Sick Chick

[Katharina]

Hi There,

I have 5 week old Wynadottes and Chanteclers. Two weeks ago I lost one of the Wynadottes. It was very weak and couldn"t stand. I fed it water from a dropper and held it next to me and warm for a few hours. It began to perk up and I put it back with the others. It lasted another week then it happened again. I did the same and it perked up again. I put it back with the others and came back 1 hour later to find it dead. Two weeks later I have another Wynadotte doing the same thing. The Chanteclers seems fine.

This chick had white excrement stuck to its behind but not covering the anus. I am feeding them a mix of grains with some peas in it. Mixing in some salt, minerals and some soyabeans which have toasted in a fry pan for about 5 minutes. They are lso getting some cooked egg every couple of days. I have 11 chicks in a playpen with a heat lamp. When the first chick died they were on sawdust. Now they are on newspaper. I clean it daily though they o peck around in their own dirt. My husband tells me the waterer was slimy this morning when he cleaned it out.

Any ideas what I am doing wrong. This one is perking up with water and a little honey as I type. I really cant figure out what to do. Dont want to lose anymore...

thanks so much,Katharina

 

[MandyH]

Chicks need chick starter, I don't know how well they can tolerate all the things you say you are feeding them.. The saw dust could have been ingested and caused the first one to die. They also don't need to be on slick newspaper as it can cause spraddle leg. It needs to be covered with paper towels or be shredded. Get them some chick starter as soon as you can and see if that doesn't help things.

 

[luvzmychickens]

have you always used the food your useing now? or did you recently switch? if so that could be your problem. If you introduce them to to many yummy and exciting foods in a small period of time it can be just to much for them and they can go into a state of shock, or the chick that died and the chick thats sick, might be allergic to something in the mix, and there just acting up now because there finally eating enuff to were it affects them. start feeding them chick mash, but also the one that is sick use a water dropper and give her alittle bit of sugar water, that might help with her energy level. Try introduceing one food from YOUR feed at a time and see thier reaction to it. but dont start trying that untill they have all been healthy for about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks. Hopeing that helps

 

[Katharina]

Thanks for your help

. I do have them on shredded newspaper and am keeping it as clean as I can. I am pretty sure the food should be okay but I am switching to chick started just in case. I am starting to think it might be crooked beak. The one I wrote about died yesterday and I noticed that the lower part of its beak was off to the side. I have another one also from the same batch that is weak today and its beak is also to the side. None of the Chanteclers seem to be having any problems which is making me think that it is something to do with the Wynadotte batch that I got. I am feeding them egg yolk and water with a bit of sugar. The weak one is still able to stand a bit but is quite wobbly.
I have also given them some Oat Bran with Cod Liver Oil as I read somewhere that weak legs can have to do with Vitamin D deficiency and the recommended Oat Bran with Cod Liver Oil as a solution. Am trying to find potassium permanganate to cleanse the water with but that seems hard to find.

It is heartbreaking to watch them wobble around. Hope I can get to the bottom of this !

Really appreciate your responses and suggestions!

 

[Katharina]

Forgot to mention that the sick chicks have each shown signs of heavy breathing as well when they were at their worst. Current weak one is doing this...