Sick chicks

Tiffy316

Songster
Mar 30, 2019
345
169
138
I just recently got some chicks, and some of them are acting very lethargic. Should I quarantine them from the rest of mine, or put them all together and hope for the best. One is gasping for air. The others just act very lethargic or tired.
 
There are a lot of reasons they could be acting that way. Where did you get them from? What's your brooder set up? Are they eating and drinking? If every thing is as it should be, you can try putting electrolytes in their water and/or feed them some scrambled eggs. Check their vents to make sure there isn't any poop clinging to them.
 
I got them from Tractor supply co. I got 3 grey chicks, and 3 bantam chicks. One of the bantam chicks was already acting strange before we got home. The other 2 were acting tired. I put them in the brooder to let them get warm and eat and left to get some extra dishes and food. The chick that wasn't acting good died by the time I got back. The other 2 had perked up a bit, and we're running around with the others.

One of the bantam chicks likes to chirp loudly with her eyes closed, but I'm not sure if that means she's sick, or just tired. The other 3 were all perfectly fine. I don't think overheating was an issue. It never got too hot or cold in my car.

The 2 bantam chicks that are left were attempting to run around and eat, although one was still kinda wobbly and had its eyes closed a lot. It was attempting to run around and eat though. They're a little smaller than my other chicks, probably bc they're bantams. They're about half the size of the others, but the others are only a week old or so, and these guys are probably closer to a few days. Would it be a good idea to let the bantam chicks run around with the larger ones?
 
What about the one who keeps her eyes closed all the time? Her sister is alert with her eyes open, but she seems to almost always have her eyes closed. And is it ok to put them in with slightly larger chicks?
 
What about the one who keeps her eyes closed all the time? Her sister is alert with her eyes open, but she seems to almost always have her eyes closed. And is it ok to put them in with slightly larger chicks?
I had a quail chick just like this when it was born. It was super lethargic, enough to the point that it couldn't eat by itself. Try putting some sugar water on a spoon and dipping her beak into it. Do it often if possible. I did this many times over a few days and it started to gain energy. Chicks and quail chicks are mostly the same when young, so the same thing should apply. Also, I wouldn't recommend putting them with larger chicks since they might get trampled on. However, if there's a lot of space, then it might be okay.
 
This is a screenshot from a video. Should show size difference.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20210312-034026.png
    Screenshot_20210312-034026.png
    1.9 MB · Views: 4
They aren't too much larger. I'm also worried about them getting too cold in my house. It's 74 degrees in here. But the brooder is warm and toasty.
 
They aren't too much larger. I'm also worried about them getting too cold in my house. It's 74 degrees in here. But the brooder is warm and toasty.
I think it's fine, but if you see the lethargic ones being attacked or stepped on, then I'd advise you to immediately move them to a separate area or put a divider. And I think 74 is alright, but if you're still worried, then maybe you can place a blanket on top of the cage(at least, if you're using one). If you have extra time, then maybe you can put some beans/rice in an old sock and microwave it to use it as a heat pack. Overall, weakness in chicks are fairly common, but give it your all!
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom