Sudden Lethargy in 25 Day Old Wyandotte

[walshie]

This afternoon I found one of my 24 day old Wyandottes lying down in the brooder in the middle of the day. I tapped on the box and she wouldn't get up. I took her out of the box and she didn't try to avoid getting taken out - barely responded and even her feet barely moved. I set her on the ground and she seemed unsteady at first, and eventually took a few paces but mostly stood there.

I got her to eat a couple of grub treats from my hand and got her to nibble some drops of Sav a Chick electrolytes. She had two normal looking poops while outside of the brooder.

She is comparable weight/size to the others and I hadn't noticed any excessive bullying etc. I haven't been able to find anything visually wrong with her - wounds, mites, pasty butt etc. She did eventually extended her wings while I picked her up later on. They all seemed fine this morning.

I placed her in a separate box and she hasn't moved, eaten or drank since.

They've been in cardboard boxes with pine shaving bedding with access to water and chick feed. They're inside a room in my house w temperature controls, and she was in a 80° spot in the brooder when I found her, temps ranging from 90° nearest the heat lamp to 70° farthest from it, with most of the brooder right around 80°.

Any thoughts what's happening here, and how to support her?

 

[Eggcessive]

Have you thought of treating for possible coccidiosis? I would raise the heat lamp to where the temp is 80 in the warmest spot and much cooler in the farther area. Get Corid (amprollium) and dosage is 10 ml (2 tsp) of the liquid or 1.5 tsp of the powder per gallon of water for 5-7 days. Treat all birds at once. Make sure the sick bird is drinking. You can also give undiluted Corid 0.1 ml daily for a couple of days in addition, to jumpstart treatment.

 

[walshie]

Have you thought of treating for possible coccidiosis? I would raise the heat lamp to where the temp is 80 in the warmest spot and much cooler in the farther area. Get Corid (amprollium) and dosage is 10 ml (2 tsp) of the liquid or 1.5 tsp of the powder per gallon of water for 5-7 days. Treat all birds at once. Make sure the sick bird is drinking. You can also give undiluted Corid 0.1 ml daily for a couple of days in addition, to jumpstart treatment.

That's what I'm thinking - actually just got home w some Corid. Is there any negative to treating them in case they don't have coccidiosis?

Appreciate your response and information.

 

[Eggcessive]

No, Corid is very safe, and if they don’t have coccidiosis, it won’t hurt them. But it may save a life if they have it. Stop any B vitamins during Corid treatment.

 

[walshie]

No, Corid is very safe, and if they don’t have coccidiosis, it won’t hurt them. But it may save a life if they have it. Stop any B vitamins during Corid treatment.

Thanks for your advice! I just wanted to share the update that I introduced Corid on 5/28 and saw a rapid improvement in the lethargic chicken. As soon as 5/29 she was moving more, and on 5/30 she seemed to be eating and drinking regularly. She was even climbing on top of her water jar to try to bust out of the hospital!

I kept her isolated until 6/1 - I was planning on isolating her for 5-7 days, but throughout 6/1 she was actively trying to break out of the hospital and I was more afraid she'd hurt herself than anything else. I supervised her reintroduction and noticed no issues whatsoever.

Everyone has seemed perfectly fine ever since!

Thank you again.