Sick chicks right out of the egg, help!

[Tumbleweedlynn]

It sounds to me like it is in pain. You do what you feel you need to. That sure does sound like a mystery, liquid vitamins at first symptom is all I can think to add. I sure hope you’ve seen the last of it

 

[Timbers Happy Hens]

Sorry, I meant a deformity (Not external, maybe internal) in the chick. You did mention that you've hatched from the same birds and had no problems like this, so I guess deformity may not be a valid point. Maybe, maybe not. I do think it is some sort of deficiency in nutrients though. What are you feeding the chicks?

They get a medicated chick crumble I get at tractor supply, I believe it’s the Dumor brand. However I’m pretty sure symptoms kicked in before they were really eating. The second one did poop in my hand and it was mostly water and some dark sludgy poop that looked like a yolk poop.

 

[Timbers Happy Hens]

It sounds to me like it is in pain. You do what you feel you need to. That sure does sound like a mystery, liquid vitamins at first symptom is all I can think to add. I sure hope you’ve seen the last of it

Thank you, the currently afflicted chick is still alive and sleeping peacefully with its buddy. So I’m thinking it’s not in terrible pain if it’s able to sleep so soundly. If it makes it through the night and is still struggling and doesn’t respond to vitamins in a reasonable time frame we will do a cull.
No response to vitamins will make me think internal deformity or neurological issue, so a cull would be the best route I believe.
The other 16 chicks are extremely healthy, flying through the crumble and very spunky. So I have high hopes. Will definitely update with what happens!

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

Thank you, the currently afflicted chick is still alive and sleeping peacefully with its buddy. So I’m thinking it’s not in terrible pain if it’s able to sleep so soundly. If it makes it through the night and is still struggling and doesn’t respond to vitamins in a reasonable time frame we will do a cull.
No response to vitamins will make me think internal deformity or neurological issue, so a cull would be the best route I believe.
The other 16 chicks are extremely healthy, flying through the crumble and very spunky. So I have high hopes. Will definitely update with what happens!

Enjoy the fluff

 

[Timbers Happy Hens]

Enjoy the fluff

I’m definitely enjoying them, they’re some of the beefiest bantams I’ve ever produced. They look like cotton balls! going to be hard to limit my holdbacks

 

[Nabiki]

I don't know a lot about chicken chicks, but your temperature sounds low if that's the warmest spot in your brooder. I would bring it up to 99 or so. Your brooder should have a warm end and a cold end so the chicks can choose the temperature that is the most comfortable for them.

Disease at this age would be very rare unless your incubator wasn't clean and was incubating germs along with the eggs.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You've used your brooder setup like this before?
No new lamp bulb correct?

I'd get vitamins into them all asap.

Give each chick 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex. Sounds neurological.

 

[Timbers Happy Hens]

I don't know a lot about chicken chicks, but your temperature sounds low if that's the warmest spot in your brooder. I would bring it up to 99 or so. Your brooder should have a warm end and a cold end so the chicks can choose the temperature that is the most comfortable for them.

Disease at this age would be very rare unless your incubator wasn't clean and was incubating germs along with the eggs.

I think 99 is too hot for chicks. I believe Day old chicks are to be kept at 95 and them drop 5 degrees every week they age. The chicks I have in the brooder are not bunching together on either side of the brooder so I don’t think it was temps.
I clean my incubator with dawn dish soap and then disinfectant as thoroughly as possible. I’ve done about half a dozen hatches or so and never had this happen.

 

[Timbers Happy Hens]

You've used your brooder setup like this before?
No new lamp bulb correct?

I'd get vitamins into them all asap.

Give each chick 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex. Sounds neurological.

Yes I’ve raised lots of babies in this exact setup, this bulb I’ve used for probably three batches.
All the other chicks are doing extremely well. I did put some chick boost into their water to be safe this morning. It’s all I had and I’m currently snowed in so I can’t leave to get different vitamins unfortunately.
The afflicted chick did make it through the night and I will be administering some more liquid vitamins this morning.
I agree it definitely looks neurological. Although I’m hoping it’s just a vitamin deficiency. It does look slightly improved overall.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes I’ve raised lots of babies in this exact setup, this bulb I’ve used for probably three batches.
All the other chicks are doing extremely well. I did put some chick boost into their water to be safe this morning. It’s all I had and I’m currently snowed in so I can’t leave to get different vitamins unfortunately.
The afflicted chick did make it through the night and I will be administering some more liquid vitamins this morning.
I agree it definitely looks neurological. Although I’m hoping it’s just a vitamin deficiency. It does look slightly improved overall.

I'd continue with the chick boost or whatever chick vitamins you have that contain E, B1 (Thiamine) and B2(Riboflavin).

Hopefully they will come around.

Just had to ask about the setup to make sure nothing had "changed". While it's not really common, a few people have accidentally used a heating bulb with Teflon coating which can cause symptoms of toxicity, gasping and death (don't use heated Teflon near birds). These are just questions asked to "rule out" things that can be addressed/fixed quickly.