Weak/dying chicks.

[Frizzlett]

The Sebright is doing better finally. She's standing more upright rather than falling backwards and her eyes are open more often. The Cochin is still about the same, because he's a brat and won't cooperate with feeding/water time. All he does it flick it all over me lol! We're sticking with them every hour until they can make it's on their own. They are A LOT of work.

 

[daschroeder]

Cackle also has sexed bantam of some of their breeds. They are in Missouri.

 

[Ducks4us]

Oh great!! You must be doing a good job

 

[Frizzlett]

Oh, I didn't notice that on Cackle but I'll take a look. The chicks need to get a lot better. I'm afraid they won't make it through the night on their own at this point. So I'm going to get back to it!

 

[Frizzlett]

I just looked at Cackle and the Sebright Surplus Special is tempting, except the minimum is 15. I can order a minimum of 5 Silver Sebrights though, but they're not available as far as their chart goes. 5+ weeks and we want them close to the same age as the ones we have. TSC has had some Golden ones so we're going to check with them every so often. I was finally able to get a count on the chicks we received and they gave me 9 Cochins instead of 10. So we're down 4 total with 3 being deaths.

 

[Frizzlett]

The partridge Cochin didn't make it. The Sebright is sill hanging in there but not doing well.

 

[Frizzlett]

I am so over chicks at this point. The Sebright was looking ok earlier but now is worse and probably won't be alive when I wake up in the morning. And there's a Barred Rock that is no longer eating or drinking and refuses to come out from under the heater. Ugh! The BR is in a lot better shape though. His poo is white and gooey, and he keeps getting pasty butt since he won't come out of the heat so if anyone has any thoughts on that feel free to comment. I gave them both Corid and they have medicated feed so if it's Cocci, it's being treated. The others are getting more active (and meaner) so I don't think it's Cocci. But who knows! Whoever makes it, makes it. I'm sick of being hopeful for them to keep dying and sick of texting my brother that his Sebright is better and just to tell him she's worse once more. I'll keep doing what I can for them but this is unreal! They go from perfectly fine to weak in less than 24 hours and dead in 1-3 days. I'll be home with them all day tomorrow but I work Mon-Thurs and they won't get as much help from me. The amount of water and food I've been giving these guys should have done something by now but they remain the same. The "fun" is getting sucked out of this quickly. The remaining 6 BRs and 6 Cochins all appear to be doing great..... for now. The Sebright is breaking my heart, hour by hour. She looks pitiful, dirty from food that and water she slung all over herself, and her wings are dirty from spreading them out to help balance and break her falls. She's not in any condition to clean at this point. We don't want to stress her out or have her get too cold from washing her off. I just wish she'd get better or just let go. She doesn't need to keep going if she's ultimately not going to make it. I'm not saying I want her to die, because I really don't, but I don't want her to suffer. She looks to be in the same condition as the partridge Cochin was last night before he died. So we'll be expecting to dig our fifth tiny grave in the morning. We'll either be ordering more chicks from a closer hatchery or buying some from Tractor Supply to make up for Sebrights and Cochins lost so we can have better odds of getting our ideal flock of 1 Sebright hen, 4-5 Cochin hens, and a Cochin rooster. Our Cochins' sexes will have to be exactly that with the ones we have left, and it's just not likely. But we have named one Cochin "Penguin", an he/she is a keeper male or female. Although, I probably shouldn't say that because after being dubbed "keepers" they get targeted by what I'll call "The Force" which hates me and everything I do. Well, I've written a book lol (I actually erased some too), so I'll stop here. Here is Penguin enjoying the view from atop our cat.

 

[Ducks4us]

Wow so sorry its going ao horrible. I dont blame you for being tired of it
Have you checked the temperature in the brooder?
I never feed medicated feed.
And only add apple cider vinegar to the water. Never anything else.
Im not saying its something your doing at all. But maybe worth changing something and seeing if it helps.....

 

[MrsBachbach]

I wouldn't keep them on that electrolyte probiotic water more than a few days. I think that can help contribute to pasty butt. I would also make sure the crumbles you feed them are "FINE". Some chick starters are actually kind of large crumbles for three day old chicks. I don't want to name names, but one well known brand is like this and I have to get the rolling pin out every time and break this stuff down to a finer crumble during the first week.
And if it was me, I would have a bottle of NutriDrench on hand if I'm expecting shipped chicks. I think a few drops of that in their beak would help them perk up better than anything else out there.

Oh, and I wouldn't think chicks that you just got and haven't been on any "ground" would pick up cocci so quick. I never have to worry about my chicks as long as they are in the brooder. It's when they hit the ground, that's when you have to do a preventative.

 

[Frizzlett]

I've been giving her more untreated water. I been slowly stopping with the electrolytes. The BR has only had electrolytes the first day they arrived for a few hours and then today. But I figured since I'm still up, I'd update. She is currently minutes away from passing. I went back to feed her and found her upside down outside of the heater. I've got her alone in a box with the heat lamp and now I'm just waiting.