Total Noob Chicken Parent - How concerned for "lethargy" should I be in baby chicks? - Possible Impa

[Stephine]

I forgot that you give them soil to dig through so they are probably fine for grit, though it depends a bit on what your soil is like. I know a lot of people say no grit necessary if you only feed chick crumbles but I have also read experts saying it is good to give from day one to help them properly develop their gizzards. If they find seeds or bugs in the soil you give them they'll need grit to digest them. Again, most soils should have some grit - unless it is sandy, or dusty, or just humus. You can wash some soil and see what you got.... I just get chick grit because it's easy.
Just because the others are fine doesn't mean there isn't something amiss that would affect only one chick. When I was new to chicks I accidentally gave them feed that had been out too long and had oxidized oils. This causes a vitamin e deficiency and I realized it when my light brahma started showing neurological symptoms. I treated it with vitamins and it recovered quickly then the next day the only other light brahma in my brood of 15 started showing the same symptoms! I treated that one and finally changed their feed to a fresher one and everyone was fine after that.
So even though they all had the same feed the light brahmas were the first that couldn't handle it - so much depends on what the condition of the mother hen was - little chicks are not blank slates.
A long story to say: they are all different and some handle stress and sub ideal conditions better than others....
You can get nutri drench online at amazon. It's good to have on hand because it works quickly to give a chick a boost. Might as well get Corid to have at the ready, too, sometimes that is needed on a moment 's noice as well (to treat cocci, since you are feeding non medicated). Cheering for your sleepy chick!

 

[Stephine]

Thanks all!!
Can I separate into two totes, or will that mess up the pecking order?

Yes, give them plenty of space, no, don't separate them. Build something out if large cardboard boxes, that's easy!

 

[HoopyFrood]

Quote:
We have very rocky soil, so I think there should be grit. I will wash it off and figure it out. The only bugs were tiny ants. I didn't think there were any seeds, but I suppose that is possible. We'll follow up in these things. We stocked Corid for exactly the reason you stated. We had never heard of Nutri-Drench, unfortunately. There is a Tractor Supply 40 minutes away if we needed to get it. Thank you for the information! We are a little nervous, but are trying to do the best we can...

 

[HoopyFrood]

I got some questions elsewhere that asked about an impacted crop. I had never heard of a 5-day old chick having an impacted crop. Is that possible? What could cause it?

She is doing a head roll occasionally and has a slight bulge in her chest on the right side (see pics - the bulge is exaggerated from the way she is standing/looking, but it is there).




We can't feel anything abnormal about her crop between the left and right sides. They are soft and pliable (though we are probing very gently). We can't feel a difference between her and the other Australorp.

If an impacted crop is possible, all there are are pine shavings and the occasional white pine needles that come it with the dirt. The peck at them, but don't appear to eat them.

Thoughts?

 

[HoopyFrood]

Okay for good or ill I think we have a more or less definitive diagnosis. New symptoms emerged throughout the day, even after my last post and I headed out to to buy the Nutri-Drench. She does not have an impacted crop, but she does/did have a "compromised" or "semi-obstructed" crop.

The total symptoms:
- Lethargy
- Has the ability to eat, drink, and poop BUT...
- Lack of desire to eat, drink, and poop.
- Soft crop (not impacted or hard)
- Puffy chest (she was favoring that side and was puffing her chest out)
- Doing a torso "wiggle" side to side like a penguin
- Flushed skin on her right side torso (front and back).

I believe she ate a piece of pine shaving that became lodged in her crop but did NOT block the crop.

We had treated her with "Rooster Booster" and tried making a "mash" out of the starter crumbles. She did not like the mash. We got her to sip some of the Nutri-Drench as well.

We were planning on maintaining that regimen until we could ask a vet if there was anything further we could do for her. After all she can't vomit a lodged shaving up. And cellulose is not known for breaking down in digestive systems.

So as we settled in for a long night of careful observation and care, she suddenly lept up, ran over to the feeder and ate a bunch, then ran over to the waterer and drank a bunch. Then she proceeded to jump up on the mini-roosts I had made and jumped and flutter up. Then jumped off and fluttered and flapped down. Then she did that again! She's never done that before!

She's pooped (it looked dryish again), napped, then - as I'm writing this - has done another two rounds of big eating and drinking. And a couple round of perch hopping!

We dearly hope we are in the clear!! We both cried with relief. But we'll keep a close watch on her. If she begins exhibiting symptoms again I will start a new topic about "compromised" crops and seek out some actual poultry veterinarian advice tomorrow and post what I learn there.

Regardless this topic is closed either because of a happy ending (we hope we hope!) or because more focused information will need to be shared.

Thank you all for your help, caring, and advice! Thank you Stephine especially!!

 

[Stephine]

Okay for good or ill I think we have a more or less definitive diagnosis. New symptoms emerged throughout the day, even after my last post and I headed out to to buy the Nutri-Drench. She does not have an impacted crop, but she does/did have a "compromised" or "semi-obstructed" crop.

The total symptoms:
- Lethargy
- Has the ability to eat, drink, and poop BUT...
- Lack of desire to eat, drink, and poop.
- Soft crop (not impacted or hard)
- Puffy chest (she was favoring that side and was puffing her chest out)
- Doing a torso "wiggle" side to side like a penguin
- Flushed skin on her right side torso (front and back).

I believe she ate a piece of pine shaving that became lodged in her crop but did NOT block the crop.

We had treated her with "Rooster Booster" and tried making a "mash" out of the starter crumbles. She did not like the mash. We got her to sip some of the Nutri-Drench as well.

We were planning on maintaining that regimen until we could ask a vet if there was anything further we could do for her. After all she can't vomit a lodged shaving up. And cellulose is not known for breaking down in digestive systems.

So as we settled in for a long night of careful observation and care, she suddenly lept up, ran over to the feeder and ate a bunch, then ran over to the waterer and drank a bunch. Then she proceeded to jump up on the mini-roosts I had made and jumped and flutter up. Then jumped off and fluttered and flapped down. Then she did that again! She's never done that before!

She's pooped (it looked dryish again), napped, then - as I'm writing this - has done another two rounds of big eating and drinking. And a couple round of perch hopping!

We dearly hope we are in the clear!! We both cried with relief. But we'll keep a close watch on her. If she begins exhibiting symptoms again I will start a new topic about "compromised" crops and seek out some actual poultry veterinarian advice tomorrow and post what I learn there.

Regardless this topic is closed either because of a happy ending (we hope we hope!) or because more focused information will need to be shared.

Thank you all for your help, caring, and advice! Thank you Stephine especially!!

I am glad she seems better!