1wk Chick Smashed By Waterer ~ Help Plz

[AlabamaChickenLady]

One of my week old Americana's managed to get her head up under the waterer, and somehow it shifted and got her head stuck under it. She started screaming and we immediatly got her out. I've checked her and rubbed all over her, and I can't see any injuries. But now she won't stand up and keeps trying to fall asleep. When I try to hold her up to see if she can stand, she will just lean to the side or flop back down.

I put her in a box by herself with some food and water, but she won't eat or drink either. She's making no attempt to move at all.

Should I be doing something else?
Should I put another chick in with her?
Will she make it thru the night?
Maybe she's just stunned?

 

[LadyinRed]

Keep the chick warm and keep food and water nearby. Don't worry. Your not a chicken owner till you've squashed a chick under a feeder or waterer. Its hard not to do when they are ALL trying to get water at the same time and wont let you sit the waterer down.

Good luck with your little one.

 

[sheila3935]

Give her sometime she is probably sore and a little in shock. Like the pervious post said just keep food and water nearby.

 

[AlabamaChickenLady]

Thank you for your support, ladies.

I put her (in the box) on top of the brooder close to the heat light for warmth. She could hear her flockmates below her and I could tell she was listening to them. After about an hour, she just kinda got up, looked around, shook her head, streached her wings out, and tried to jump out of the box. Now she is back in the brooder and jumping all over the place.

I'm just so excited that she made it. She must have been in shock. I'll definatly keep and eye on her in the morning to make sure she's ok, but I think she will be fine.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Yay for your lil' chick! It's really amazing what these tiny baby birds can handle. A lot of their recovery is up to them and Ma Nature, either they're going to make it or they'll Cross the Road. You can help by doing what you did, provide a quiet warm place for them to be, offer good food & fresh water, give them a reason to live by giving them a companion or keeping them near their pals.

I have a chick that was severely pecked by the Mama hen I was trying to get to adopt it. She was having nothing to do with these two additional chicks I was trying to add to her family. I left them unattended in her pen for just too long, time enough for the hen to have pecked a big chunk out of the back of the chick's neck and other places on its wings & back. She left the other one unharmed, but unwanted. I put both chicks back in their little brooder box, put some human neosporin on the chick's wounds. I also cooked them an egg & minced it for them. I'm a big fan of cooked egg to help any ailing chick. Amazingly this chick has also made a good recovery, its wounds are knitting back together.

Still, it's good to have a plan in place if ever you need to cull a chick. There have been many threads written on the topic, and there are several different methods most folks use. But you should have an idea of what you yourself are willing & able to do by yourself if ever you have a chick that's so badly injured or ailing that they need your help to get them quickly & humanely Across The Road. (I use the sharp scissors method)

 

[drumstick diva]

I was thinking maybe a head injury. But I could see how the poor thought something had a hold on her and she couldn't get loose.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

posted twice by mistake...