Sick Chick

[Larkin]

(sorry, I posted this in Raising Chicks first but realized it needs to be here)

We have 26 -7 day old chicks and all but one are happy and healthy. Junior was having watery, clear, stool yesterday morning and she wouldn't eat or drink (even a scrambled egg). She would just stand there in one spot, very lethargic, and seem to fall asleep. She did perk up late last night and is now with the other chicks because she was chirping loudly in her "isolation" box. (She had water, food, and heat lamp in that box)
This is our first batch of chicks, we have done a lot of reading but we can't understand what may be the trouble. They are on a medicated chick starter, have a Quick Chick added to the water for electrolytes and vitamins and they had a Mereks vaccination from the hatchery. This morning she is pooping a little at a time and it is runny, sticking to her downy bottom (which I have been wiping with warm water tissue occasionally) and she is drinking a little and eating a little. Lots of sleeping now and she is resting on her belly now instead of sleeping while she is standing like yesterday.
Has anyone experienced anything like this? Any helpful insight would be appreciated -my youngest daughter is in love with this little runty chick and we don't want to lose her!!

 

[Larkin]

Now she is having more clear, watery, stools and is just standing asleep?! Can anyone help?

 

[RidgesideBeauty]

Is she eating at all on her own? When I received my babies from the hatchery, I had one that I swore was not going to make it, it was a runt that had been roughed up in transit (would not open eyes, standing in one place). I read some people's suggestions to to forcefeed her sugar water by eye dropper and moistened crumbles... the rationale being that if she wasn't taking in nutrients/calories on her own anyways (likely to die), at least by forcefeeding I was getting something into her was an improvement over that (a last resort, and might die anyways, but at least giving her some chance). I did that for a day, an d expected to find a dead chick in the brooder the next morning, but that following morning she was weakly tottering around and eating/drinking on her own. Again, if it's between that option and near-certain death (if not eating on her own), it's worth a try.

Hope that's a little helpful maybe.

M.T.

 

[Larkin]

Yesterday she was not eating by herself till late evening, she perked up a little and was eating a bit. Today I have only seen her drinking and then standing asleep. I tried to "force" feed her yesterday and was not very successful but maybe that is what helped her by evening. Right now she has clear poo that just barely dribbles out of her vent.

 

[boogiedog]

I had a little runty girl with a broken leg - could not even stand. I removed her from the rest so that she didn't get trampled, and kept her in a little pen next to her buddies. I mixed up plain yogurt, cooked egg yolk, a drop or so of water and a tiny sprinkle of electrolytes. With a toothpick I would pick up a little lump and bring it to her mouth and poke her beak a little bit. Sometimes getting the little blob to hang off her beak made her eat it. She caught on within a day or so and would go right for the blob; I continued to suppliment her feeding for about a week (doing this every few hours during the day). It is now a few weeks later - her leg is healed, she is still a little bitty girl but up and running with the crowd and doing well. Sometimes just a little extra TLC works...good luck!!!

 

[RidgesideBeauty]

If she isn't really taking in any real food, it wouldn't be surprising that all she has to pass is clear and watery too. Since she's passing thin and watery stool, it is especially important to make sure she's getting something like an electrolyte solution to fight dehyration and give her some form of sustenance. If she loses energy, she won't be able to eat/drink on her own. When I forcefed mine, I used moist tiny balls of starter crumble, and would put it in her mouth (very very carefully prying her beak open) and stroking her throat to encourage her to swallow. It might take a bit of extra TLC to get her over the "hump" of recovery.

 

[ChickLover98]

I think she NEEDS to eat. The clear stool is probably having no food, so all that comes out is water. Try giving her yogurt or scrambled eggs to get her to eat.

 

[Larkin]

Despite feeding her by hand and all the extra care and love we gave her, Junior died.
Thanks for the advice and for caring enough to respond quickly.

 

[RidgesideBeauty]

I am very sorry to hear about your loss. I know it's not easy, but they are very fragile little buggers and sometimes there is nothing you can do.