Newborn chick was pecked and left in the cold..what do I do?

[Merchris]

I've read a few posts on newborn chicks, but I really don't know what to do right now. This little chick was fine earlier, happy sitting under the hen. We went back out a few hours later, and it was laying off to the side and had been pecked. My husband brought it in, tried to get some of the dirt off with warm water and a q-tip, but it's kind of just laying there. I think it's exhausted. I does have a few minor injuries, and right now I'm sitting with it wondering what to do. It does chirp occasionally, but doesn't seem like it can lift it's head right now. I don't know if that's because it's so tired or something else. Could someone please just give me quick advice, even if it's been posted before? I'd really appreciate it. I want to save the little one. Thank you.

 

[nchls school]

I've read a few posts on newborn chicks, but I really don't know what to do right now. This little chick was fine earlier, happy sitting under the hen. We went back out a few hours later, and it was laying off to the side and had been pecked. My husband brought it in, tried to get some of the dirt off with warm water and a q-tip, but it's kind of just laying there. I think it's exhausted. I does have a few minor injuries, and right now I'm sitting with it wondering what to do. It does chirp occasionally, but doesn't seem like it can lift it's head right now. I don't know if that's because it's so tired or something else. Could someone please just give me quick advice, even if it's been posted before? I'd really appreciate it. I want to save the little one. Thank you.

Are there other chickens that could have hurt this chick? If you saw the chick under the broody it is doubtful that the broody hen hurt the baby. Are there more eggs to hatch? If so partition this hen off from the other chickens. If the first chick improves and all is going well return the chick to the hen; or raise the chick under a heat lamp. Hopefully the chick has not been severely hurt. Good luck.

 

[Merchris]

Thanks for the reply. What originally happened was that we had one chick hatch, so brought a hen in with the chick and she's on the back porch right now. I tried to put this hen in a cat carrier with the chick and egg, and she went bonkers. The other chicks are too old I think for this one to have any kind of a chance, so I'm sort of sitting here with it tucked in my sports bra in a soft cloth. I don't know if we should try to feed it or not, it doesn't seem to have much energy and is kind of curled up in the fetal position. I'm just sort of at a loss right now. Just trying to keep it warm, but not sure what to do when I need to go to sleep. I don't think sticking him under my other hen is going to go well.

 

[azygous]

If you're asking for first aid advice, tepid sugar water is the best thing to revive the chick if it hasn't been mortally injured. Take a finger, dip in the water and dribble it along side the beak until it drinks some.

Chicks in shock usually recover with the sugar water. Then feed it boiled egg yolk and white, minced up very fine in a food processor. It should recover if you keep it warm.

I recommend a heating pad rigged into a cave. It will keep the chick warm while comforting it, relieving you to go to bed and get some sleep.

 

[song of joy]

Thanks for the reply. What originally happened was that we had one chick hatch, so brought a hen in with the chick and she's on the back porch right now. I tried to put this hen in a cat carrier with the chick and egg, and she went bonkers. The other chicks are too old I think for this one to have any kind of a chance, so I'm sort of sitting here with it tucked in my sports bra in a soft cloth. I don't know if we should try to feed it or not, it doesn't seem to have much energy and is kind of curled up in the fetal position. I'm just sort of at a loss right now. Just trying to keep it warm, but not sure what to do when I need to go to sleep. I don't think sticking him under my other hen is going to go well.

Sorry, but I'm not following you. Did this chick hatch out under a broody hen? From the description, it almost sounds like it hatched somewhere else (incubator?) and was put in with a hen that was not broody? It that's the case, the hen may have treated it as an intruder and pecked it at the base of the neck between the shoulder blades. I had a broody hen do this once when I tried to foster day-old hatchery chicks to her. She not only rejected them, but attacked them, causing injury and paralysis. The chicks could not walk or lift their heads. Unfortunately, they had to be put down. I hope this isn't the case for your chick.

 

[Merchris]

Sorry, that was unclear. I meant that we had some previous chicks hatch and I had brought in a hen to take care of them. This was one last chick that hatched out in my coop and I thought the hen was doing a good job taking care of it, but when we went out later, something had happened. I'm sad to say that the chick didn't make it through the night. I'm kicking myself for not bringing the chick in earlier. Thank you all for your advice.

 

[3riverschick]

Get the smallest bottle of Poultry Nutri-drench and keep it handy. http://www.nutridrench.com . It is fantastic stuff. have used it on my collies and poultry for over a decade. give one drop per chick by mouth. Then repeat as needed every 8-10 hours until perky. Put 2 ml per gallon in their water for the 1st 2 weeks to get them started of strong. This supplement is so valuable for helping needy fowl because it doesn't need to be digested. It mainlines directly into the bloodstream. Measurable in the blood in 30 minutes with 99% utilization. All natural.
Best Regards,
Karen