4 day old chick not eating, pooping water

[rdilbarova]

Hey guys.

I am not new to raising chicks, but I am new to raising bantams, which seem to be extremely challenging because they are so tiny. I got my shipment from Mcmurray on Monday with 3 dead in the box (never before has this happened with shipments of standard breeds).
Anyway, after some hard work and some hand feeding, most of the chicks seem to be doing better except two silkies.
One of the silkies does not eat- only drinks. For a whole day, it had a pretty big (not huge) loose crop, so I manually put some chick grit in its mouth, which seemed to clear it up.
However, it is only pooping water, is very lethargic (only stand/ wakes up when someone steps on her), and will not eat by itself. I have been hand feeding it since yesterday with a mixture of grow gel, sugar, electrolytes, and dissolved crumbles, but it seems to be getting worse and not better.

And let me emphasize that it is pooping WATER. Not runny poop. Just water.

 

[Eggcessive]

This chick may not make it, but I would only give it the electrolyte mixture several times an hour by dipping it's beak into the water, and nothing else. Electrolytes have enough sugar in them, and giving extra will cause more diarrhea. When the chick gets better, then it will want food, and you can wet some feed with water into an oatmeal consistancy. They do not need grit with chicken crumbles, and I would't offer anything but crumbles for several weeks. Then you can use chick-sized grit. I hope she makes it.

 

[rdilbarova]

This chick may not make it, but I would only give it the electrolyte mixture several times an hour by dipping it's beak into the water, and nothing else. Electrolytes have enough sugar in them, and giving extra will cause more diarrhea. When the chick gets better, then it will want food, and you can wet some feed with water into an oatmeal consistancy. They do not need grit with chicken crumbles, and I would't offer anything but crumbles for several weeks. Then you can use chick-sized grit. I hope she makes it.

Chick actually passed away not more than ten minutes ago.
I gave her grit because I use straw bedding, and the chicks tend to peck at it and I just want to be sure nothing gets stuck. I feel like extra grit can't hurt.

 

[Eggcessive]

Oh gosh, sorry for your loss. It's been my experience that bantams are very fragile at first, even without shipping stress. Once they get going though they seem pretty healthy. I hope you don't lose any more.

 

[rdilbarova]

Oh gosh, sorry for your loss. It's been my experience that bantams are very fragile at first, even without shipping stress. Once they get going though they seem pretty healthy. I hope you don't lose any more.

Hopefully! Every single one of the bantams except two Old English ones were almost dead when I got them.
All have bounced back except for one blue silkie (and the ones that dies, obviously).
Fingers crossed!

 

[aatx]

Good luck. I got in 28 bantams and lost 11 within the first 2 weeks. Six died in the first 36 hours. On the last 5, one was injured and two ate shavings. The other two just never really thrived. Since then, the remaining 17 have done well except for some bouts with constipation. At 8 weeks old now, they all seem very healthy and happy.

 

[rdilbarova]

Good luck. I got in 28 bantams and lost 11 within the first 2 weeks. Six died in the first 36 hours. On the last 5, one was injured and two ate shavings. The other two just never really thrived. Since then, the remaining 17 have done well except for some bouts with constipation. At 8 weeks old now, they all seem very healthy and happy.

Oh wow! Good luck!