I feed mine chick starter and they do fine, be sure to treat and supplement with higher protein sources. Brewer's yeast, fish meal, meal worms, hard boiled eggs, etc.
I also ferment my feed so it makes nutrients / vitamins / minerals more accessible to them and slightly ups the protein %...
Very sorry to hear, hope it's improving. I'd keep up the cayenne and or habanero or any other pepper you can find. I'd also use garlic and oregano and thyme in the feed and/or water and apple cider vinegar in the water. Oregano oil if you can find it too.
What are you feeding it and how are you brooding it? How many others is it with? What are you feeding it? It may be a vitamin or protein deficiency if it was okay at hatch. Make sure it keeps eating and drinking. I would supplement with Red Cell horse supplement (it's okay for birds too)...
My broody hen has been an excellent mother to my poults. Saved me from needing to brood them myself. I wasn't sure in the beginning, just keep an eye on them, if you feel like she's not doing well, take them away from her.
I split the eggs, gave her half and half in an incubator. We were...
Add a little more water, it will absorb it. As for it being too much, I really don't know, too many variables. It should be fine though, maybe get some kahm yeast on it. (stinky and looks bad, but harmless) The weather is too hot at the moment for me and fruit flies & mosquitoes are driving...
If they are broad breasted, they are meant for eating. You can try to keep them as pets, but in the long run it's not good for them (or you). Their bodies aren't designed for it. Not knowing the lineage of the birds, they could have genetic problems and that may be what you are seeing. Try...
Add apple cider vinegar to their water, and garlic, cayenne, and herbs to their feed, especially oregano (Oil of oregano is you have it), and thyme. Keep them drinking and eating.
Same with what everyone else said, protein is vital to their health. Let them free range, supplement with...
Might get a faster response if you linked the post here too...
First things to do right away if the bird seems unwell are add apple cider vinegar to their water, and garlic, cayenne, and herbs to their feed, especially oregano (Oil of oregano is you have it), and thyme. Keep them drinking...
The flaw to this is you are setting the new feed up to failure. Yes, they can be very set in their ways. To make this work you need to make the change more even, put the new feed in the old feeder and the old feed in the new one. Or else they will stick with the old food and old feeder...
I've been using it on my birds since day 1. I've never had problems with them getting sick in any way, so it is a great preventative too.
I also put apple cider vinegar in their water and garlic, ACV, and dried herbs in their fermented feed. You don't need a lot, especially as a...
While I don't know how high the calcium levels are (never heard of it being a plus or a minus), I don't think it's that high of a protein source. I supplement my feed with mealworms, split peas, hemp seed, chia, hard boiled eggs, etc. I let my broody hen raise my most recent batch and they've...