5 day old bantam will not drink! Help!

[Bantam Babes]

I have a 5 day old bantam chick that pecks at the water but does not appear to be lifting her head after and gulping the water down like the others. I've tried repeatedly to dip her beak in to teach her but she is not catching on. She will be right by the others watching them and trying and still nothing. The first few days I kept her going by using a syringe to hydrate her. I tried sugar water and egg yolk yesterday to perk her up enough to see if she could get the energy to eat and drink on her own. She tries, but just can't seem to get the hang of it and then her energy deteriorates quickly and we have to restart the regimen of water by syringe and egg yolk which imagine is not good long term. I've tried to put marbles in the waterer to entice her. She can also not eat dry chick starter. She pecks at it but doesn't seem she is actually eating it. I tried to grind it up which helps some but not all. I've been mixing water in with the chick starter to make a mash just to get some nutrients and water in her (I'm also curious if this is okay so if you know, please give feedback). She goes to town. She is starting to get lethargic again and I'm worried if she doesn't actually learn how to gulp water soon and eat dry chick starter, she won't survive. Just tried a drop of nutri-drench to see if that helps her get energy enough to keep helping her learn how to drink. Brooder is warm enough. I have several little thermometers all around the brooder and each thermometer ranging from 96 to 104 directly under the brooder plate. Any additional tips on what to try?

 

[Aunt Angus]

I have a 5 day old bantam chick that pecks at the water but does not appear to be lifting her head after and gulping the water down like the others. I've tried repeatedly to dip her beak in to teach her but she is not catching on. She will be right by the others watching them and trying and still nothing. The first few days I kept her going by using a syringe to hydrate her. I tried sugar water and egg yolk yesterday to perk her up enough to see if she could get the energy to eat and drink on her own. She tries, but just can't seem to get the hang of it and then her energy deteriorates quickly and we have to restart the regimen of water by syringe and egg yolk which imagine is not good long term. I've tried to put marbles in the waterer to entice her. She can also not eat dry chick starter. She pecks at it but doesn't seem she is actually eating it. I tried to grind it up which helps some but not all. I've been mixing water in with the chick starter to make a mash just to get some nutrients and water in her (I'm also curious if this is okay so if you know, please give feedback). She goes to town. She is starting to get lethargic again and I'm worried if she doesn't actually learn how to gulp water soon and eat dry chick starter, she won't survive. Just tried a drop of nutri-drench to see if that helps her get energy enough to keep helping her learn how to drink. Brooder is warm enough. I have several little thermometers all around the brooder and each thermometer ranging from 96 to 104 directly under the brooder plate. Any additional tips on what to try?

Wet mash (feed with water) is great for this as she gets both food and some hydration. You can add electrolytes, too (Sav-a-Chick is good). How's her poop? What's the consistency?

It sounds like your brooder is too hot. I don't know if that's contributing, but I doubt it's helping. They need to have cooler areas to go to if they feel too hot. The brooder plate provides the warmth. The rest should be ambient temp.

 

[Eggcessive]

By 5 days old, the warmest spot should be 90 or below. The rest of the brooder should be cooler. Too hot can cause dehydration and panting, along with pasty butt.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I've been mixing water in with the chick starter to make a mash just to get some nutrients and water in her (I'm also curious if this is okay so if you know, please give feedback).

Is it working?

She goes to town.

Then keep it up, this is your simple answer! (at least until she catches on)

Just tried a drop of nutri-drench to see if that helps her get energy enough to keep helping her learn how to drink.

Both options are very acceptable. Wetting the mash has shown to be AS beneficial as fermenting your feed. And I start all my babies on it if possible.

I've had a few chicks (out of 1000 over the years) who failed to connect with food and water despite everything I tried, just like you describe. Using the nurti drench artificially extended life for them until I quit using it. Since I breed and hatch my own.. eh, these babies are usually culled now.

The mention of pasty butt.. is good to be well aware of.

You've done great thus far! Hope the chick starts to connect and thrive!

 

[Bantam Babes]

Thank you. Yes, water with Sav-a-chick (electrolyte packets and probiotic packets) is given as well as fresh water. Too high of temps is possible. The hatchery suggested we add a light in addition to the brooder plate due to losing a few from the ambient temp being too cold they wouldn't come out under the brooder to eat and drink. Room temp brooder is in is 71. On one end of brooder, we have a heat lamp and the feeders are under there. I raised the light and now the temp reads 88. In the middle is a brooder plate. The edge of the plate reads 94, directly in the center is reading 103. There is a corner in the brooder that reads 80-82 but they rarely go over there. Nobody is panting. I have cameras on them monitoring Usually they are hanging out sleeping under the brooder or at the edge of the brooder. I've read where bantams may need a little higher temps. Is that true? Can I ask what others might change with this set up regarding temp? Oh yes, I forgot to mention, I've also ruled out pasty butt.

 

[Bantam Babes]

Is it working?

Then keep it up, this is your simple answer! (at least until she catches on)


Both options are very acceptable. Wetting the mash has shown to be AS beneficial as fermenting your feed. And I start all my babies on it if possible.

I've had a few chicks (out of 1000 over the years) who failed to connect with food and water despite everything I tried, just like you describe. Using the nurti drench artificially extended life for them until I quit using it. Since I breed and hatch my own.. eh, these babies are usually culled now.

The mention of pasty butt.. is good to be well aware of.

You've done great thus far! Hope the chick starts to connect and thrive!

Thank you! I am trying my hardest! Fingers crossed. I did see her drink two gulps of water for the very first time about an hour after given the nutri-drench! I am going to pull the temps down a little and keep offering the wet chick starter since I got the go ahead from ya'll! Thank you!

 

[Bantam Babes]

By 5 days old, the warmest spot should be 90 or below. The rest of the brooder should be cooler. Too hot can cause dehydration and panting, along with pasty butt.

Thank you. Does this apply to bantams as well? None are panting, I've been closely monitoring with a camera. They sleep under the brooder plate where it's consistently 94-103, even though there are cooler areas. The one struggling is under the brooder plate with her back pressed against the top.

 

[Eggcessive]

Chicks need 90-95 degrees the first week and it should be decreased by 5 degrees at the end of each week. My bantams tolerated that. I think 103 is way too hot.

 

[Bantam Babes]

Chicks need 90-95 degrees the first week and it should be decreased by 5 degrees at the end of each week. My bantams tolerated that. I think 103 is way too hot.

I know that's congruent with the literature. What does it mean when the chick has her back pressed up against the brooder plate? I had assumed it meant she was cold.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I know that's congruent with the literature. What does it mean when the chick has her back pressed up against the brooder plate? I had assumed it meant she was cold.

It means they want to be that warm, so it's likely fine. My bantams didn't require more heat than my large breeds, but maybe yours are more fragile or have different needs.

I do know that consistently high temps and 24/7 light can contribute to diarrhea, dehydration, and lethargy. If you aren't seeing that, then you're probably fine. However, our collective probably decades of experience lead us to believe that the temp/set up of your brooder might be causing (or at least exacerbating) whatever is ailing your chick.

As for feed, the tiny bantams sometimes have problems with the size of the crumble. You may try using a spice or coffee grinder to make the pieces a little smaller and see if that helps. And I'd keep offering the wet mash. It's fine for all your chicks, too. I give it to my chickens and my ducks on occasion.