Sick Chicks w/ Droopy wings

[Crazy_Coop]

I have 5 baby chicks that are about 2 weeks old, 2 of them are buff orpingtons and the other 3 are jersey giants. Two days ago one of them started showing signs of sickness, she was not eating and then she started drooping her wings. I know their brooder is not too hot they have plenty of room to escape the heat and are sleeping comftorably in all different places under and around the lamp. We where worried about cocci and purchased corid (in 20% powder form) but did not use it immediately out of fear for it being bad for them if they didnt have cocci. The next day she started eating again but her wings where drooping even more and by the evening they where all doing it. I saw a thread on here saying corid wont hurt them they dont have cocci even though I suspect they do as when I was holding the one who was initially sick she had diarrhea three times in a row. I cleaned and sanitized their brooder and feeder/waterer then started corid treatment (1/2 tsp per gallon) that was last night and this morning I didnt see them drooping their wings as much except for when they are laying down (however the one who initially causes concerned has still been doing it). The only other symptom they have had is sneezing which really only started today. This is my first time owning chicks and i've done as much research as I can but feel somewhat lost does anyone know what could be wrong or if I should just continue cocci treatment?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I cleaned and sanitized their brooder and feeder/waterer then started corid treatment (1/2 tsp per gallon) that was last night and this morning I didnt see them drooping their wings as much except for when they are laying down

Welcome To BYC

Can you please post photos of the chicks, their poop and the brooder?

What is the temperature on the warm side and cool side of the brooder?

What are you feeding?


You cleaned and sanitized the brooder - with what? Really all that needs to be done in a brooder is to keep feed/water stations clean (of poop) and to scoop poop as needed, add a bit of fresh bedding as needed.

Corid is mild and won't harm them.
Since you report and improvement, then yes, I would continue with the treatment.

Adjust your dosing to the correct one:::::
Liquid Corid dose is 2tsp or Powdered Corid Dose is 1 1/2tsp per gallon of water given for 5-7 days as the only source of drinking water.
Do not add any extra vitamins/electrolytes that contain B1(Thiamine) to food or water during the course of treatment.

 

[Crazy_Coop]

Welcome To BYC

Can you please post photos of the chicks, their poop and the brooder?

What is the temperature on the warm side and cool side of the brooder?

What are you feeding?


You cleaned and sanitized the brooder - with what? Really all that needs to be done in a brooder is to keep feed/water stations clean (of poop) and to scoop poop as needed, add a bit of fresh bedding as needed.

Corid is mild and won't harm them.
Since you report and improvement, then yes, I would continue with the treatment.

Adjust your dosing to the correct one:::::
Liquid Corid dose is 2tsp or Powdered Corid Dose is 1 1/2tsp per gallon of water given for 5-7 days as the only source of drinking water.
Do not add any extra vitamins/electrolytes that contain B1(Thiamine) to food or water during the course of treatment.

A family friend of ours who used to be a chicken farmer reccomended we disinfect I used bleach heavily diluted to make a mild solution. Other than that i've just been cleaning with soapnand water and disinfecting once a day as reccomended by friend. I havent been giving them any electrolytes since I started corid and they where on dumor unmedicated 20% chick starter/grow but then I realized they needed to be on medicated feed and have been switching them to purina medicated 18% chick starter/grower.

(Also the reason im coming here is because the family friend sidnt really seem to believe me that I felt they where showing severe signs of sickness and just wanted me to wait it out)

 

[Rose Quartz]

How high do you have the heat lamp? I've brooded in those big tubs before and the normal size heat lamps are major over kill. The heat ends up sitting at the bottom and building up.

Do you have any thermometers to check the actual temp in the bottom of the bin?

Their poop looks normal to me, it might be extra wet from drinking too much water to try to cool down.

 

[Brahmas Beauty Homestead]

I suggest putting an actual thermometer down in the brooder at the hot area and a second one at the cooler area. You will not know the temperature if you don’t have a thermometer in the brooder. You can not go off they are moving around if the entire area is to warm. It might have a warmer spot than another one but what’s the actual temperature of those areas. It looks like the entire thing is super heated but could be the light dissipating. I only use those big bulbs in my outside brooder. In the house I use a ceramic heat bulb like you use in a lizard cage and a separate lamp for the light. I have the bulb in a lamp that has a dial on the cord so you turn it up and down as needed and not have to raise and lower the bulb. I also turn the light off at night but have a night light hanging down in the brooder. They have some thermometers that are a cheap digital with a long wire and probe at the end you can get fairly cheap and like 3 in a pack or something. The temperature is so critical you can not guess. Good luck. The poop looks normal the way they are laying with their wings out is how they lay when to hot. Try raising the heat anyway. If they get cold they will get chirping loud and huddle up.

 

[Crazy_Coop]

I know they open their wings like that when hot but they've been doing it while standing too which seems very abnormal to me, i just put the thermometer under the light and its reading at 80° F and I have a second one I will be putting on the cooler side

 

[Crazy_Coop]

I suggest putting an actual thermometer down in the brooder at the hot area and a second one at the cooler area. You will not know the temperature if you don’t have a thermometer in the brooder. You can not go off they are moving around if the entire area is to warm. It might have a warmer spot than another one but what’s the actual temperature of those areas. It looks like the entire thing is super heated but could be the light dissipating. I only use those big bulbs in my outside brooder. In the house I use a ceramic heat bulb like you use in a lizard cage and a separate lamp for the light. I have the bulb in a lamp that has a dial on the cord so you turn it up and down as needed and not have to raise and lower the bulb. I also turn the light off at night but have a night light hanging down in the brooder. They have some thermometers that are a cheap digital with a long wire and probe at the end you can get fairly cheap and like 3 in a pack or something. The temperature is so critical you can not guess. Good luck. The poop looks normal the way they are laying with their wings out is how they lay when to hot. Try raising the heat anyway. If they get cold they will get chirping loud and huddle up.

I have a ceramic heater and can buy a dimmer seitch what kind of light is best for them to be able to see

 

[Wyorp Rock]

we disinfect I used bleach heavily diluted to make a mild solution. Other than that i've just been cleaning with soapnand water and disinfecting once a day as reccomended by friend.

(Also the reason im coming here is because the family friend sidnt really seem to believe me that I felt they where showing severe signs of sickness and just wanted me to wait it out)

They look hot.

I'd provide a larger brooder with more space and raise them lamp.

It is not necessary to clean and sanitize a brooder daily. Chicks are not sterile.

Really all that needs to be done in a brooder is to keep feed/water stations clean (of poop) and to scoop poop as needed, add a bit of fresh bedding as needed.

 

[Crazy_Coop]

They look hot.

I'd provide a larger brooder with more space and raise them lamp.

It is not necessary to clean and sanitize a brooder daily. Chicks are not sterile.

They were in a larger brooder but I moved them to this one because it was easier to sanitize, I havent been sanitizing the brooder itself every day only their waterer once a day. The temp under the lamp is 77° F and and the cool side it 67° F. When they where in the larger brooder they where still drooping their wings no matter where they were within the brooder (it was a large dog crate that definetly had a tempurature difference on each side) there was no change in their behavior when moved them to the smaller one. I corrected the corrid dosage last night and today there has been even more improvement allthough there is still a bit of wing drooping when they lay down but they also have started slightly tucking one foot up which i've heard could be a sign of being cold? Also im wondering if chickens have allergies like humans do, I've noticed then sneezing everytime I come to check on them. It isnt super frequent but its been enough for me to notice should I worry about it?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They were in a larger brooder but I moved them to this one because it was easier to sanitize, I havent been sanitizing the brooder itself every day only their waterer once a day. The temp under the lamp is 77° F and and the cool side it 67° F. When they where in the larger brooder they where still drooping their wings no matter where they were within the brooder (it was a large dog crate that definetly had a tempurature difference on each side) there was no change in their behavior when moved them to the smaller one. I corrected the corrid dosage last night and today there has been even more improvement allthough there is still a bit of wing drooping when they lay down but they also have started slightly tucking one foot up which i've heard could be a sign of being cold? Also im wondering if chickens have allergies like humans do, I've noticed then sneezing everytime I come to check on them. It isnt super frequent but its been enough for me to notice should I worry about it?

I moved them to this one because it was easier to sanitize, I havent been sanitizing the brooder itself every day only their waterer once a day.

This doesn't match...
I would stop cleaning/sanitizing the brooder.
A quick wash of water/feed stations when soiled is always a good idea.

Chicks need to be exposed to poop and each other, they will not be living in a sterile and sanitized environment outside. You want them to have exposure to poop, bedding, etc. while in the brooder to help build some resistance.

Have you ever had chicks before?

Tucking the feet under them is normal when babies or even as adults when they are lounging about.

I'd put them back in the bigger brooder, they need space.

A sneeze can be just a sneeze - getting water/food in the nostrils, dust from bedding, etc. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

It's good that you are seeing improvement, I'd finish the course of Corid since it's been started.