VERY sick chick. Need help! weird symptoms!!!

[BeccaB00]

Hi guys. I have another sick baby chick.

We have had well over 5 sicknesses this year and most are different. So Idk anymore. I think this is just a really bad year for my chickens so far. This one doesnt seem like he has a very good chance at the moment. so I really need help fast. He is not in Pain or anything, so I do not want to put him down.

So I found this chick yesterday ALLL the way behind the big dog house we have in the pen for them. This chick was just laying there

screaming. I honastly think that the other chickens took the egg and cracked him open as they have had a problem with doing that this

year, and also there is crushed egg shell where I found him. The mom is UNDER the dog house setting on eggs, and there is no way the

CHICK got out from under the dog house on it's own so I really think one of them attempted to eat the egg and there the chick was

hatched. The mom now has about 5-7 other chicks outside. The little one I'm worried about is on the porch in a cardboard box. He has

food and water but I don't think he knows how to drink. I have seen him eat some but not drink. Everynow and then I go out and dump

the tip of his beak in the water so atleast he'll get a little bit everynow and then. He is just having trouble with balance. He stays either

against my hand, or aaaalllll the way in the corner of the box, he has to be leaning against somthing to set up right. and seems to sleep

alot. another reason why I think he was cracked open by the bigger chickens is because he acts like he has never seen his mom before.

when I picked him up yesterday, he snuggled up in my hand and went to sleep. no screaming, no trying to get away. But he tumps

over on his back. ALOT. He also has a little black spot on his tummy.


Symptoms : Can't get balence very well, has to lean against somthing, tumps over on back alot, has a black spot on his tummy

Cage/bedding: Cardboard box with paper towel bedding, food, and water.

How do you plan to treat it?: it has to be on my own because there Is NO chicken vets near me, and any avian vet would probably just laugh at us

Treatment so far: nothing. I dont know what to do.

I'll take pics today. thanks for any help.

-Becca

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[chickenpiedpiper]

newly hatched and early hatched babies are supposed to be under mommy, and the way they keep from getting crushed is to push up with thier legs so that she slides them under her wings rather than lay right on them. that is why he is trying to lean on something. and keeps falling over. get him into a brooder with a warm light, and let him sleep. Newly hatched babies mostly just sleep until they are a day or so old, then they start to move around just close to the hen, a good mommy wont take them far from the nest until they are 3-4 days old, then off she goes, and they either go with her or get left behind.

Get him somewhere really warm, 95' and let him sleep and eat and drink at his choice, and he will probably recover and do ok.

Good Luck

Oh, and the navel spot may be a bit of blood from where it was healing. if they pulled him out early it will not have closed yet, and may have been wounded, there is little you can do but supportive care, warmth and time.

 

[BeccaB00]

thanks so much for your reply. It makes me feel alot bettter.

But when I hatch eggs in the incubator they don't do this.

 

[Dora'smom]

You may want to give him a little sugar in the water as a boost, and maybe a stuffed toy in the brooder for him to snuggle up with. That, or maybe a feather duster for him to snuggle into, if you have one. Good luck with your little guy.

 

[BeccaB00]

ok so he is NOT normal. He is very sick and looks to have a VERY low chance of making it

He NEVER opens his eyes unless you make a loud noise or move him. He is ALWAYS sleeping. his brothers and sisters are as perky as ever. He doesnt move. I havent seen him eating or drinking anything today. Compared to yesterday, he got worse....

Anything I can give him? I WILL try the sugar water...thanks....

 

[chkn]

You know what might have happened, is mommy got up to go feed and/or go to the bathroom and his egg shell was stuck to her wing when she went outside (sometimes one will stick to mommy's 'clutch'). I'm sure if the other big chickens had found him he'd be disappeared! I'm surprised they didn't with all the screaming. Anyway, he's got a set of lungs but I guess a lot of vocalism isn't good. Have you tried putting him under mommy?

 

[bantyshanty]

BeccaBOO,

As well as having a temp & exposure problem from the start, he sounds like he may have omphalitis, or "mushy chick" judging from the black spot on his belly --bloody umbilicus area not healed-- and falling on his back, not drinking. I had 4 with this & all got over it. Just keep him warm, with a source of heat he can get away from, and lots of TLC,m, he may actually make it. With omphalitis, the belly or tush feels swollen, the down is puffy, and they don't want water, rarely food.
Wait a few days & see. He can go another day without eating. Pedialyte & Polyvisol (from a drug or grocery store) may help him as well. Get a nice small eyedropper & feed a few drops mixed every few hours, because he probably won't drink.

Edited to add... If he is a "mushy" chick, he will probably be lethargic and sleepy most of the time for a few days, then will start pooping green-black stuff. This is digested yolk & may have a trace of infection as well? His abdomen would be all infected at this point, and he needs to sleep, undisturbed, to make it... if he is mushy.
Hope this helps

 

[HeatherLynn]

Some others have suggested vitamines and electolytes to give them a boost or poly vi sol without iron. Maybe he is just a special needs chick and needs a bit of an extra push. I have not hatched chickens yet just geese and ducks but there always seemed to be one that was determined to make me work for his survival. Just as often as you can show him the food and water. I have gone so far as to take a dropper and just dribble it along the beak . Usually they will open up a little bit to get some of that. You could also water down a bit of yolk with some warm water and do that in the dropper. Usually once they know the liquid is there they will try to get a bit of it. Every little bit he gets increases his changes so just keep it up.

 

[BeccaB00]

BantyShanty:
Oh gosh thank you so much! I feel alot better. when I picked him up earlier I noticed that his tush seemed sorta squishy..I dont know if its just me noticing every little thing since I'm worried or what. But he does have all the symptoms you mentioned.

 

[bantyshanty]

BeccaBOO,
I'm glad you've got something to go with for him. He may have gotten the unhealed part infected by being dragged outside on Mama. The vitamins (A, E) will help his immune system fight it off. He may also pant from being too hot at some point, b/c the swelling can overheat him, and he'll have a fever, so you may not want him too close to a brooder lamp. You could roll up a few socks to bolster him up, wherever he is staying. He'll cry when he's not sleeping, from his bellyache.
I made my "mushies" cornmeal grits, then oatmeal, on Day 2, and they ate a little. One got called "Cushion" because she slept so much, she got sat on by the other mushy chick in with her. They're all fine today & laying eggs & crowing, btw.

Good luck & keep us updated