week old chick having trouble breathing and is weak

[monita]

i have a 1 week old serama chick (don't know how much he weighs.. not much at all) that is weak and acts like he is having trouble breathing. he isn't holding his wings where they should be, they just kinda hang and he is staggering like he is drunk. keeps his eyes closed alot and keeps trying to snuggle with his brooder buddies. and cheeps constantly. he isn't eating or drinking on his own anymore but i have been making him eat moistened medicated chick starter and vitamin and electrolyte enhanced water. he is in a box in my bathrom with a towel in the bottom and a heat lamp at one end of the box. he has 9 brooder buddies. it was fine up until a few hours ago. nothing has happened to him that i know of. he is not bleedin and doesn't seem to have any broken bones. his poop was normal the last time he pooped but he hasn't pooped in a while that i have seen anyway. had same thing happen to a silkie chick last night... sadly it died this morning. they have fresh feed and water. i change it out 3 times a day. their water is enhanced with vitamins and electrolytes. ok, i think i have answered all of the questions i hope it helps. i don't know what else to do can someone please help me save my chick? i have already lost one and don't want to lose another. thanks

 

[monita]

any suggestions? please?

 

[PoultryPedia]

People willl probably be able to help more if you can add more details--List answers to questions in the "Please Read First" thread at top of this section. I know you're accessing the net from your phone right now so it may be kinda hard...

 

[aalbury]

Are you using medicated chick starter? If not, I would switch to it immediately just in case. What type of litter are you using?

If it is coccidiosis, the chick should still drink for awhile. You can put coccidiostat in the water....it would also prevent an outbreak. If the chick is suffering, this is the quickest method of treatment.

I would also seperate it from the others.

 

[monita]

the chick seems fine now. i babied him last night force feeding him the moistened medicated feed and vitamin and electrolyte enhanced water and he seems fine today. i am beginning to think it may have been a case of dehydration. i raised the light some so that it is cooler than it was in the brooder box. now directly below the light it is approx. 90 degres. anyway.. thank yall for the help.

 

[PoultryPedia]

Monita, SO glad to hear your little chick is doing better!

For best temperature regulation, try putting the heat lamp at one end of the brooder so the chicks can move away from it if they get too hot, and can move closer to it if they need to get warmer.

 

[chickenzoo]

Seramas can be difficult and notorious for not eating or drinking well.... glad it's doing better