Hi everybody;
I'm trying to save my few remaining bantam's from a recent hatch. About a week ago, I had 15 chicks, they were all doing well and happy. There have been some heavy rains here in the state for the past few days, and suddenly my chicks started to pass. I found one outside in the cold rain, and five more inside, all dead. I had assumed it was exposure related problems, so I made sure the chicks had good water, clean food - and plenty of light/warmth (the heaters were unplugged because the chicks are almost a month old - but thinking about the cold rain I plugged them all in). The next evening, I found five more had passed - the rain had continued all day and night.
Being despondent the better half and I started searching the web to see what may have been the cause. These fifteen bitties were not alone in the coop - in fact they were with two other sets of bitties - each set about a week older than the next, the oldest being almost a month ahead of these remaining bantams.
The bantams were the only ones having problems surviving.
The wife and I treated everyone for cocci - we moved the bantams indoors, (the remaining five) and made sure they received the cocci treatment (liquid medication) as well as nutri-drench. I set them up in a warm cage line with shavings, and a good heat lamp (they had plenty of room to self regulate). The bitties have been sitting under the light constantly, all bunched together; their droppings have been sparse, and runny. The have been on chick feed, I believe 20% is the mix.
That was two or three days ago, I've only lost two more of the bitties, the three remaining having been alive for over 48 hours and seemed to be doing well. Yesterday while sitting with the little guys I noticed that all three seemed to have swollen crops. They were full of what appeared to be liquid.
Doing further research I suspected sour crop, or maybe a clog. I pulled their feed and water last night to make sure it was a real problem - and not just them being greedy. Sure enough this morning when I checked on them, their crops are still full of what feels like grain (a mush type consistency) - although all the liquid had drained out. I gave them back their water, and am looking for advice on what steps to take next.
They were outside in a run - so they could have some kind of "fiberous clog" as one article suggested - but at the same time, I'm wondering if the cocci medicine may have something to do with it - as I know I gave them a bit higher of a dose than recommended. Anyone have any suggestions?
I would really like these last three to live - out of fifteen it's horrible odds....
Chris
I'm trying to save my few remaining bantam's from a recent hatch. About a week ago, I had 15 chicks, they were all doing well and happy. There have been some heavy rains here in the state for the past few days, and suddenly my chicks started to pass. I found one outside in the cold rain, and five more inside, all dead. I had assumed it was exposure related problems, so I made sure the chicks had good water, clean food - and plenty of light/warmth (the heaters were unplugged because the chicks are almost a month old - but thinking about the cold rain I plugged them all in). The next evening, I found five more had passed - the rain had continued all day and night.
Being despondent the better half and I started searching the web to see what may have been the cause. These fifteen bitties were not alone in the coop - in fact they were with two other sets of bitties - each set about a week older than the next, the oldest being almost a month ahead of these remaining bantams.
The bantams were the only ones having problems surviving.
The wife and I treated everyone for cocci - we moved the bantams indoors, (the remaining five) and made sure they received the cocci treatment (liquid medication) as well as nutri-drench. I set them up in a warm cage line with shavings, and a good heat lamp (they had plenty of room to self regulate). The bitties have been sitting under the light constantly, all bunched together; their droppings have been sparse, and runny. The have been on chick feed, I believe 20% is the mix.
That was two or three days ago, I've only lost two more of the bitties, the three remaining having been alive for over 48 hours and seemed to be doing well. Yesterday while sitting with the little guys I noticed that all three seemed to have swollen crops. They were full of what appeared to be liquid.
Doing further research I suspected sour crop, or maybe a clog. I pulled their feed and water last night to make sure it was a real problem - and not just them being greedy. Sure enough this morning when I checked on them, their crops are still full of what feels like grain (a mush type consistency) - although all the liquid had drained out. I gave them back their water, and am looking for advice on what steps to take next.
They were outside in a run - so they could have some kind of "fiberous clog" as one article suggested - but at the same time, I'm wondering if the cocci medicine may have something to do with it - as I know I gave them a bit higher of a dose than recommended. Anyone have any suggestions?
I would really like these last three to live - out of fifteen it's horrible odds....
Chris
