What's wrong with my two chickens, help!

[beneduck14]

They are both about less than 1 month old. I just put all my chicks out a couple weeks ago and they were all fine. Then two of the hens showed signs of

-drooped wings
-small droppings
-puffed up face like an owl
- and general weakness
(Not able to fly up to coop like others, can't even jump out of a storage box)

This morning, one of them was lying on its side not being strong enough to push herself back up. So she laid there.

Right now I have them inside the house giving them electrolyte water and scrambled eggs. Every single time I took them back out when they seemed better, they went sick again.

WHATS WRONG AND WHAT SHOULD IS DO?

 

[Pyxis]

Do you have a heat source out there for them? Because it's still pretty cold out right now, especially for chicks less than a month old. What you described cold easily be them getting chilled, and since they recover once you bring them in and warm them up and then go right back to having problems again when you put them out, I'm thinking they're too cold out there. If you do have a heat source, it could be that the others are bullying them away from it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They are both about less than 1 month old. I just put all my chicks out a couple weeks ago and they were all fine. Then two of the hens showed signs of

-drooped wings
-small droppings
-puffed up face like an owl
- and general weakness
(Not able to fly up to coop like others, can't even jump out of a storage box)

This morning, one of them was lying on its side not being strong enough to push herself back up. So she laid there.

Right now I have them inside the house giving them electrolyte water and scrambled eggs. Every single time I took them back out when they seemed better, they went sick again.

WHATS WRONG AND WHAT SHOULD IS DO?

It could be a number of things, but my first thought since you introduced them to the outdoors a couple of weeks ago would be Coccidiosis.
Symptoms include lethargy, puffed up/huddling, diarrhea with mucous or blood, loss of balance and going off feed.

Cocci can be treated with Corid which you can usually find at your local feed store. Corid dosage is 1 1/2 teaspoons Corid powder per gallon or 2 teaspoons of 9.6% Corid liquid per gallon. Give for 5-7 days - make sure this is the ONLY water available during that time period. Mix a fresh batch at least once a day.

After they finish treatment offer some poultry vitamins and probiotics/plain yogurt.

Keep us posted.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Less than a month old??? Any heat source?? Sounds like they're freezing at night and warming up inside...

 

[beneduck14]

It could be a number of things, but my first thought since you introduced them to the outdoors a couple of weeks ago would be Coccidiosis.
Symptoms include lethargy, puffed up/huddling, diarrhea with mucous or blood, loss of balance and going off feed.

Cocci can be treated with Corid which you can usually find at your local feed store. Corid dosage  is 1 1/2 teaspoons Corid powder per gallon or  2 teaspoons of 9.6% Corid liquid per gallon. Give for 5-7 days - make sure this is the ONLY water available during that time period. Mix a fresh batch at least once a day.

After they finish treatment offer some poultry vitamins and probiotics/plain yogurt.

Keep us posted.

Hmm... I fed them with medicated feed when they were chicks which protects them to cocci. Could it still be possible that they might have them? I'll try to find some just in case, tractor supply doesn't sell them because of the new antibiotic rule :/

 

[beneduck14]

Less than a month old??? Any heat source?? Sounds like they're freezing at night and warming up inside...

No heat source, the others are doing very fine and healthy without it and they have deep bedding for warmth in coop. Would it be safe to put a brooder heat lamp in their coop without the risk of fire?

 

[beneduck14]

Do you have a heat source out there for them? Because it's still pretty cold out right now, especially for chicks less than a month old. What you described cold easily be them getting chilled, and since they recover once you bring them in and warm them up and then go right back to having problems again when you put them out, I'm thinking they're too cold out there. If you do have a heat source, it could be that the others are bullying them away from it.

Don't have one, thinking of putting a heat lamp out there since now two people have suggested it. Hopefully it won't cause fire or anything. Strange how the others are doing significantly better while the two aren't-

 

[Pyxis]

No heat source, the others are doing very fine and healthy without it and they have deep bedding for warmth in coop. Would it be safe to put a brooder heat lamp in their coop without the risk of fire?

At less than four weeks old they are too young to be outside without a heat source. Since you said they're getting better when you bring them back inside (aka when they are getting warmed up) and then have trouble again as soon as they're out in the cold once more, it's really most likely that they're just too cold.

Coccidiosis wouldn't get better when you bring them in the house and then get worse again when you put them back out, so I don't think it's that.

Don't have one, thinking of putting a heat lamp out there since now two people have suggested it. Hopefully it won't cause fire or anything. Strange how the others are doing significantly better while the two aren't-

Just make sure you secure it correctly and it should be fine. Chain it up, don't use the clamp that it comes with, and set it up so that if it does fall it'll unplug itself on the way down.

 

[beneduck14]

Thank

At less than four weeks old they are too young to be outside without a heat source. Since you said they're getting better when you bring them back inside (aka when they are getting warmed up) and then have trouble again as soon as they're out in the cold once more, it's really most likely that they're just too cold.

Coccidiosis wouldn't get better when you bring them in the house and then get worse again when you put them back out.
Just make sure you secure it correctly and it should be fine. Chain it up, don't use the clamp that it comes with, and set it up so that if it does fall it'll unplug itself on the way down.

Thank you so much! Going to go out there and try to do that, we are called for freezing rain tonight. I wish I could keep all of them inside but couldn't because of the noise, cats and dogs, and small brooders

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hmm... I fed them with medicated feed when they were chicks which protects them to cocci. Could it still be possible that they might have them? I'll try to find some just in case, tractor supply doesn't sell them because of the new antibiotic rule

What do you feed them now? If they are less than a month old(?) they are still chicks

You also mention in your opening question that you have had them outside for a couple of weeks and they have been fine - have you had a sudden change in temperature ? Then suddenly 2HENS are ill. Are these chicks or hens?

Anyway if they are chicks then they would need heat and hydration.

FWIW - Most medicated chick starter contains Amprolium which helps to keep Cocci load low enough so that a bird can develop a natural immunity. Amprolium is a Coccidiostat which is a Vitamin B1(Thiamine) blocker, it's only purpose it to help control cocci overload. It is not an antibiotic. Corid which is Amprolium does not fall under the new antibiotic rule.