CalBickieMomma
Crowing
Hello lovely Chicken People!
Two Fridays ago (May 15th), I picked up four chicks from my local Farm Supply. They've all been healthy and happy so far, but my little Barred Rock (Junie) has been acting a bit under the weather lately. Yesterday, I noticed she seemed a little more lethargic than usual - not as active, not eating/drinking when the others are at the feeder/water dispenser - and it's the same today.
Her poop looks normal, but smaller than usual (about 1/4 of what the others produce - sorry for the gory details
), so that's a plus, at least. Since they're still little, I take them into the bathroom and let them run around a bit (as opposed to outside). Junie did sprint off and flap her wings like the others yesterday and today (and this morning she even tried to 'fly' up onto the top of the feeder in their brooder), and she does get up and move around, stretching her wings and eating some food/drinking a little, but her spouts of energy don't last long and she doesn't seem to be eating or drinking as much as the others. She's never been as rambunctious as the rest, but she just seems bit off to me. I'm an anxious person, so of course I assume the worst.
I gave her some raw egg yolk yesterday, and she seemed to really like that, but didn't eat as much of it this morning and she's been sleeping/snoozing a lot (when the others are going to town at the feeder, she is standing under the heat lamp, snoozing, but her wings aren't really droopy). I was adding a little Nutri Drench to their water for the first week - the feed store has a back order on chick Probiotics. I was able to get some electrolytes and started putting that in the water yesterday morning instead of Nutri Drench (so I don't think her lethargy is a result of the switch, but I can switch back if Nutri Drench would be better than electrolytes). I just fed them some scrambled egg, and Junie liked it, but as usual, wasn't as enthusiastic as the other chicks.
So, my question is: have any of you had a chick like this? It's as if she's acting like she has a mild cold - walking around in a fog and just a little more tired than everyone else - and maybe it just needs to work its way through her system? Is it possible that this is because her new feathers are growing in and it's sapping some of her energy? The chicks are in a large storage bin brooder with their heat lamp (I keep it around 90-95 since they are approaching two weeks old) with Eco Flakes (wood shavings) on the bottom - Junie pecks at these, but so does everyone else and when I feel her crop, it's more squishy than firm (so I don't think she's eating wood shavings) - but not entirely full (but neither were the other chicks' when I checked). Anyway, any feedback would be much appreciated. I'm also including some pictures in case anyone notices something I haven't. Thanks!
- Jenna
Two Fridays ago (May 15th), I picked up four chicks from my local Farm Supply. They've all been healthy and happy so far, but my little Barred Rock (Junie) has been acting a bit under the weather lately. Yesterday, I noticed she seemed a little more lethargic than usual - not as active, not eating/drinking when the others are at the feeder/water dispenser - and it's the same today.
Her poop looks normal, but smaller than usual (about 1/4 of what the others produce - sorry for the gory details
), so that's a plus, at least. Since they're still little, I take them into the bathroom and let them run around a bit (as opposed to outside). Junie did sprint off and flap her wings like the others yesterday and today (and this morning she even tried to 'fly' up onto the top of the feeder in their brooder), and she does get up and move around, stretching her wings and eating some food/drinking a little, but her spouts of energy don't last long and she doesn't seem to be eating or drinking as much as the others. She's never been as rambunctious as the rest, but she just seems bit off to me. I'm an anxious person, so of course I assume the worst.I gave her some raw egg yolk yesterday, and she seemed to really like that, but didn't eat as much of it this morning and she's been sleeping/snoozing a lot (when the others are going to town at the feeder, she is standing under the heat lamp, snoozing, but her wings aren't really droopy). I was adding a little Nutri Drench to their water for the first week - the feed store has a back order on chick Probiotics. I was able to get some electrolytes and started putting that in the water yesterday morning instead of Nutri Drench (so I don't think her lethargy is a result of the switch, but I can switch back if Nutri Drench would be better than electrolytes). I just fed them some scrambled egg, and Junie liked it, but as usual, wasn't as enthusiastic as the other chicks.
So, my question is: have any of you had a chick like this? It's as if she's acting like she has a mild cold - walking around in a fog and just a little more tired than everyone else - and maybe it just needs to work its way through her system? Is it possible that this is because her new feathers are growing in and it's sapping some of her energy? The chicks are in a large storage bin brooder with their heat lamp (I keep it around 90-95 since they are approaching two weeks old) with Eco Flakes (wood shavings) on the bottom - Junie pecks at these, but so does everyone else and when I feel her crop, it's more squishy than firm (so I don't think she's eating wood shavings) - but not entirely full (but neither were the other chicks' when I checked). Anyway, any feedback would be much appreciated. I'm also including some pictures in case anyone notices something I haven't. Thanks!
- Jenna
...). Thanks again!
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