Sick chick

[calcifer]

Hi I hatched 9 coturnix chicks on may 16th and they have seemed relatively healthy but one is feeling under the weather, It started heavily panting about three days ago, I gave them sugar water and have been keeping an eye on them, none of the other chicks seem to be sick and it is still eating and drinking but is not getting a whole lot better, what should we do?

 

[kingmt]

Coturnix are in a hurry to get into this world but some just don't seem to want to stay once they get here. However list every detail you can think of about what your feeding & such along with a picture of the brooder & chick. We can see if there is something we can find.

 

[calcifer]

I have been feeding them crumbled game starter and cut up watermelon. But I just remembered once about a week ago I gave them a few pomegranate seeds but one chick ate it whole so I stopped and tried to make sure the rest didn't eat them. Could it be stuck in its throat and if so how do I get it out? I remember it was acting weird after eating the seed

 

[kingmt]

You shouldn't feed any seeds without feeding grit. It may be stuck in it's craw. Give it some tiny rocks to eat.

 

[calcifer]

Would sand work? If so how do I get it to eat the sand

 

[dc3085]

You really should try to get proper grit from the feed store. Its pretty cheap

 

[kingmt]

You really should try to get proper grit from the feed store. Its pretty cheap

What is proper. My birds seem quite happy with the stuff from the driveway. Some chickens I've butchered had chunks of glass in their craw.

I've seen done store bought grit & it looks like course sand to me. If you let the chicken pick she usually goes for the small rocks that have a little edge to them.

 

[dc3085]

Happy and healthy are sometimes two different things, but proper grit would be any digestable but insoluble particle that is sufficently sharp to aid in the breakdown of fiberous feeds, bones of small vertebrates,
Exo skeltons of invertebrates, etc. The reason i suggest packaged grit is that the particles available in some situations/localities may not be sufficient. You personally know what works but its one of those things that if you have to ask, you should probably take the safe route ya know. Also grit is typically stone while sand is obviously not. In part sand may be sufficient but as a sole digestion aid? I dont know.

 

[kingmt]

Course sand has small round stones. It will work but I believe that small rocks with edges works better.

 

[calcifer]

Ok so now all nine started to pant! I changed all of the bedding and don't know what els to do...... they all still are full of energy and keep jumping. I put a thermometer on the end were the heat lamp is and it seems to be around 100 degrees is that to hot? if so how do I lower the temp? could I change the heat lamp for a 70w bulb?