Sick chicks

[max13077]

I really don't know about this and I hope somebody can help. I noticed tonight that one and possibly two chicks I have seem to be sick. They are about 2.5 weeks old. They do very little walking around unlike the other 24 who constantly think they're in a foot race from one end of the brooder to the other.

However these two seem to do very little other than sit in the shavings and once in a while look around. If somebody comes by and bumps them, they will get up and move; but then flop right back down. There's no pasting up or anything. They both just look like they have no energy to do anything.

I'm worried they have something and may effect the other chicks. Any ideas?

 

[silkiechicken]

Are they eating and drinking? By any chance are those two chicks "large" or "fat"? Could they be cornish x's?

 

[max13077]

One I think is a jersey giant the other is a Dominique. They are both quite small, almost runt-like. I haven't really seen them eat. Although it's hard to keep track with the "chick-lympics" going on.

 

[peepkeeper]

I would isolate these two away from the others. They might be sick and you don't want the others to get it, or maybe they're just small, at the bottom of the pecking order, and they're not getting a chance to eat and drink. It is possible for a chick to starve right in front of food, just because the others won't let it eat. Put these two in their own brooder with their own food and water and see if they perk up.

 

[max13077]

Own brooder it is. They have been transferred and are laying on the shavings by the heat lamp. Question, is it OK to have them in the same room? The big brooder is on two end tables about 3 feet off the floor. The new one is a Rubbermaid tub on the floor. Is that cool or should I have them in a different room?

 

[ruth]

Same room is fine. Try feeding the two little ones some scrambled eggs. Works wonders - full of protein and vitamins. Once they try it they will love it.

 

[peepkeeper]

You also might try putting a little sugar in their water for the energy. Keep us posted!

 

[max13077]

This morning they looked about the same. They can walk, but just don't seem to have the energy to. They have pooped some. They are small and black, and dry; completely different from the ones the other chicks are doing. I gave each one of them a little sugar water with a syringe this morning. We'll see...

 

[peepkeeper]

Don't force feed chickens, they don't have the swallowing reflex we do and you can choke them. You're doing all you can for them, if they can't eat or drink there's nothing more you can do. You'll just have to wait and see if they perk up now. Keep us posted.