4 day old SF chic wasting away?

[chooniecat]

have a 4 day old salmon faverolles chics picked up from meyer hatchery-5 other chics are thriving,this one has seemed slow from start-I am watching it slow down more and more-gave it h2o via small drops from syringe this a.m.,had pastie butt this a.m.-cleaned it away and chic was angry-very lethargic-don't know if should give "food" via syringe or just leave it be. hard to watch but......they are kept warm also.

 

[bargain]

You may have a mal absorbed yolk issue which developed before the bird came to you. Have you called the hatchery? Was it like this since pickup or close to that? Depending on the amount of time you have you could hand feed, but if it's malabsorbed, it will not pick up and thrive.
Be sure you have ample heat and let the baby keep warm.

I would probably do supportive care for a few days and see if things take a turn around.

THanks and have a blessed day.

 

[chooniecat]

I believe meyers policy(if you pick up, which I did) is you would have to say something immediately after inspecting the chics.(I didn't notice any issues until I was an hour down the road) my biggest concern right now is watching this baby suffer and not know if its destined to die or if my intervention will help/hurt. I ramble,forgive me. just venting. is there something I should force-feed chic in meantime that would not be harmful?

 

[txchickie]

Try some warm sugar water fed by a dropper.

Add electrolytes to their waterer and see if it will eat a hard boiled, mashed egg.

 

[chooniecat]

got appx. 10 drops of sugar water in its mouth before it seemed too mad to take more. guess thats a lot considering their size. sugar water. yuk. it cries constantly so...will try mushed egg in a bit if it seems strong enough. thank you.

 

[Bantimna]

I am not sure what to say but see if it will eat at meal times, if not then you might have to force feed, before you try that why don't you put him/she in a brooder and see if anything changes

. But try what other posters say. So you have lots of opinions on what to do. Hope this helps. Oh I forgot something why not the chick to the vet?

 

[noitulover]

i'm not sure what type of syringe you are using, but the one they use to feed baby birds from a pet store is great! (really small tip, but still holds some food)

i would also try baby parakeet food from the drug store. (the powdery kind)... i mix it with water until it is a consistency that will slide out of the syringe without getting caught.

this is what the vet recommended to me for poultry that refuses to eat (chickens we've found on the side of the road, chicks, etc.)

 

[chooniecat]

$ a HUGE issue and have let some of my older dogs/cats go(mind you-they were 14/15 years of age) without lots of diagnostics because I can't spend it on that BUT want to make some attempt without traumatizing chic too much. using 1cc syringe I have saved from vet hosp. I retired from and once again I don't want to go to the end of the world for a hopeless situation and my heart tells me this baby won't make it so? I am trying. and baby IS warm and moving about some but seems disinterested in food/water on its own. the 1 cc syringes are great for feeding kittens I have fostered. and I am careful chic doesn't get too much too quick.

 

[stephys_fluffybutts]

Yes the baby parakeet food is a life saver in some cases. Its easier to make and easy to feed to them. And it doesnt cost allot. I think I spent $5 on it
It has allot more fat content then the regular chick feed. Which is what the sick birds need. I wish I knew before because I could of saved a few more chicks with it.

Hope it gets better.

Quote:

 

[noitulover]

if money is an issue, i would just mash up the chick crumbles into a powder and add a touch of milk and water to make it the consistency that will come out of the syringe... i would feed that to the chick.

good luck! i know how hard these situations are!