive regardless of anything you can do. Because I raise chicks from my flock, I'm not really interested in having 'poor doers' in the breeding group.
Mary

I was really hoping itd only take a day or two to get her back in with the others, I wasn’t going to separate her, until I saw she was being trampled ):

 

[PaigeAshbaugh]

Thank you ladies! I’ll try it!
I literally had no prior knowledge of chickens before saying HEY THEY ARE CUTE, let’s buy six!
A decision I wouldn’t recommend to anyone, but I have learned a lot this week of having them.
This groups advice was the first on the google search. So much helpful information

 

[Folly's place]

We all started somewhere! Chickens are a lot of fun, and the eggs and chicken dinners are terrific. Mary

 

[azygous]

Your little chick could be a failure-to-thrive chick. In my photo below, you will see the chick on the far right is very small and its head is thrown back. These are a couple symptoms of the condition. Another one is that the chick will hog the heat since they can't seem to get warm enough, and they seem to hold their wings down, loose, and slightly away from their bodies. Their down is matted and they look like a dog just spit them out.

These FTT chicks need a bit of a boost if they're to make it since they likely have underdeveloped organs that prevent the efficient processing of nutrients. The chick pictured was just about a goner when I decided to crumble up some tofu with some Poultry Nutri-drench sprinkled over it like chocolate syrup over a sundae. It's a good way to get water into the chick, also. Tofu has all the good stuff chick crumbles have, but it's easier to digest.

The chick really went for the tofu and fought off the bigger chicks to get his share. He grew, though he was always small.

Another issue your chick may have is constipation. Sometimes pasty butt leads to backing up of poop, so I use solid coconut oil fed in tiny bits to break up the clog. You can do this even if you aren't certain the chick is constipated. If you are rewarded with a huge poop after several hours, you will know you probably saved the chick's life.

 

[PaigeAshbaugh]

Update on the chick, I got nutri-drench today, and it has helped wonders! She’s actually up and moving around a bit, still a little weak but getting better, tomorrow I’ll put her back in with the rest of the chicks. And I seem to be in the clear from pasty butt!