6 day old Ameraucana chick looks like she's choking, I need advice.

[ChelleBelle]

We got two 3 day old chicks from our feed store this past friday 8/17. One of them is starting to get wing and tail feathers and the other one isn't getting any feathers at all. She keeps sticking her head in the air and gaping. She seems like she's choking, she makes a funny noise sometimes when she does it. Their bedding is paper towels. When we first brought them home she was wobbling and was really unsteady. She was drooping her head and wings, we weren't sure she was going to make it through the first night. She is eating and drinking good. I don't know why she isn't getting any feathers or why she keeps acting like she's choking. Should I giver her worming medicine? Or any other medication? Any advice anyone has would be greatly appreciated.

 

[FriendFarm]

Worming medicine sounds like a good idea, but I'm not sure you can use it on chicks that young. It may be that you have no choice.
Good Luck
The FriendFarm

 

[saulandkatarina]

We raised many young chickens their feather times vary some may get them in one week some may get them after a months time. As for the acting as if shes choking i would advise you not to use medicine on a baby that young. use a eye dropper every hour and give her Some water , depeding on what feed your using make sure its ground like powder u may even have to force feed her a bit That act of chokin is what they do when their becoming dehydrated, Make sure if your using a heating lamp (which u should be until they have all their feathers) Make sure its high enough up Not to Burn them and half of the box is out of the light, This way they can get away and cool off. there are many things that can cause baby chicks to act like that, Hope this helps.

 

[ChelleBelle]

Worming medicine sounds like a good idea, but I'm not sure you can use it on chicks that young. It may be that you have no choice.
Good Luck
The FriendFarm

Thanks for the advice, I think she's too young to use worm medicine. Plus I read that usually chicks this young usually don't get worms since they haven't been outside yet.

 

[ChelleBelle]

We raised many young chickens their feather times vary some may get them in one week some may get them after a months time. As for the acting as if shes choking i would advise you not to use medicine on a baby that young. use a eye dropper every hour and give her Some water , depeding on what feed your using make sure its ground like powder u may even have to force feed her a bit That act of chokin is what they do when their becoming dehydrated, Make sure if your using a heating lamp (which u should be until they have all their feathers) Make sure its high enough up Not to Burn them and half of the box is out of the light, This way they can get away and cool off. there are many things that can cause baby chicks to act like that, Hope this helps.

She's been drinking and eating fine. She's drinking just as much as the other chick. She just keeps acting like she's choking. I gently massaged her neck and that seemed to help. I also raised the heat lamp up. I don't know what to do to help her. Should I just wait and see what happens?

 

[ChelleBelle]

Well she's doing a lot better. I moved the light further away and gave her pro-biotics in the water. She's not doing the choking thing anymore. She still doesn't have feathers.. lol That's okay tho, the fuzzy down is cute. I think she might have just been hot. We live in Arizona and even with the A/C on it's still around 85* in the house.
Thank you everyone for the advice

 

[saulandkatarina]

Glad your little friends are doing better! Hope all keeps going well!