week old chick very weak

[bumpercarr]

I just fed him again. Half the feed mash (1 tsp feed, 1 tsp water) and an additional 1 tsp water.

He poops and there was a clear round thing in it that sort've looked like a worm? It was completely clear and I could barely see it. Otherwise his poop was normal. Is there a very clear worm in chickens? Or could it just be me imagining things? It didn't move and there was only one. I tried to pick through the poop but it didn't show up. I think I'm seein things.

Edit: No, no blood at all. They look normal to me.. save for the weird thing above that I think I'm just imagining. I'm looking at worm pictures and not seeing anything that looks like what I think I saw.

Editedit: Okay, it was just part of the white cap that got smeared out weird. xD

It was probably a cecal poo, they do that about once a day. There is a good thread on here somewhere about poo, what it should and shouldn't look like. Sounds to me like the cocci is gone since the blood in the poo is gone. As I said earlier, try to encourage him/her to eat and drink on its own. Doesn't mean that it is completely out of the woods, but I'd say things are looking up from your description of him/her fighting you, poo looks good, and it is tolerating food and water.

 

[Icedangel11]

How should I encourage him to eat on his own? He still mostly just stands and wobbles, though he'll try to escape when I go to catch him.

Should I space my feedings to two hours, so he's got some time to get hungry inbetween?

 

[bumpercarr]

How should I encourage him to eat on his own? He still mostly just stands and wobbles, though he'll try to escape when I go to catch him.

Should I space my feedings to two hours, so he's got some time to get hungry inbetween?

I think so. If he starts peeping like crazy, it will mean that he's hungry/thirsty and needs help. So, I think I'd slowly start weaning him away from the hand feedings, maybe make the mash and offer it to him before you hand feed him. If he doesn't try to eat it, then hand feed him after 5 minutes or so.

I've found that mine are usually still a little weak for a few days, even though they've recovered. Now I only feed medicated feed so I don't have the problem anymore.

 

[casportpony]

Can you borrow a postal or kitchen scale?

-Kathy

 

[Icedangel11]

So I haven't fed him since my last post, however his crop is still fairly full. I think I'm just going to periodically check on him and if he feels empty I'll give him a refill. XD

And noone I know has a good scale, unfortunately.

 

[Icedangel11]

Seven hours and his crop still has food in it and is.. eh 50% full.

think this means he's eating on his own?

 

[casportpony]

Probably a good idea to not give more food, water yes, but no food.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

I meant no more food until crop clears.

-Kathy

 

[Icedangel11]

This morning I found him as weak as a ragdoll, flopped over.

 

[casportpony]

If he still has food in his crop it probably means he's dying. So sorry...

-Kathy