Very sick 2-wk-old chick (update: died :( )

[patandchickens]

Honestly I'm not sure this one can be saved, but if anyone can figure out what might be WRONG with him, I'd sure like to know b/c now I'm worried about the others.

2 week old chantecler chick was fine in my basement brooder, then yesterday I moved them all out into a larger pen the chicken building with a hover-style brooder. This pen has 'used' not fresh litter, if it matters. Getting medicated chick starter. Food and water are right along the edge of the hover. The other 16 chicks (chanteclers and sussex) seem fine, seem warm enough, eating and drinking and exploring a little bit, droppings seem fine.

I found this chick after breakfast this morning, it was under the brooder but apart from the others, crouching with wings half-spread and eyes closed. Very weak, although it did struggle weakly and chirp when I was carrying it to the house. Crop feels full (not overly full, but not empty) and liquidy. No discharges, no diarrhea, nothing else of note. Not vaccinated against anything.

CHick is now under a lamp in the basement brooder by itself. Did not want to eat or drink; I eyedroppered about 2 drops of sugar water into it. Currently lying there right next to food, breathing a bit hard, wings slightly away from body, face drooped onto the floor. Probably dying.

If it matters, one of the sussex chicks died inexplicably overnight at about 5 days of age, absolutely no idea why, was fine before bedtime then stiff in the morning with no sign of anything wrong. No idea whether that's related.

Anything come to mind???? Presumably it has something to do with moving out to the chicken bldg, but beyond that, I'm stumped.

Thanks for any suggestions,

Pat

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Sorry about your chick Pat

how is it doing today? I have no clue...all I can tell you is I have lost a few to that same sort of thing and tried everything still having it die. I put it off as sometimes some are not strong enough and don't make it. My guess is it's the ones on the bottom of the pecking order who maybe don't get the proper food and water intake and we are unaware of it. At least it's my opinion on the whole thing. Good luck! Hope someone can help more if it's not to late

 

[patandchickens]

He's still alive, evidently moves around a little bit b/c every time I go down there he's in a slightly different place/orientation, but really no different than he was this morning, that I can see. Sigh. If it *is* just 'one of those things', I can deal with that and am ok with just letting him go, but if it's something fixable I'd rather be fixin' on it, and if it sounds like something that could affect the rest of the chicks I *really* wanna get on top of it.

I hate things with no symptoms other than "dying"

Thanks,

Pat

 

[patandchickens]

Hey wow, he's looking considerably better although still not 'right' -- he is standing, eyes open, and when I reached in to add food to his dish (as enticement, not b/c he'd eaten what was there) he RAN peeping across the brooder, a huge change from before.

His wings are held kind of loosely and one is drooping to where the tip of it is brushing the floor. I don't know if this is Something Wrong per se or he's just still feeling crummy.

Have to wait til tomorrow morning to know for sure I guess. I'm still not convinced he'll survive, but am pretty astonished at how he's come around, so, ya never know.

Pat

 

[patandchickens]

He was back to not looking so great this morning, and in mid-afternoon I found him dead and not yet stiff

Poor little thing. I have no idea what his problem was.

Hope it won't happen to any others -- the rest of 'em are enjoying their new larger quarters in the chicken bldg and look great right now, but I will be paranoid for the next few weeks.

Just thought I'd let y'all know how it turned out,

Pat