3 day old not eating or drinking

[bobbieschicks]

One of our 3 day olds seems lethargic and isn't as big as the rest of the group. Today she has taken to laying oddly and gasping. I isolated her from the others in the brooder and gave her water/food in her subbrooder. I also dropper fed her a little gatorade and then a little apple cider vinegar/water mix. She still wouldn't eat any yogurt or watered down medicated chick food. I don't know how long she hasn't been eating/drinking because she seemed to be fine the past few days. I've ordered some chick vitamins, but I'm afraid it may be too late for her. I don't know what else to do for her. I've moved the lamp up higher so it's not too hot in there for them - 90F.

Any suggestions?

Notice her in an earlier pic - she's the only one not perked up.

 

[chickmchickie]

it might be the heat give her watermelon maybe?
vit in her water?

 

[Colored Egg Farmer]

try sugar water also thats what I give my chicks if I get a hard shipment in. Only question is Have you seen the chick eat anything at all. They can live on there egg for the first 3 days so that could be a possibility why the chick is now like that.

 

[pioneer]

Have you made sure she can use the "rest room"? Sometimes the feathers get stuck together back there and they can't go.

 

[CinnamonQueen12]

Try forcing food down her. I had to do it once to a malnurished chick. All you need to do is get watered down food onto a spoon or into a syringe and gently pry open her beak and get some food down. She looks like one of my chicks after the package they were shipped in got lost in the mail. We almost lost her, but she made it. Also, mix some electrolights into her water and use an eyedropper to get drops of the liquid into the crack where their bottom and top beaks dont fully meet, its easier than trying to force it down. Best of luck!

 

[cmom]

I agree with the other posts. I have given lethargic chicks a drop of Poly-Vi-Sol WITHOUT IRON. Some rally back and some don't but I feel that at least I tried and if they don't make it they weren't meant to.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Sadly this morning I found her expired

There was a large poop in the box nearby her - I wondered if it might have been constipation that killed her? She was one of the 2nd hatchers from our batch of Leghorn eggs. The kids are going to be sad - I know I'm worried about the others now.

I've added a little molasses into their water batch in case it was constipation and the others may need it as well. So far the two highest level ones tried it out and drank heavily. We'll see if the other 3 lower tier chicks get over there any time soon. I may put all their beaks in it later if I don't see them drinking.

So I put their beaks in it - they all kicked up a fuss in my doing that - but now I see that they are alternating rushing over there and drinking. Seems they love the molasses water.

 

[tec27]

Google pasty butt. It happens in at least 1 chick out of 5. Easy to fix but it can be deadly.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I am keeping a better eye on the remaining 5 - and have given them yogurt to eat and checked their rears. No one with blockage and they all have gobbled up the yogurt.