week old chick very weak

[Icedangel11]

Nope, his crop was empty. He was weak from not eating/drinking.

I've given him 3 t water so far, he's pooped after each teaspoon until it was just liquid, then I've started feeding him again. The water before feed was to flush his system out.

Now he's perking back up again with the food.

 

[Icedangel11]

Okay, so we are in a cycle of eat- poop-eat-poop-eat-poop about every 10-15 minutes.

I think the 12ish hours without a hand feeding let his system clear out. I'm trying to feed him to full crop, and I make a little gain each time, but every t of water he gets makes him poop.

I'm thinking this is a good thing, mostly because it's flushing the bad stuff out. Right?

Assuming he survives.. Think he'll be MORE tame or less tame because of this experience?

 

[Icedangel11]

I went in to see him, he was on his side with another chick on his head pecking at his leg.

He doesn't seem to be able to stand upright anymore, he keeps flopping forward.

He made a big poop of all white. He tries to walk but he just stort've flops around.

I don't think he's going to make it. He flails till he's on his side and then lays there..

 

[bumpercarr]

Okay, so we are in a cycle of eat- poop-eat-poop-eat-poop about every 10-15 minutes.

I think the 12ish hours without a hand feeding let his system clear out. I'm trying to feed him to full crop, and I make a little gain each time, but every t of water he gets makes him poop.

I'm thinking this is a good thing, mostly because it's flushing the bad stuff out. Right?

Assuming he survives.. Think he'll be MORE tame or less tame because of this experience?

Depends on the breed. My brahma won't let me touch her after having to hand feed her for a week after a dog attack. She was 8 months old, so it may not be the same for a chick. The one chick that I nursed (I don't generally, if they are too weak to make it I usually let them go, just a personal thing) is as wild as the rest. But, I left it in with the others while I nursed it back to health.

 

[Icedangel11]

He's and EE. But sadly I don't think he's going to make it..

If the other chicks are starting to try and kill him and he can't stand I think this is a sign he's not likely to live..

 

[casportpony]

All white poop it a sign of dehydration. FYI, a sick bird needs to be by itself in a warm brooder, room or box. Thought you knew that.

-Kathy

 

[Icedangel11]

He's no longer swallowing food or water. And everything I do give him is just going straight through. He's drank 10-ish teaspoons (The kind you eat cereal with) of water today alone.

Edit: Taking him away from the others caused him extreme stress. He wouldn't stop cheeping and started shaking as he flailed about looking for the others. So I left him in the brooder room with the 5 others. Until now they never did anything, and seeing as they're all being treated for the same sickness I didn't think it would hurt.

 

[bumpercarr]

He's no longer swallowing food or water. And everything I do give him is just going straight through. He's drank 10-ish teaspoons (The kind you eat cereal with) of water today alone.

Edit: Taking him away from the others caused him extreme stress. He wouldn't stop cheeping and started shaking as he flailed about looking for the others. So I left him in the brooder room with the 5 others. Until now they never did anything, and seeing as they're all being treated for the same sickness I didn't think it would hurt.

I would agree, things aren't looking so good. I also don't separate if I'm pretty sure it isn't contagious (or if everyone else is going to get it anyway) and if the stress/reaction is causing more problems than the quiet warm spot will cure. It really is a judgment call, most separate because of contagion, but if it is cocci, they all have it. Only the weakest will succumb.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you. Sometimes, they just don't make it.

 

[Icedangel11]

Yeah. Sadly it just took way too much out of him. He's still alive but barely. I'm pretty sure he'll be gone by tonight, if not within the next hour.

It's very disappointing, but I did everything I possibly could. I'm going to call up the feed store I bought him from and see what hatchery they came from so I can avoid it again. (Or possibly not buying from the feed store again. I was a bit suspicious since they were selling them the same day they arrived at the store but Easter eggers are SO hard to find. Everyone and their brother wants them.

 

[bumpercarr]

Yeah. Sadly it just took way too much out of him. He's still alive but barely. I'm pretty sure he'll be gone by tonight, if not within the next hour.

It's very disappointing, but I did everything I possibly could. I'm going to call up the feed store I bought him from and see what hatchery they came from so I can avoid it again. (Or possibly not buying from the feed store again. I was a bit suspicious since they were selling them the same day they arrived at the store but Easter eggers are SO hard to find. Everyone and their brother wants them.

Some just don't thrive and have a constant battle. The one chick that I saved is now 5 weeks old and it is still about 1/2 the size of its siblings. Since I hatched these from my own flock, I know the breeding so there is no other explanation other than it had a rough start. I'll probably have to cull it because of the size, we'll see.

Anyway, before buying chicks again, I'd make sure I have a good medical kit put together. A medicine dropper, maybe a few small syringes (if you have a dog or cat, ask the vet next time you are in there for a couple), corid, tetracycline, probiotic and electrolytes are all good things to have on hand.

Also, your feed store may offer a guarantee and replace your chick, doesn't hurt to ask.