Very Sick Chick

[NewMomma]

My Rhode Island Red chick is very lethargic and off balance and has been sleeping almost all morning. She won't stand long and when she does she is wobbly and falls down right after she stands. Right now she is sleeping, wrapped up on my chest. I couldn't even imagine what it could be. I started forcing her to drink children's Pedialyte and she droops into the small container. Help me please!

 

[dawg53]

Cocci oocysts are everywhere. In 2 week old chicks, I'd suspect their feces. Waterers or feeders could be contaminated by feces.
http://thecozynest.com/understanding_coccidiosis.htm

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

How old is she?

 

[NewMomma]

Four weeks old. She has all her feathers and is molting the rest of her baby fuzz off.

 

[realsis]

give the chick corid. sounds like it could be cocci not all cocci gives bloody stool. corid kills all strains of cocci if its that
other meds only kill certain strains. id start corid as soon as possiable! look up coccidosis and see if symptoms match. remember bloody stool dosent always have to be present. treat her as soon as possiable! after treatment give a probiotic to replace the healthy bacteria in the gut. hope this helps! best of luck!

 

[dawg53]

give the chick corid. sounds like it could be cocci not all cocci gives bloody stool. corid kills all strains of cocci if its that
other meds only kill certain strains. id start corid as soon as possiable! look up coccidosis and see if symptoms match. remember bloody stool dosent always have to be present. treat her as soon as possiable! after treatment give a probiotic to replace the healthy bacteria in the gut. hope this helps! best of luck!

x2 Purchase Corid 9.6% liquid solution. Corid dosage is 9.5cc's per gallon of water for 5-7 days. Give it to all your chicks. You might have to use an eyedropperful of the mixture to administer the medicated water to your sick chick, a drop or two on the side of the beak for 6-7 times a day until the chick is able to drink the mixture on its own.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
I agree with realsis and dawg53. I use the same dosage as dawg53 with excellent results. I have had to treat chicks up to 3 months old with Corid for coccidiosis. You should see some improvement within 24 hours- great stuff!!!

It is in the cattle section of the feed store. If you get the powder the dosage is different, but you can use it. I prefer the liquid.

Coccidiosis can kill within 24 hours.

 

[NewMomma]

Thank you all so much for taking time out and letting me know the things that have worked for y'all. I have been giving the chicks a Sulmet solution with just the Sulmet itself diluted by water. I haven't been giving it to the sick chick at all but I have been giving her Pedialyte with a crushed up B 12 tablet and medicated chick starter. She has started to drink a little if I am holding her but otherwise she won't. She as a great appetite but every time I put the liquid in there, she rolls in it and gets soaked. I'm afraid that she will get even more sick if she gets wet. But she cannot stand up by herself at all anymore, all she does is roll around trying to stand. She seems fine other than her legs not working and the fact that her stool is very stringy white and a deep green color. Thank you all for your comments. They really, really help

 

[cafarmgirl]

Thank you all so much for taking time out and letting me know the things that have worked for y'all. I have been giving the chicks a Sulmet solution with just the Sulmet itself diluted by water. I haven't been giving it to the sick chick at all but I have been giving her Pedialyte with a crushed up B 12 tablet and medicated chick starter. She has started to drink a little if I am holding her but otherwise she won't. She as a great appetite but every time I put the liquid in there, she rolls in it and gets soaked. I'm afraid that she will get even more sick if she gets wet. But she cannot stand up by herself at all anymore, all she does is roll around trying to stand. She seems fine other than her legs not working and the fact that her stool is very stringy white and a deep green color. Thank you all for your comments. They really, really help

I would definitely be getting some meds into that sick chick. Although Sulmet only treats 2 strains of cocci, there are 9. I would get Corid if at all possible and make sure the sick chick gets it. Give it to her with a dropper or needless syringe as Dawg mentioned. If this is coccidiosis it kills fast and once it progresses to far they can't be saved. This chicks sounds very weak and you may not save her at this point. This may not even be coccidiosis but it's one of those things you really have to rule out or risk loosing chicks.

 

[NewMomma]

Very true, although I didn't know that Sulmet only treated 2 types of coccidiosis. She seems to be doing better but her legs still aren't fully functioning. I think she is trying to get up more and more but she is just weak. I will call about the corid on Monday and talk to my vet as soon as I possibly can. If I have anything to do with it, this chick will not only live but prosper.