Sick chick?

[thechickgal]

Hi, I just picked up two buff orpington, two black australorp, and two barred rock chicks at rural king. They look just a few days old, one even had it's egg tooth still. One of the little barred rocks is acting sick. He/she just lays most of the time, just gets up to drink and eat. One eye also keeps getting stuck shut. I've used a warm rag to open it before I went to bed and now it's shut again. Is he/she sick?

 

[Embuck]

He/she certainly sounds sick. When you get the eye open, is it oozy? How does often does he/she get up to eat and drink? Does he/she move sluggishly?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi @thechickgal

Can you post some photos of your brooder setup and the chick that is not doing well (if you are using a red heat lamp, turn that off for your photos so we can see better)

What is your brooder temperature?

When you opened her eye, did you notice if she had any peck marks or debris (bedding, dust, fluff) that may have gotten into the eye?
Any discharge from the eye, swelling, coughing, sneezing, wheezing?

Rinse the eye with some saline or sterile water to see if it flushes anything out.
Keep her warm and watch to see that she is drinking well, if you have poultry vitamins add those to her water. Is she eating?.

Hopefully with a little more info and photos we can help you sort it out

 

[thechickgal]

I took pic of her normal appearing eye and the closed one. The brooder set up is just temporary as I set up a bigger one. I can hear popping noises when she breathes. And she acts kindve sluggish. I had to hand feed her because she wouldn't eat while the others did.

 

[thechickgal]

She eats just when she does it's not enough. She'll peck at food and get a few bits but looks uninterested in it.

 

[getaclue]

Maybe yes, maybe no. Chicks laying around can be totally normal. Sometimes chicks that have hatched in higher humidity tend to be stickier. Try putting some tepid (not even as warm as lukewarm) water into a small bowl. Wash your hands good. Get the table salt. Now, begin stirring the water in the bowl with your finger, now slowly begin adding salt until you feel a few grains not dissolving. When you can feel a few grains of salt, then stop. Get a cotton ball, and wet it in the salty water, squeeze out a bit of the excess, and wipe the chick's eyes. Do this about 3 times a day for a few days. This helps too, if another chick has pecked at it's eye, or something got into it.

You may want to add a few drops of poultry vitamins from the feed store, TSC, or Poly-Vi-Sol WITHOUT iron, from the pharmacy, for a few days.

This may be all that's needed. Just keep an eye out for any new developments. Check for pasty butt, and clean it with a damp rag, only if needed.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Are you providing a source of heat for them?
Is she pooping?
Is her vent pasted up?
Have one spot in your brooder that is warm - watch your chick's behaviors, they will tell you if they are too hot/cold or just right. When you have a bigger area for them, put the food and water on the cool end of the brooder.

Do your best to get her drinking first, then offer some wet chick starter. You can mix a small amount of chick starter with some warm water - make it the consistency of oatmeal, see if she will eat a little for you.

I don't see any obvious peck marks around the eye, but other chicks can give a good peck to the eye itself or she may have gotten some dust or bedding in it. Try to keep it flushed out or gently wipe it out.

Keep in mind that some chicks, despite our best efforts fail to thrive, this can be from a number of unseen things like genetics, internal deformities, etc.

 

[thechickgal]

I have one side of the brooder warmer then the other. And I have the food and water on the cooler side. I'm setting the bigger one up today. Thanks for the advice, I hope she gets better.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Please keep us posted. Most important is to get her drinking, then add food.

 

[thechickgal]

I wiped her eye gently and it thankfully hasn't shut back yet. She is seeming a little more active then she was. And I've seen her actually eat with the others. I still hear a slight popping sound when I listen to her breathing though.