Sick Chick - Won't Move

[chcknrs]

Yogurt is a good source of protein, especially if they won't eat. Once you get her eating some yogurt, sprinkle some crumbles of starter on it. It is like cheesecake for my chickens! Even if she won't eat the crumbles at first, they soften in the yogurt. Keep the water coming too. I had one who got attacked by my dog, and did this and she is back with the others and doing good. She was about 4 weeks old tho. The first week seems to be the hardest, and then once they get to four weeks I really let a sigh of relief.

Excess heat uses up blood sugar, that is why she needs to eat ASAP.

 

[sledzeppelin]

I'll go get some yogurt.

This should maybe be a separate thread, but when I went down to check on the sick chick (who is ever more perky btw - she's in a little box in the brooder) I saw some really orangy-brown runny poop on their feeder. I took it out to clean it and it's extremely sticky. Like syrup. All other chicks appear to be fine - running around eating lots - and no sign of poopy butts. This was after the sick chick was separated so it's not from her.

 

[sledzeppelin]

I got yogurt but she won't eat it. I gave her more water from a dropper and she drank some but then seemed to throw up a little of it. I had sort of a slimy water on my hand. I'll try the yogurt again in a bit.

 

[chcknrs]

That orange brown poop is normal, the orange comes, I think, from them soaking up the rest of the yolk. My six week olds still have the sticky brown poo once in awhile. It is stinky!

Keep trying the yogurt, sometimes they have to get used to it. Also, go ahead and put some crumbles of starter on it. She may go for that better. I had to dip my chicks beak into a couple of times when she wouldn't eat. Then she loved it! I was afraid she wouldn't eat regular starter after that, but she is just fine now.

 

[sledzeppelin]

Not much news. She's still hanging on and seems stronger, but she's still super lethargic and can't stand. Still won't eat anything but she takes water pretty easily. I have a feeling I'm going to be up all night.

 

[ChickadeeLover]

Polyvisal enfamil, 3 drops daily for about a week them taper off. I really suggest this!

 

[ChickadeeLover]

P.S it works miracles. just last week it saved on of my chicks! (similar symptoms) I never figured out what was wrong with it but after she got the polvisal she got better fast!

 

[sledzeppelin]

Thanks - I'll see if I can get some Enfamil tomorrow.

She's still getting stronger and she keeps trying to stand now. She can hold her weight up if I support her side to side, but if I let go, she falls forward and sort of flips over. She also keeps turning her head back and forth. Not all the time, but enough to notice. Now I'm sort of wondering about brain damage, but I may just be paranoid. I guess I should be happy for this much improvement. I thought she was a goner this morning.

When I hold her, she struggles to get out of my hand, and she's got lots of strength. Just no coordination or balance. Her body is filling back out and she looks "right" now, whereas this morning she was completely limp and skinny.

She's chirping a lot now, and drinking water and a little yogurt. When I hold the yogurt in front of her, she turns her head like she thinks it's gross.

I have to stick her beak in it and then she can't help but eat a little.

 

[sledzeppelin]

She can now sort of stand up, but only in sort of a nighttime roost position, ie sitting on her feet. If I lean her up against something, she can stand up taller. When I pick her up and set her back down, her feet tend to cross, and at one point she was picking at the toes on one foot. Her feet seem very limp, though her legs have strength. She appears to be getting better and stronger so hopefully she just needs a little more strength to regain her balance. The good news is she started picking at the chick starter. She still doesn't care for the yogurt.

 

[sledzeppelin]

Just gave her some polyvisol, so we'll see if that helps. She got about 2 drops, so I'll try giving her another in a while. She seems more energetic, but she just can't get her feet under her well. Once she gets up, she usually falls over on her right side. Her right leg seems weaker and her right foot tends to rest on top of her left when she tries to stand. She also pecks at her toes quite a bit.