One of my 3 week old chicks started acting strangely this afternoon. She just sat and peeped -differently than usual- while the rest of them ran around. Tonight she seems to be having difficulty balancing. She's sitting away from the rest, out from under the heat light, still peeping like something is wrong and she seems to rock back on her heels if she had them and almost falls over. She's very lethargic. She's also shaky, like if she were panting or shivering?
She doesn't have pasty butt. I don't know any other symptoms besides what I've listed.
I just moved her into her own box with some food and water.
Anyone know what is wrong or have suggestions of something I can do. I already lost 1 of these 25 at 4 days from unknown causes, I don't want to loose another!
Thanks!!!
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Edited to give more info:
I should add that the heat is monitored in the brooder, at this point (3 weeks) it's 80F.
When I moved her into the little box I made the temp in there about 80 in the warmest spot and 75 or less in the coolest. She's still sitting exactly where I put her an hour ago. She's still shaking some, not holding her wings out like she's hot though. She's stopped peeping and seems to be trying to sleep.
I have 25 of this age so I don't know if she's pooping or eating. Since I have her isolated I'll know later, but that doesn't help now. I did notice that her tail feathers are a bit "chewed up", but one of the babies has decided today that pulling other chicks feathers is fun.
The rest of the chicks are acting normally.
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*Another Edit for more info:* (moved from another post down the thread
Now that she's isolated and I can watch her closer it seems that the problem is with her legs. They don't seem to be working right. She leans backwards and her feet contract or arc upwards oddly and it's as if she can't stand. She doesn't move except to get away from me when I tried to catch her in the brooder or to give her a drink, but it's more like she scoots. She'd acted no differently than the rest until today.
I do not have any electrolytes or vitamins. Our barn burned last year with all the animal supplies in it and I've not gotten any for the chickens as these are my first chicks. Instead, I tried dipping her beak in sugar water but she doesn't like to be handled and won't drink (I hear that Appenzellers are "flighty" by nature). I moved her closer to her water so she can drink without moving. She did poop in there but it was drier than it should have been so I'm sure she hasn't drunk enough today. She is still very lethargic.
1am: She pepped up for a few minutes when I was out checking on her just now and ate a little and took a few little drinks (didn't raise her head when drinking though like usual). I'm hopeful that it's a good sign.
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*5/11 edit: Update*
This morning she's eating, drinking & pooping normally. She's still "sitting" and seems unable to stand on her feet much. She gets up on her "knees" and scoots around in the 1' x 1' box that she's in. When she tries to preen her wings or her back she starts to fall over to the side. She's gotten up on her feet for a few seconds but then she sits back down. Mostly all she's done since from 6-8 this morning is eat, drink and sleep.
I'm stumped.
___________________________
*Another Edit for more information*
While looking for a list of Cocci medications I found this...
"Forced exercise or sudden scares can result in pulled muscles, slipped joints & lameness."
Yesterday, before I noticed her acting weirdly, I was near the brooder when my phone rang and all 25 chicks panicked and ran into the corner under their box. I didn't think of this till now, but could THAT have caused THIS?
I have 25 chicks, 3 weeks old, in a 6' x 2' x 3' tall pen. I don't think they're overcrowded, but when they all get in one place...
Sorry for all the edits... just trying to get all the info in one place.
She doesn't have pasty butt. I don't know any other symptoms besides what I've listed.
I just moved her into her own box with some food and water.
Anyone know what is wrong or have suggestions of something I can do. I already lost 1 of these 25 at 4 days from unknown causes, I don't want to loose another!
Thanks!!!
____________________________
Edited to give more info:
I should add that the heat is monitored in the brooder, at this point (3 weeks) it's 80F.
When I moved her into the little box I made the temp in there about 80 in the warmest spot and 75 or less in the coolest. She's still sitting exactly where I put her an hour ago. She's still shaking some, not holding her wings out like she's hot though. She's stopped peeping and seems to be trying to sleep.
I have 25 of this age so I don't know if she's pooping or eating. Since I have her isolated I'll know later, but that doesn't help now. I did notice that her tail feathers are a bit "chewed up", but one of the babies has decided today that pulling other chicks feathers is fun.
The rest of the chicks are acting normally.
____________________________
*Another Edit for more info:* (moved from another post down the thread
Now that she's isolated and I can watch her closer it seems that the problem is with her legs. They don't seem to be working right. She leans backwards and her feet contract or arc upwards oddly and it's as if she can't stand. She doesn't move except to get away from me when I tried to catch her in the brooder or to give her a drink, but it's more like she scoots. She'd acted no differently than the rest until today.
I do not have any electrolytes or vitamins. Our barn burned last year with all the animal supplies in it and I've not gotten any for the chickens as these are my first chicks. Instead, I tried dipping her beak in sugar water but she doesn't like to be handled and won't drink (I hear that Appenzellers are "flighty" by nature). I moved her closer to her water so she can drink without moving. She did poop in there but it was drier than it should have been so I'm sure she hasn't drunk enough today. She is still very lethargic.
1am: She pepped up for a few minutes when I was out checking on her just now and ate a little and took a few little drinks (didn't raise her head when drinking though like usual). I'm hopeful that it's a good sign.
____________________________
*5/11 edit: Update*
This morning she's eating, drinking & pooping normally. She's still "sitting" and seems unable to stand on her feet much. She gets up on her "knees" and scoots around in the 1' x 1' box that she's in. When she tries to preen her wings or her back she starts to fall over to the side. She's gotten up on her feet for a few seconds but then she sits back down. Mostly all she's done since from 6-8 this morning is eat, drink and sleep.
I'm stumped.
___________________________
*Another Edit for more information*
While looking for a list of Cocci medications I found this...
"Forced exercise or sudden scares can result in pulled muscles, slipped joints & lameness."
Yesterday, before I noticed her acting weirdly, I was near the brooder when my phone rang and all 25 chicks panicked and ran into the corner under their box. I didn't think of this till now, but could THAT have caused THIS?
I have 25 chicks, 3 weeks old, in a 6' x 2' x 3' tall pen. I don't think they're overcrowded, but when they all get in one place...
Sorry for all the edits... just trying to get all the info in one place.
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