Mods - If you would rather this in the Emergancies/Injuries/Diseases, please move. I thought I'd get more help here, though. Sorry if I was wrong!
It's not cute anymore. I love the fact that "Floppy" follows my hand, loves to be held and even cuddles with me... But she needs to eat (I am assuming it's a she).
Floppy is one of my Speckled Sussex I picked up at TSC on Monday. Monday all I heard was a distress peep - considering the brooder was to small and the 4 week olds are very active and chest bumping, I assumed it was because of that. I dipped their beaks in water and such, so I thought they were all good. Tuesday night, again, the distress peeping. I singled out the chick, noticed an empty crop and decided to try feeding it and watering it. Floppy ate some yogurt and refused water. I put her back in. Later on, same chick, same distressed peeping. This time I gave her a dish of hard boiled egg yolk, yogurt and starter. She'd only eat the egg yolk after I mimicked pecking with my finger and used her head to show her how to peck. Okay... she must not have fully understood how to eat. This time Floppy drank water by drops from a dropper. After she was full an content, she crawled up my chest and curled up by my neck and peeped contently until she fell asleep for about 2hrs. Wednesday night, same thing. This time Floppy drank from the drinker herself. I skipped last night because there was no distressed peeping and thought maybe she figured it out. Everyone looked normal and active yesterday, so I didn't think about it.
I go out today after changing feeders, waterers and refilling everyone's dishes to see how everyone was doing. I noticed Floppy is laying in the brooder by herself, wings flopped out to the side and so tiny compared to the rest of the chicks she came home with. So, again, out with the egg, starter and water in the drinker and the eye dropper - just in case. She ate her fill of egg yolk, I had to force a bit of water, she searched out my hand, up my chest and happily dozed until I put her back in the brooder.
So...
Anyone else have an issue with chicks not eating starter? No, she won't even eat it as a mash or finely processed.
Can a chick live off of water with electrolytes and vitamins and egg yolk? She stopped eating the yogurt, too.
If not, what else should I be trying? What should I supplement her diet with so she develops pretty much correctly.
Here's her pic after today's feeding - See why she's now named Floppy?
It's not cute anymore. I love the fact that "Floppy" follows my hand, loves to be held and even cuddles with me... But she needs to eat (I am assuming it's a she).
Floppy is one of my Speckled Sussex I picked up at TSC on Monday. Monday all I heard was a distress peep - considering the brooder was to small and the 4 week olds are very active and chest bumping, I assumed it was because of that. I dipped their beaks in water and such, so I thought they were all good. Tuesday night, again, the distress peeping. I singled out the chick, noticed an empty crop and decided to try feeding it and watering it. Floppy ate some yogurt and refused water. I put her back in. Later on, same chick, same distressed peeping. This time I gave her a dish of hard boiled egg yolk, yogurt and starter. She'd only eat the egg yolk after I mimicked pecking with my finger and used her head to show her how to peck. Okay... she must not have fully understood how to eat. This time Floppy drank water by drops from a dropper. After she was full an content, she crawled up my chest and curled up by my neck and peeped contently until she fell asleep for about 2hrs. Wednesday night, same thing. This time Floppy drank from the drinker herself. I skipped last night because there was no distressed peeping and thought maybe she figured it out. Everyone looked normal and active yesterday, so I didn't think about it.
I go out today after changing feeders, waterers and refilling everyone's dishes to see how everyone was doing. I noticed Floppy is laying in the brooder by herself, wings flopped out to the side and so tiny compared to the rest of the chicks she came home with. So, again, out with the egg, starter and water in the drinker and the eye dropper - just in case. She ate her fill of egg yolk, I had to force a bit of water, she searched out my hand, up my chest and happily dozed until I put her back in the brooder.
So...
Anyone else have an issue with chicks not eating starter? No, she won't even eat it as a mash or finely processed.
Can a chick live off of water with electrolytes and vitamins and egg yolk? She stopped eating the yogurt, too.
If not, what else should I be trying? What should I supplement her diet with so she develops pretty much correctly.
Here's her pic after today's feeding - See why she's now named Floppy?
