Small lethargic 12 week old cream legbar

[AWalker650]

So I got a few chicks from my local feed store 12 weeks ago. (I already had 4 three year old hens) All are doing great except for 1. About 3-4 weeks ago I noticed one was a little lethargic and looked to be getting bullied by the other 5 babies (all the same age and have been together since I got them) She is a Cream Legbar. I brought her and her “sister” back in the house, the others were outside in a small transitional coop before they are ready to go in with the big girls. Since I have brought them back in she has not grown, I see her eating here and there and drinks water. I check her her crop and there is always a little food in there. If I make her a mash of food and water she always eats more. If I give treats (apples, strawberries, cabbage, etc) she will always eat at least a little bit of it. I feel like she’s just eating enough so she doesn’t die. She is skin and bones. I have tried everything I can have I get her to eat more or get her nutrition and weight up... I feel like she is going to die every day. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. I really hope she doesn’t die but part of me also feels like in prolonging the inevitable by baiting her to eat extra.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Do you have her on medicated chick feed?

I had one line of Cream Legbar that just seemed to only be able to thrive on medicated chick feed.

Cream Legbars can be prone to coccidiosis. Not all infestations cause bloody diarrhea. Some simply cause poor nutritional uptake. Mine would just not seem to flourish and have really large poo.

The other option is that she is simply a "failure to thrive" chick. Some simply have some malformation or condition that never allows them to flourish. It could be weak kidneys, bad digestive tract, low grade bacterial infection from hatch.

I'd give a "hail Mary" with medicated chick feed and place her on chick vitamins/electrolytes to see if you can't boost the nutrition.

My thoughts.
Lofmc

 

[AWalker650]

Do you have her on medicated chick feed?

I had one line of Cream Legbar that just seemed to only be able to thrive on medicated chick feed.

Cream Legbars can be prone to coccidiosis. Not all infestations cause bloody diarrhea. Some simply cause poor nutritional uptake. Mine would just not seem to flourish and have really large poo.

The other option is that she is simply a "failure to thrive" chick. Some simply have some malformation or condition that never allows them to flourish. It could be weak kidneys, bad digestive tract, low grade bacterial infection from hatch.

I'd give a "hail Mary" with medicated chick feed and place her on chick vitamins/electrolytes to see if you can't boost the nutrition.

My thoughts.
Lofmc

Thank you! I’ll try the medicated feed. I have her on vitamins/electrolytes already. I was thinking it could be a failure to thrive issue but I thought that usually shows up earlier.