3 day old chick won't eat or drink UPDATE-she's BLIND

I just hatched out a group of 13 baby chicks. They hatched friday and saturday. All the chicks are doing great, except for one. This little one is very sleepy and can't seem to stay awake. I can't get her to eat or drink and she's getting weaker and weaker. I've been dipping her beak in the water every couple of hours and she'll drink what is in her mouth, but as soon as I set her down she falls asleep. She also doesn't eat, doesn't peck anything, and doesn't stay awake long enough to even find the food.

They are all on paper towels, have medicated chick starter, and fresh water. I have tried giving her a drop of honey every few hours, and just in the past 6 hours have gotten about 2 mL's of fresh egg yolk into her. She would eat it when I dribbled it along her beak, but I had to keep jiggling her to stay awake.

I've been thinking maybe she can't see the food and water.

I don't know what else to do. Please give me some ideas.

wouldn't hurt to get some vitamins in her..Poly-vi-sol liquid baby vitamins..Enfamil brand, no iron..2-3 drops once a day for about a week or so..then taper off..
also, try some electrolytes in her drinking water..
in the meantime, try and get some chick vitamins, and keep giving the chick the egg..
some scramble it..but if she's so sleepy..the raw might be ok..
did you notice if she had odd droppings at any time?

how did her hatch go?
any problems?

I'll get her some vitamins in the morning. I should probably have them on hand anyway.

I thought about scrambling the egg, but I don't know how I'd get her to eat it. I just watered down the yolk and got some more water into her, I'll try some with electrolytes next time. I was figuring the yolk would have everything she needed.

I've seen her poop once, it was pretty normal for chick poop, but not a lot of substance to it. I don't know I remember her hatching, but none of them had major problems.

I was just now noticing she looks small compared to the others, so I don't think she's growing (makes sense). The others are getting stronger and more active and she just stands around to the side.

Thanks for the ideas.

So sorry one of your little ones isn't doing well. Don't have any added advice, just wanted to say that I hope she improves. I had one that was behind and not growing from my last hatch (she had some issues when she hatched) and now the only way I know her is her markings. In fact, she has turned into an almost bully!!! Good luck with the little sweetie.

here is a possibility..
but don't give up on her yet..she isn't eating, so isn't growing..
but..have a read:

http://fowlfacts.proboards40.com/index.cgi?board=afflictiondiseaseff&action=display&thread=1358

So, I've discovered she is blind. The lens or retina of her eye is white and opaque. She also has no pupil reaction when I shine a flashlight in her eyes.

I'm pretty sure she can't see to eat or drink. How do I get her to start pecking at things? It isn't she won't eat, she won't even peck at anything to try to find food. I've tried covering the whole floor in chick starter, but she won't even peck.

Maybe it is too late for her, she is getting weak. I don't know what else to do.

I am so sorry. I know there is someone on here who has a chick that was blind since it hatched, but I just can't remember who. I wish I had some advice for you.

I had pretty much given up on her. She couldn't stay awake long enough to eat (via syringe) and she was only getting weaker. But this morning she was screaming at me. So I took her to dunk her beak in the water, and she put up a good fight. So I stood her in front of the water (which I've done every day), and she drank a whole bunch on her own. She also began pecking at things. So I gave her some yolk and she ate it as soon as I put it up to her beak. Tonight I stood her on the floor, put a lid full of yolk and wetted chick starter, and she went to town. I've never seen her eat so much, and she wasn't nearly as sleepy. When her crop was stuffed and bulging I put her back with the others. She can't see at all. When she's eating I keep a finger next to her or she moves around and starts wandering and pecking the air. She gets nervous if I'm not touching her when she's eating, maybe she can sense a lot of space around her.

She is still tiny and so very skinny. Gaunt, for that matter. But her attitude is better.

Now what do I do with a blind chicken? Can she ever free-range in the backyard? I figure eventually she'll know where everything is, just like a blind person, and be able to get around just fine.

I have a blind hen..She can find the water and feed as long as it is in the same place each day.
She can even perch on a low roost! the urge to roost is strong and she jumped and missed at first but now does it on first try!
I think she follows the other chicken sounds and lays around with them in the pen..
I have to put her in and out of the barn but she is in enclosed run so cannot wander off. She seems happy and has quality of life.....
I think your baby will do o.k. just not out free ranging... good luck.... lilchick

Find BYC member "Southern28chick" and PM her. Or do a search on "blind Tiny" to read Southern's experience with a blind chick.

They do require extra care in housing and feeding. You'll have to decide whether it's worth the extra work for you.