Totally Unprepared...

[Seabee john]

So, my little flock is about 5 weeks old. I had them in a brooder in the house under a heat lamp and they seemed to be doing great. Growing at an incredible rate. My girlfriend and I came to the conclusion that they were outgrowing the brooder - we had 9 chicks in a rubber made tub that was roughly 2' x 3'. I read that at this age it was ok to start turning off the lamp a bit. So about a week ago, we started to turn off the lamp at night. They seemed just fine. Three days ago, we decided to move the brooder to my mud room, by the back door and remove the light altogether. It's still heated there, but a bit cooler.

I'm nearing completion of the coop, but as sometimes the case, winter came early to Minnesota, and it got down to near zero last night. When we woke up today, the smallest of our Speckled Sussex was dead, and the smallest of our Black Australorp was lathargic and I assume will die. We moved them back to where they were, reintroduced the lamp, and separated my sick chick into here own box.

So, obviously I've got some learning to do, but in the meantime, what do I do about a sad girlfriend?

 

[chasiekitten12]

Ok I am so so SO sorry about your loss.

Keep the sick girl warm. Did your girlfriend like them? Well I would burry her. Let your girlfriend say a few words. Not sure what else. Make her really feel like you care.

 

[mtngirl35]

Losing a chick sucks!

Unfortunately it happens from time to time. Sorry to hear about your chick.

 

[Seabee john]

Well, I guess "thankfully" that didn't take long. The Black Australorp is no longer suffering. Of course now I'm experiencing "everything is suspect" sort of fears... I noticed one of my BO's has bloody stool. Wondering if this might be an outbreak of Coccidiosis??? Anyone else lose chicks suddenly to this?

 

[cafarmgirl]

Get some Corid and starting treating them all asap. Coccidiosis is extremely common in this age group. Any time you see chicks that were previously fine suddenly acting slow or lethargic that is the first thing you need to rule out because it kills fast.

Corid is available at most any decent feed store as well as Tractor Supply. Comes in powder or liquid, either is fine.

Dose for powder is 1 to 1.5 teaspoons per gallon of water, dose for liquid is 2 teaspoons per gallon. Make it up fresh every day and treat for 5 to 7 days. Chicks that are sick are not likely to drink enough on their own to get well, you need to give them the medicated water by syringe/eye dropper, every hour or so the first day or two, until they feel better and start drinking well on their own.

If you get the liquid Corid you can give a drop or two of it straight, undiluted, to the Australorp that is lethargic. Then mix with water as mentioned and continue treatment. You do have to get started on this right away though, you don't have time on your side.

You also really need to get those chicks out of that container asap. A 2x3 container for 9 five week old chicks is far, far too small. Even just get a couple big, cardboard boxes, cut the ends off and tape them together, anything to get them into a bigger space until their coop is done.

 

[Seabee john]

Thanks! We've got a tractor supply close by. I was rushing to get my coop completed to move them, but now I'm thinking of waiting a little while until they are larger and can handle the cold a little better. I'll get them into a larger space asap.

 

[Seabee john]

Update: so we got a package of the Corid 20% powder ( all they had ) headed home to mix it up. Unfortunately, we discovered a 3rd bird (one of my BO's) had died while we were gone. We cleaned our the brooder (3rd time today) new shavings etc. set up another box about the same size and split the flock in two. I took each of the remaining birds and gave some of the Corid/water solution via eye dropper to at least try to get the medication working.

Frustrated.

 

[casportpony]

Take 10ml of water and mix with 1/2 teaspoon of Corid. Stir well and give 0.25ml to the each chick orally in addition to their medicated water. That number is based on a guess that a five week old chick weighs 300 grams (10 ounces). Corid is very safe, so you will not be in any danger of them getting too much.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Corid dose picture. FWIW, I always treat with the severe amount:


-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Any that are looking sick should be kept in a room or cage that's 80-85 degrees.

-Kathy