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HELP! I need help with a resuscitated chick!

post #1 of 17
5/22/12 at 1:44pm
Thread Starter 

So I have 5 chicks under my broody hen. This morning I went down to check on everyone and the little polish was out at the edge of the coop...cold and lifeless. I thought it was dead, so I scooped it up, looked it over, and checked on everyone else. While doing that I felt a tiny movement and thought I saw a gasp from the corner of my eye. My heart skipped a beat and I cupped the chick in my hands and started to warm it with my breath. Sure enough the chick gasped again, so I ran inside and continued to warm it in my hands. After it started to breath regularly I stuck it down my shirt to give it direct body heat. I had to go to work, so I drove with the tiny chick in my hand in front of the heater. By the time I got there it was chirping at me and standing! By the time I got it home it was chirping LOUD and quieted down once it got back under mama.

 

Now I need some help. I didn't have any food with me at work, but when I tried to give it egg it wasn't interested in food. It's crop was noticeable but soft, and about 10 minutes after it took a drink, I put it down and it shook its head causing the water to come back up. It had runny poop, as if it wasn't eating well, and is smaller than the others. I also felt like it had a fermented/stinky smell coming from its mouth but its very hard to tell with a runty 4-5 day old bantam polish chick. It is also sneezing occasionally, but those are the only symptoms.

 

SO, any idea what's going on? I feel like its not eating well, but how do I get it to eat? Can chicks this young get sour crop? Could the fact that its body was shutting down be why its poop was weird and it wasn't voraciously eating?

 

Here's the baby I'm trying to save. If it makes it, I'll have to name it Lucky or something.

 

chick3.jpg

"No, I don't own a zoo...I like to call it a menagerie."

 

Owned by two pugs, a calico cat, two rabbits, a crested gecko, 9 large fowl, and 7 bantams! 

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"No, I don't own a zoo...I like to call it a menagerie."

 

Owned by two pugs, a calico cat, two rabbits, a crested gecko, 9 large fowl, and 7 bantams! 

Reply

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post #2 of 17
5/22/12 at 2:07pm

I'm a newbie, so I don't have any advice, except maybe the electrolyte drops.  I'm sending you good vibes though.  Good job on your efforts thus far!thumbsup.gif  

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post #3 of 17
5/22/12 at 2:11pm

I have a baby chick and it is lonely.Chicks cant eat if they are 3 days old. But by your discription, I would sugest you take it to the vet or some thing. Take my advice my dad says I am an expert.             thumbsup.gif

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

 

My cat is gonna be a mama!

 

Chickens are Best Friends, not pets.

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Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

 

My cat is gonna be a mama!

 

Chickens are Best Friends, not pets.

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post #4 of 17
5/22/12 at 3:24pm

Chicks can eat if they are three days old! I'd say this little one might need some fortification...vitamins or electrolytes, something to help it pull through. Offer it well mashed egg pretty often, and maybe it will perk up and be more interested in chowing down. Not sure about the sour smell..hopefully someone will chime in here. 

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post #5 of 17
5/22/12 at 3:34pm

I read that apple cider vinagar can help prevent sour crop, but I dont know if it helps once its in progress.

 

I agree with giving it electrolytes and vitamins.  I get the kind you put in water.  I then put in feed to soak it up and feed it to my littlest chick.  He was having some pretty bad growth problems, but has since grown much better.  he will always be a dwarf, but hes lively!  

 

Some people suggest a dropper.  maybe put some food in some water with vitamins but make it really watery so that you can use a dropper to feed the chick.  He wont take much because he is so small, so maybe only one or two drops.  

 

Some people suggest massaging the crop on adult birds when they are impacted, though with sour crop you probably dont want to do that, especially with such a small fella.  It might be that when he was "out" he might have been out for long enough for the food to sit long enough to ferment, causing the sour crop.  

 

We are all wishing you luck!!  There is a huge huge huge amount of info on here, dont be shy about using the search!  Its a really great tool!  maybe you can find someone with a similar issue that had it solved! wink.png

 

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/509971/chick-with-sour-crop-what-to-do

 

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/334268/help-little-chick-sick-sour-crop

 

http://poultry.allotment.org.uk/advice/chicken-health/impacted-or-bound-crop

 

http://www.greenmuze.com/blogs/green-muzings/2208-chicken-impacted-crop-or-sour-crop.html


Edited by Reurra - 5/22/12 at 3:48pm

1 Blue JG and 1 Black JG, 1 black Americauna, 1 penciled Americauna, 1 Penciled Rock.  1 Cornish chick, 5 Sussex, 8 mix chicks, and one wild kitty!  

 

10 meaties on the way, 2 red layers and 10 in the incubator.  Chicken Math strikes again! 

 

The Rooster may crow, but it is the Hen that delivers the goods! 

Reply

1 Blue JG and 1 Black JG, 1 black Americauna, 1 penciled Americauna, 1 Penciled Rock.  1 Cornish chick, 5 Sussex, 8 mix chicks, and one wild kitty!  

 

10 meaties on the way, 2 red layers and 10 in the incubator.  Chicken Math strikes again! 

 

The Rooster may crow, but it is the Hen that delivers the goods! 

Reply
post #6 of 17
5/22/12 at 3:54pm
I dont think sneezing is ever a good sign. Coupled with runny poo and small size it could be carrying an illness.

You need to keep it isolated from the other chicks until you know for sure if it was just the stress of being left in the cold, or if momma left him the cold to protect her other chicks...

List of illnesses with symptoms, treatments, typical outcomes. See the charts at the end, too. Good luck!

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
I'm not a rooster, but I reserve the right to crow!   1 husband who wants a rooster and will not get it, one son who flew the coop, one lovely german shepherd, one amazing adopted farm dog, three gold sex links, two who hit 17 weeks old the first week of July and laid first eggs 7-15-12!!
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I'm not a rooster, but I reserve the right to crow!   1 husband who wants a rooster and will not get it, one son who flew the coop, one lovely german shepherd, one amazing adopted farm dog, three gold sex links, two who hit 17 weeks old the first week of July and laid first eggs 7-15-12!!
Reply
post #7 of 17
5/22/12 at 4:01pm

How runny is the runny poop? The runny poop may only be because he hasn't had any food. Sneezing usually isn't good, ,but ho often is it? Sometimes healthy chickens sneeze. As for the crop, I cannot help you there

Poem

Dreamin' of swans

No crested ducks

LMAO

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Poem

Dreamin' of swans

No crested ducks

LMAO

Reply
post #8 of 17
5/22/12 at 6:24pm

I swear by yogart when my chick was new hatch she was not doing well as others i added strawberry yogart to theret diet and she percked right up they get it every night. when i started i had fruit yogart so that is what my girls get some say only plain yogart but i think if your fighting to stay alive what ever kind you have pluse mine love the chucks of fruit

My city farm:

4 Chickens 1 Buff Orpington Cheerio Rose, 2 Exchequer Leg Horn Lilly & Phoenix and 1 Amber star mix Little Bit.

3 rats Summer, Winter and Spring

3 Dogs: Lab Honey bear, Samoyed Duke, Pit mix Candii

3 cats: Snickers, Kit Kat, Zelda

1 desert turtle Harry

And a whole lot of fish in the fish tank

 

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My city farm:

4 Chickens 1 Buff Orpington Cheerio Rose, 2 Exchequer Leg Horn Lilly & Phoenix and 1 Amber star mix Little Bit.

3 rats Summer, Winter and Spring

3 Dogs: Lab Honey bear, Samoyed Duke, Pit mix Candii

3 cats: Snickers, Kit Kat, Zelda

1 desert turtle Harry

And a whole lot of fish in the fish tank

 

Reply
post #9 of 17
5/22/12 at 7:04pm

Yes yogurt is WONDERFUL for a sick chick

Poem

Dreamin' of swans

No crested ducks

LMAO

Reply

Poem

Dreamin' of swans

No crested ducks

LMAO

Reply
post #10 of 17
5/22/12 at 7:09pm
Thread Starter 

You think there's a difference between plain regular and Greek yogurt? I'll give that a try tomorrow :)

"No, I don't own a zoo...I like to call it a menagerie."

 

Owned by two pugs, a calico cat, two rabbits, a crested gecko, 9 large fowl, and 7 bantams! 

Reply

"No, I don't own a zoo...I like to call it a menagerie."

 

Owned by two pugs, a calico cat, two rabbits, a crested gecko, 9 large fowl, and 7 bantams! 

Reply
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BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Raising BackYard Chickens › Raising Baby Chicks › HELP! I need help with a resuscitated chick!