5 days old and struggling

[Allsmiles3]

I brought home 5 new chicks of varying ages, from 3 weeks to 5 days. All came from the same flock owned by a friend. One of my littlest, only two days old when I brought her home, is not nearly as active as she has been every day until now. She seems exhausted, can't hardly keep her head up, beak is open, not necessarily gasping but breathing seems labored. Vent is not plugged and that has not been an issue. Ate fine and was drinking fine last night. I have them on medicated chick starter. Please help, this one is Pippy, a lavender Orpington, and happens to be my daughter's favorite, she's 11, and I really don't want her to come home from school and find her favorite is ill or worse.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Maybe seperate the lethargic one for a while, mostly so she can get some rest. Keep her very warm and give her some egg yolk, hard-boiled, and honey water. Maybe after some super food and a good rest she might perk back up.

 

[Allsmiles3]

I separated her out immediately, she really started declining rapidly yesterday, to the point I thought she was all but dead. She laid out in my hand with her legs straight out behind her. I thought she was dying. My dad had heard that geritol might help. That's seemed so heavy in iron it scared me. I gave her sugar water, didn't think of honey, and put a drop of the geritol in it. I have been giving her about 2-3 drops every hour or two. Yesterday she could not open her eyes, lift her head or stand, today she opens her eyes briefly and can stand for a few seconds but she is still very weak! I don't have any honey but could go pick some up, she is too weak to eat. Am I headed in the right direction? Any other suggestions?

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I separated her out immediately, she really started declining rapidly yesterday, to the point I thought she was all but dead. She laid out in my hand with her legs straight out behind her. I thought she was dying. My dad had heard that geritol might help. That's seemed so heavy in iron it scared me. I gave her sugar water, didn't think of honey, and put a drop of the geritol in it. I have been giving her about 2-3 drops every hour or two. Yesterday she could not open her eyes, lift her head or stand, today she opens her eyes briefly and can stand for a few seconds but she is still very weak! I don't have any honey but could go pick some up, she is too weak to eat. Am I headed in the right direction? Any other suggestions?

Yes you are. I have pulled them out of that, so maybe she will too. Honey is best, sugar is good though. Try yoke soup, hard-boiled yoke, a dash of salt, honey, and water, mash to a slurry. Feed it to her with a dropper. I use my girls old advil syringe I used when they were babies and feed mine about 1.87 ml at a time allowing to sleep after.
If you get her perked back up, keep her seperate for a day or two. I have put them back in too quickly only to lose them after all that work.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Yes you are. I have pulled them out of that, so maybe she will too. Honey is best, sugar is good though. Try yoke soup, hard-boiled yoke, a dash of salt, honey, and water, mash to a slurry. Feed it to her with a dropper. I use my girls old advil syringe I used when they were babies and feed mine about 1.87 ml at a time allowing to sleep after.
If you get her perked back up, keep her seperate for a day or two. I have put them back in too quickly only to lose them after all that work.

And yes, iron is not good for little chick, the yoke has all the nutrients your chick's need.

 

[Allsmiles3]

That's good advice, I might not have thought about it! I will try the slurry, thank you so much!!