My baby chick is losing feathers and has runny poop. What's wrong?

Some breeds of chickens (notably Brahmas, Cochins, Cornish, Rocks, and Orpingtons) are known to feather in slower than other breeds. Crosses with these breeds can also be slow to feather in. Monitor for picking by other chicks and check him over for redness, scabbing or other signs of injury or infection. Be sure to feed a quality chick diet and make sure he is eating his fair share. Weigh him periodically to confirm gains. As long as he appears normal/healthy and is behaving normally, there is likely no cause for concern. An exam with a veterinarian experienced in treating domestic fowl would be recommended if other symptoms (lethargy, decreased appetite, redness, etc) develop.

Thanks for reaching out about your chick and including photos. The lesions appear like vesicles and a bacterial or viral etiology would be high on the list. A veterinary visit should be scheduled to help with an assessment and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. This chick should b e separated from others because viral disease are possibly contagious to other birds. Providing heat support in the 80-85 F range can give some aid. Cleaning/dabbing the lesions with a dilute povidine/betadyne solution might help but does not replace a veterinary visit. Wash hands well after handling to prevent cross contamination. Good luck.

It would be best to discourage mice being in the coop as much as possible, either by setting traps or making sure the grain fed to the chickens is hung out of reach and all grain-bins are closed. While they may not transmit much or anything to your hens, the droppings can transmit diseases to the humans cleaning the coop if not properly handled. Chickens should have feathers. It is possible your hen is molting (losing feathers while new ones grow in) which is normal and happens yearly for most chickens, and you will see pin (or short pin-like) feathers signaling new feathers regrowing. If your chicken is not regrowing the feathers or is being picked on, it may indicate an issue such as being bullied, parasites, illness, etc and should be checked out by a vet.

Thanks for reaching out about Eclipse. By the picture, she appears hunched in posture, feathers fluffed and weak. These are common clinical signs of general illness. The runny stool is more likely more urine and lack of feces, due to not eating well. It is recommended you seek an visit with an avian veterinarian. Providing heat support in the mean time is often helpful. Good luck.

Separate them out from the rest of the chicks and keep them warm and as stress free as possible. Submit a sample of the droppings to your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites. The "stringiness" could be mucous which may be indicative of coccidiosis. Your vet can confirm this or other infection. Treatment will depend on the diagnosis.

Hi and thank you for this question, It sounds as if Mithu should be examined by a vet. One possibility is a viral disease called psittacine beak and feather disease. This can be diagnosed from a blood sample. There may off course be other causes, but diagnosing them would require a vet exam.

Baby birds can lose feathers in what looks like a molt as their adult feathers come in. If she is molting, you will see new feathers, called pin feathers, sticking out of the skin (they look like little needles). If she is otherwise healthy and active and on a balanced diet I wouldn't be too concerned, however you did mention she is a bit lethargic. If she is losing feathers and isn't growing in new ones, and remains lethargic or begins to decrease her eating/drinking habits, have changes in stool, etc, then seeking out an exam in person is best to rule out any issues such as parasites, illness, nutrient issues, etc that could be causing her symptoms. Keeping her eating and drinking, warm, and away from any other birds that may pick on her if she is ill can also help until you can get to a vet.