Sick Chick- Anything Else To Do?

[TXSunshine]

Hello- I have a 3 week old (now 4) chick that got a swollen eye on Thursday evening. Friday morning I took it to the vet. The vet said it looked like an eye injury only and gave me the Terramycin ointment. The other eye was fine initially. Then on Saturday evening I noticed the other eye was also acting like it was getting swollen. No nasal drainage- roof of beak looks “normal”. Started Amoxicillin 50mg oral syringe twice daily on Sunday. The chick chirps and flaps it’s wings and will walk short distances. It will drink electrolytes/ probiotic water if I dip it’s beak. I am syringe feeding water mashed starter feed and hand feeding scrambled eggs. I’m just wondering at what point I need to realize this is futile. I feel badly because it truly has a will to live but I also don’t want it to suffer. Pics attached. (I tried to attach the video but it won’t give me that option)

 

[azygous]

If that's a four-week old chick, it's definitely a failure-to-thrive victim. It should be well feathered by this age.

I hate to be such a downer-diphead, but it's so far behind now and isn't giving any indication it's strong enough to survive this latest assault on its system. I think you see this, also, and you've already begun the countdown to throwing in the towel on the little one. It's much kinder to end it if it shows no improvement on the antibiotic.

 

[TXSunshine]

If that's a four-week old chick, it's definitely a failure-to-thrive victim. It should be well feathered by this age.

I hate to be such a downer-diphead, but it's so far behind now and isn't giving any indication it's strong enough to survive this latest assault on its system. I think you see this, also, and you've already begun the countdown to throwing in the towel on the little one. It's much kinder to end it if it shows no improvement on the antibiotic.

Thank you. It’s just hard because it cheeps (“talks”) a lot when I’m in the room. It just can’t seem to eat/ drink on its own. It’s head is hard to judge feathers by as the eye cleaner and eye ointment makes it look like it has nothing. But it is much smaller than its peers. I am a NICU nurse so I’m used to nursing little ones but I don’t know what is expected in baby chicks- only in humans!

 

[azygous]

FTT chicks hatch with genetic issues, underdeveloped organs, and poor utilization of calories and nutrients. I've had only one of these type chicks survive with a tremendous amount of supportive care. Then, sadly, since it was under sized and never caught up, it was easy prey for predators and things ended badly in spite of surviving its many limitations.

 

[TXSunshine]

FTT chicks hatch with genetic issues, underdeveloped organs, and poor utilization of calories and nutrients. I've had only one of these type chicks survive with a tremendous amount of supportive care. Then, sadly, since it was under sized and never caught up, it was easy prey for predators and things ended badly in spite of surviving its many limitations.

Thank you for the help and insight