Sick chicks

[Andrew65]

Three of my chicks (probably less than three months old) have suddenly started acting odd, they will hardly stand up or eat, and one is just sitting around with her eyes closed. The others in the group are also acting slightly sluggish but still are moving around and eating. We don't know why they would be doing this. My sister put some sevin dust on some trees that were getting eaten by bugs, the chicks were near the trees for a day or two afterwards, and we have now moved them further away. Other than that we can't think of any reason why they would be acting weird.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[coach723]

The first thing that comes to mind is coccidiosis. Common symptoms are lethargy, sitting around fluffed up, going off feed and water, runny, mucousy, or bloody droppings. It's a protozoan type parasite that attacks their digestive tract, they pick up from the soil, it's everywhere. It's most common in younger birds and chicks. Treatment is Cord (amprolium) which is available at most feed stores, tractor supplies, etc. It is usually found in the livestock/cattle section. It can be either powder or liquid form, either will work. Dosing chart below, use the severe outbreak dosing. It's very safe, so even if that is not what it is, it won't hurt them. Make sure it's the only water they have available during treatment, and make it fresh daily. If they are too sick to drink on their own, you can give them some straight in addition to the water mixture to get it in them quickly, dosing for that is here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/corid-oral-drench-instructions.1211991/
Best if you start treatment ASAP, it can progress quickly to death, some strains are more virulent than others. Those that recover will have some resistance to it in the future.
While I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand, I'm doubtful that the sevin dust is the culprit, while it does have some toxicity, some people have been using it to dust for lice/mites on their birds for decades.

 

[Andrew65]

I have been giving them that stuff for a few days now and all of them seem to be doing better, except for one. Any idea why one of them wouldn't be doing any better?

 

[coach723]

That one may have had more damage to the digestive tract, and may need more time, may have had more coccidia internally, may have a bit weaker immune system, maybe hasn't been drinking as much water and getting enough medication. If you have not used the drench on that one, try doing that now (link is above for dosing). If you get to the end of 7 days and it's still not perking up then make sure to continue with the preventative dose for another week. I have heard of some strains of coccidia not responding to Corid and needing a sulfa drug, I have not personally experienced that, corid at the severe outbreak dose has always worked for me. If you have to go that route you will need a vet to get the medication. Has the one gotten worse, stayed exactly the same, or improved even a little? Also possible that that one has something else going on in addition to the coccidia. Since your others have improved it would seem that coccidia was the correct thing to treat for.

 

[Andrew65]

The one has only been getting worse so far. A couple days ago she would at least stand up and eat a bit, now she is hardly alive (literally thought she was dead for a minute while holding her).

 

[coach723]

If you have a vet that is an option you can get get 5 days supply of sulfadimethoxine and treat with that. Have you given her the drench orally, sounds like she is probably not drinking on her own?

 

[Andrew65]

I just figured out how to give her the drench thing today, but at the moment the only response i can get out of her is slight movement from her head and occasionally her foot twitches so I don't see much that can be done at this point. I am definitely going to keep the information on this for future use (although I hope I don't need it again).
Thanks for the help either way, you saved at least ten of them

 

[coach723]

You are welcome, I'm glad most of them are better, and I'm sorry about the one that isn't doing well. It's always hard to lose one after trying hard to get them better.