URGENT: New Chick is DYING??? HELP!!

[stephanieshim]

There could be a few different things going on here, one of them possibly coccidiosis.

For coccidiosis, the conventional method of treatment is corrid. Corrid does not kill the coccidiosis, but it starves it out of the bird by depleting the protozoa of vitamins.

When our first chick had coccidiosis, it was the middle of the night, no vet, no corrid, and all of the stores were closed. We were trying to do things organically anyway, so we looked up natural treatments for coccidiosis. We found some, including oregano, garlic, and aloe (leaves/gel from a plant) or aloe juice. This was the only option we had at the time, so we tried it.

We have treated several chicks this way. Also, a relative just had some chicks get coccidiosis really bad, their poop was surrounded in a LOT of dark blood. Like, you wouldn't think they would still be alive. A couple days of aloe juice and oregano, they are back to normal.

As it turns out, oregano and aloe actually kill the coccidiosis protozoa, it doesn't just starve them out. If you want to read more about exactly how we treated it with these things, more than once, and the directions and tips for doing it, I have an article I wrote about it.

You will get a lot of differing opinions about treating it naturally, because corrid is the conventional way that vets and feed stores recommend using. However, it doesn't even work a lot of the time, and the herbal ways of treating it are less harmful for your chick and more beneficial to their immune system. I understand why people use corrid and recommend it, however sometimes there are other ways other than the conventional one.

It might not even be coccidiosis at all, as people said above, keep an eye out for bloody or egg-yolk looking poop. However, sometimes the bloody poop doesn't show up until later.

Either way, some herbs to help build her immune system are oregano and garlic. Apple cider vinegar is also very good to add a touch to their water. And there are many more if you decide to go that route!

Vitamin supplements are also good! One I recommend is NutriDrench, because it is formulated to get into their bloodstream fast, and the vitamins are really concentrated. A lot of people have brought their chickens back with this. You should be able to get it at your local feed store for about $9.

Also though, @ChickNanny13 is right! Chicks will sleep in some of the weirdest downright uncomfortable looking positions! They have definitely freaked us out a couple times.

I hope she will be ok!! Good luck, and keep us updated

Thank you so much!! I’ll try to buy some Corrid today or see what I have in my pantry to try and help her!

 

[stephanieshim]

Cute chicks - your brooder looks good too.

Since you've only had her one day - introduce her to water - does the other chick drink?
Dip her beak in the water to see if she will drink for you.

Just getting her and she's 3wks old and you don't really know her history - I would treat for Coccidiosis - Corid is found at most tractor supplies in the cattle section.
Dosage is 1 1/2 teaspoons Corid powder per gallon or 2 teaspoons of 9.6% Corid liquid per gallon. Give for 5-7 days - make sure this is the ONLY water available during that time period. Mix a fresh batch at least once a day.
After they finish treatment offer some poultry vitamins and probiotics/plain yogurt.

Keep us posted.

The other chick knows how to drink since I’ve had her since Day 1, and I dipped the new chick’s beak in the water several times, but I’ll try again today!
Thanks for your help!

 

[getaclue]

Dipping the beak into the vitamin water is not about teaching her to drink, rather about getting a little of the vitamin water into the chick, so it benefits from the additional vitamins. I suggested this, because when I hatch chicks, the ones that come out early, or on time seem to do fine, but the ones that hatch a little late, tend to be weaker. The additional vitamins help them a lot

 

[stephanieshim]

It does look better than we imagined, I've had chicks sleep that way, don't think it's dying. But watch to see if it's eating/drinking/pooping. You can also wet her crumbles to entice eating but check her poop, is there any blood?

Haven’t seen any poop with blood, but I’m going to keep a close eye out for it

 

[stephanieshim]

Dipping the beak into the vitamin water is not about teaching her to drink, rather about getting a little of the vitamin water into the chick, so it benefits from the additional vitamins. I suggested this, because when I hatch chicks, the ones that come out early, or on time seem to do fine, but the ones that hatch a little late, tend to be weaker. The additional vitamins help them a lot

I am aware that dipping the beak is to teach them where to find water/how to drink. I repeated this exercise several times because of the fact that my new chick was unable to drink

 

[ChickNanny13]

Ok, so how is it doing today? Moving around with the rest or just laying there? How have the others responded to the new addition? No blood in the poop good, does it look 'normal'? Where are you located?

 

[getaclue]

I'm sorry if I didn't make myself more clear. I have no doubt that you dipped it's beak to teach them where to find water, and how to drink. That's why I said that dipping the beak in the vitamin water was not about teaching it to drink, but about getting some of the vitamin water into it, so it could benefit from it.

I hope it has improved some today. It's very frustrating, when a chick seems "off".

 

[Jessica Thompson]

Did it die?

 

[ChickNanny13]

UPDATE

 

[stephanieshim]

Ok, so how is it doing today? Moving around with the rest or just laying there? How have the others responded to the new addition? No blood in the poop good, does it look 'normal'? Where are you located?

It's still a bit sleepy, but it seems like her appetite has increased a little since I've seen her eat! She's moving around frequently and is getting along very well with the others! There's no blood (so far).
I live in Dallas, Texas