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Post by countrymom22 on Apr 28, 2019 20:25:01 GMT
Okay, so our chicks are about 10 weeks old and have been outside for 3 weeks now. Completely feathered out. Everything was going well. I noticed that yesterday that they hadn't eaten all of the chick starter. Yesterday it was really windy here, 45-50 mph winds all day. Last night it was down in the 40's overnight. This morning I went out to feed and immediately noticed that none of the chicks were on the roost, or quietly peeping like they usually are. So when I opened the coop door, I noticed that they were huddle in a corner. They are acting listless, not really interested in eating, so I tempted them with hard boiled eggs, which they were initially happy about. I cleaned their coop and noticed some blood in the stools.
We put the heat lamp back into the coop thinking that they may be chilled, and at least wanting to support them in keeping themselves warm as it's raw and overcast here today. I just went back out to check on them and it's warmer in the coop but not overly warm. A few of the birds are walking around, but still not normal. They are fluffed up, tails dropping and listless. I was actually able to touch a few of them without them moving away, which I have never been able to do with this batch of chickens before, so I know something is definitely wrong. We don't have an avian vet in the area and I've never in 50 years of raising chickens had this problem, so I have no idea what it could be. They are still on a commercial chick starter with a coccidiostat in the feed, as well as the fact that the chicks are not allowed outside the coop yet.
Does anyone have any ideas what the problem may be and/or what I can do to help them? We do have a TSC that is open if there is anything that they may sell that would help. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. I know this is all kind of hard to diagnose with the current symptoms, but that's all we have to go on for now. Oh, and the older chickens are all fine. Thanks! |
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Post by Mari-in-IN on Apr 28, 2019 22:15:51 GMT
I’m sorry, I sure wish I could help you out. Never had that happen myself. I do hope they start feeling better!
Take care,
~Mari
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Post by BrewDaddy on Apr 28, 2019 22:26:17 GMT
Maybe the high winds dehydrated them a bit? Got some electrolyte you could mix up for them?
bd
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Post by AD in WNC on Apr 28, 2019 23:00:07 GMT
I would think that the chicks were cold (from the wind) because they were huddled in the corner. Can you get them out of the wind and still keep the light? There is a vitamin & electrolyte mix called 'Sav-a-Chick' that I would get. I have used similar products for my sheep and goats with lots of success.
Good luck! Keep us posted?
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Post by countrymom22 on Apr 28, 2019 23:14:37 GMT
Thanks guys. My first thought was that they were chilled and the heat lamp has perked them up slightly. I also added extra straw to the coop when I cleaned it this morning so they can nestle in and stay warm. Previously they were all up on the roosts at night, but they aren't using them tonight, which isn't a good sign.
Getting chilled wouldn't account for the blood in the stools, though.
Thanks for the "Sav-a-Chik" suggestion. I'll run out to TSC to see if they have any or something comparable. I'll let you know how I make out.
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Post by wildhorseluvr on Apr 29, 2019 0:06:42 GMT
Despite their being on a medicated feed, I would still suspect coccidiosis.
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Post by Mari-in-IN on Apr 29, 2019 0:38:42 GMT
Despite their being on a medicated feed, I would still suspect coccidiosis. After doing a little bit of "googling" I was sort of thinking the same thing... but, I don't know for sure... what a dilemma... ~Mari |
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Post by shellymay on Apr 29, 2019 12:09:10 GMT
If I was you I would go purchase a high protein wet cat food, mash it up and remove their chick feed for a day and feed them the cat food.....I would also agree with the 'Sav-a-Chick' powder in their water, limit the cat food for only one or two days no more.......
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Post by countrymom22 on Apr 29, 2019 21:02:01 GMT
They had another hard night last night, even with the heat lamp as the temp got down to 35 last night. So this morning I built a solid wall along the previously open inside wall of the coop and lowered the heat lamp. They were looking better and all up on the roosts when I locked up last night but miserable again by this morning, so I do think it is cold stress.
So I went to TSC and got both the Sav-a-Chick probiotic and the electrolyte powders. More hard boiled eggs. Came back from the dentist a few hours later and they were all eating, drinking and peeping happily. I'm going to keep them on the Sav-a-Chick for the next 3 days, at least. I do have some wet cat food, so I'll try giving them some tomorrow. I'm monitoring the stools, so we'll see how it goes, but for now things are looking up.
Thanks for the help.
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Post by ceresone on May 4, 2019 20:22:08 GMT
Any updates?
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Post by countrymom22 on May 5, 2019 0:29:46 GMT
Everyone survived and is doing fine again. I'm keeping the heat lamp in there until the temps are reliably above 60 at night. The weather people forecast one temp and it seems that we get a lot colder than what's forecast. We had frost three times in the last week even though we had daytime temps well into the 70's. It's just crazy.
I think the main problem was that they got chilled with the strong winds that blew up here on the 27th while we were gone for the day, and because of the orientation of the coop door, they really couldn't get away from the wind. Then the temps got real cold that night and they just couldn't recover on their own without the light. But everything seems to be fine now, thank goodness.
I just hope I can get them all combined with the older hens before I go away in June to make life easier on my son.
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