Sick Chick - not eating, lethargic, (bad leg?)

[horselove]

several chicks just arrived by mail order, one of them is lethargic and not eating, though drinking when we put her beak in the water. at first she just seemed slightly more cold and dehydrated, and was getting some food and water when we moved the other chicks out of the way, but shes been getting worse, and can't stand, and one of her feet is very slightly purplish, especially the outer toe, and she can't or won't flatten her feet to stand even when we support her. Any idea what's wrong or how to help? (out of the other chicks, one was dead and one coughed up some mucus for about two hours before dying)

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for the losses. She probably was injured in shipping. Keep dipping her beak into water, and add some electrolyte mix or a tsp of sugar per quart. Poultry NutriDrench is very good. If she seems to be reponding, you may want to try making her a chick chair out of a cup, and place food and water in front of her to reach.

 

[Eggcessive]

 

[azygous]

Can you please tell us where these chicks came from? The location of the hatchery in relation to where you live, the length of time the shipping carton was in transit, the temperatures during shipping.

What is your source of heat? Lamp? Heating pad or other device? How large is your brooder? How many is "several" chicks? Numbers make a big difference.

From the sketchy info you've provided, it sounds like shipping chilling stress has affected some of your shipment, including the one just barely hanging on. Unless you can get this chick to swallow nourishment, it probably won't recover. I suggest warm sugar water and Poultry Nutri-drench, an undiluted drop each day and extra direct-contact heat to slightly raise the body temp of the distressed chick as it sounds like its body functions may be shutting down.

 

[horselove]

Can you please tell us where these chicks came from? The location of the hatchery in relation to where you live, the length of time the shipping carton was in transit, the temperatures during shipping.

What is your source of heat? Lamp? Heating pad or other device? How large is your brooder? How many is "several" chicks? Numbers make a big difference.

From the sketchy info you've provided, it sounds like shipping chilling stress has affected some of your shipment, including the one just barely hanging on. Unless you can get this chick to swallow nourishment, it probably won't recover. I suggest warm sugar water and Poultry Nutri-drench, an undiluted drop each day and extra direct-contact heat to slightly raise the body temp of the distressed chick as it sounds like its body functions may be shutting down.

we got them from Murray McMurray, and live in NY. they have a heat lamp, the base of a rabbit cage as a brooder, and there are 19 other chicks. we've been giving her sugar water.