Four day old chick starving itself!

[suwupra]

Tommy hatched on Thursday, I was out of town so family took care of him. He was just very sleepy for the first two days and didn't eat anything, which I've had previous chicks do but start eating or pecking at food by day 2-3. It is Day 4 and Tommy has NO INTEREST in the crumble. It's not expired because we just bought it 2 weeks ago. He will only eat raw egg yolk fed by straw and water mixed with Rooster Booster. When he hatched, it was obvious he was a runt because he couldn't balance himself and could only walk backwards, even though he had no leg deformities. I was able to give him some Nutridrench which got him to walk and jump like a normal chick by the next day. So the only problem I have now is that he doesn't eat!!! I'm thinking maybe he doesn't know how, but I've tried teaching him to no avail. It always works with other chicks but even then, chicks are curious enough to peck at the food. Not Tommy. He doesn't even care. He will peck at the bedding and cardboard box instead. He has two older siblings who are two weeks older than him but I can't put them together because his siblings are aggressive towards him. I am going to pick up two chicks tomorrow who are about the same age as Tommy so he can learn from them since he's also kinda becoming antisocial (he just doesn't chirp a lot because he doesn't have any friends to talk with.) Will this work??

I am just so confused because Tommy moves around actively like a normal chick, has no deformities or lethargy! Is it possible he got something like worms? He's never had any contact with any other chicks/chickens, his brooder is brand new and very warm. His crop isn't swollen or hard, his poops are seemingly normal mixed with liquids (because that's all he consumes). he also refuses to drink nutridrench since he knows the taste now. I've tried crumbles mixed with water, sesame seeds, and scrambled eggs but he refuses them too. Idk what to do!! I'm super concerned he's starving himself because his feathers are coming in but they're so spindley because he hasn't eaten anything nutritious.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Tommy hatched on Thursday, I was out of town so family took care of him. He was just very sleepy for the first two days and didn't eat anything, which I've had previous chicks do but start eating or pecking at food by day 2-3. It is Day 4 and Tommy has NO INTEREST in the crumble. It's not expired because we just bought it 2 weeks ago. He will only eat raw egg yolk fed by straw and water mixed with Rooster Booster. When he hatched, it was obvious he was a runt because he couldn't balance himself and could only walk backwards, even though he had no leg deformities. I was able to give him some Nutridrench which got him to walk and jump like a normal chick by the next day. So the only problem I have now is that he doesn't eat!!! I'm thinking maybe he doesn't know how, but I've tried teaching him to no avail. It always works with other chicks but even then, chicks are curious enough to peck at the food. Not Tommy. He doesn't even care. He will peck at the bedding and cardboard box instead. He has two older siblings who are two weeks older than him but I can't put them together because his siblings are aggressive towards him. I am going to pick up two chicks tomorrow who are about the same age as Tommy so he can learn from them since he's also kinda becoming antisocial (he just doesn't chirp a lot because he doesn't have any friends to talk with.) Will this work??

I am just so confused because Tommy moves around actively like a normal chick, has no deformities or lethargy! Is it possible he got something like worms? He's never had any contact with any other chicks/chickens, his brooder is brand new and very warm. His crop isn't swollen or hard, his poops are seemingly normal mixed with liquids (because that's all he consumes). he also refuses to drink nutridrench since he knows the taste now. I've tried crumbles mixed with water, sesame seeds, and scrambled eggs but he refuses them too. Idk what to do!! I'm super concerned he's starving himself because his feathers are coming in but they're so spindley because he hasn't eaten anything nutritious.

Too young for worms.

Have you tried pecking at the food with your finger? A wet mash(Wettened Feed) may an interest as well.

Chicks do, do best when they have buddies.

 

[suwupra]

Too young for worms.

Have you tried pecking at the food with your finger? A wet mash(Wettened Feed) may an interest as well.

Chicks do, do best when they have buddies.

Yep I’ve tried pecking the food with my finger, putting the food on my finger, have tried placing the food in a container, on the brooder floor, and wet mash but hasn’t worked at all. Hopefully bringing in new chicks can help??

 

[suwupra]

Bringing in extra chicks may be the only way in your situation.

Okay, that’s what I am hoping for! Will update y’all

 

[suwupra]

How’s Tommy and his new siblings doing @suwupra?

Hey thanks for checking in! I ended up picking up some Easter Eggers and did NOT expect them to be such giant babies! They taught him how to drink and eat from the feeders yay!! Plus they're SO friendly! Tommy was so scared and literally fought them He's since warmed up to them though and because he's a runt, he's always constantly cold and trying to huddle against or under them haha. Now my dilemma is trying to keep him warm while trying not to overheat the Easter Eggers with the heat lamp!

 

[suwupra]

Please continue with Tommy’s updates. Would love to see photos as well.

Picture for comparison -- Tommy is so tiny! That's Trevor next to him (he's a week old) and Big Smoke's sleepy self below (2 days old, also looks like a tiny bear imo) [disclaimer: we don't know the genders and I didn't name them haha]

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Now my dilemma is trying to keep him warm while trying not to overheat the Easter Eggers with the heat lamp!

Give them a large enough space they can move out from under it if they like while he can stay at it's hottest point and relax under it spread out without huddling..

Cute babies, glad he's got friends now and thriving!

 

[MysteryChicken]

Yep I’ve tried pecking the food with my finger, putting the food on my finger, have tried placing the food in a container, on the brooder floor, and wet mash but hasn’t worked at all. Hopefully bringing in new chicks can help??

Bringing in extra chicks may be the only way in your situation.

 

[MrsNorthie]

Tommy hatched on Thursday, I was out of town so family took care of him. He was just very sleepy for the first two days and didn't eat anything, which I've had previous chicks do but start eating or pecking at food by day 2-3. It is Day 4 and Tommy has NO INTEREST in the crumble. It's not expired because we just bought it 2 weeks ago. He will only eat raw egg yolk fed by straw and water mixed with Rooster Booster. When he hatched, it was obvious he was a runt because he couldn't balance himself and could only walk backwards, even though he had no leg deformities. I was able to give him some Nutridrench which got him to walk and jump like a normal chick by the next day. So the only problem I have now is that he doesn't eat!!! I'm thinking maybe he doesn't know how, but I've tried teaching him to no avail. It always works with other chicks but even then, chicks are curious enough to peck at the food. Not Tommy. He doesn't even care. He will peck at the bedding and cardboard box instead. He has two older siblings who are two weeks older than him but I can't put them together because his siblings are aggressive towards him. I am going to pick up two chicks tomorrow who are about the same age as Tommy so he can learn from them since he's also kinda becoming antisocial (he just doesn't chirp a lot because he doesn't have any friends to talk with.) Will this work??

I am just so confused because Tommy moves around actively like a normal chick, has no deformities or lethargy! Is it possible he got something like worms? He's never had any contact with any other chicks/chickens, his brooder is brand new and very warm. His crop isn't swollen or hard, his poops are seemingly normal mixed with liquids (because that's all he consumes). he also refuses to drink nutridrench since he knows the taste now. I've tried crumbles mixed with water, sesame seeds, and scrambled eggs but he refuses them too. Idk what to do!! I'm super concerned he's starving himself because his feathers are coming in but they're so spindley because he hasn't eaten anything nutritious.

I think getting a couple of friends would do a world of good, it sounds like he is lonely. They are extremely social creatures.

 

[WoDia]

The crumble looks untouched but I definitely am hoping he’s eating a bit. And yes I have a small water reservoir in there for him. I will try leaving a wet mash overnight in a small container along with the crumbles on the floor

Please continue with Tommy’s updates. Would love to see photos as well.