Any way to convince a 4 day old chick to eat? added a pic

[ilikethedesert]

It was an assisted hatch, with a curved foot and splay leg. I taped its foot and legs which has enabled it to stay upright, but it doesn't want to or have the conginitive ability to eat. It will only drink if I I hold it up to the water bowl. Is there anything I can do?

 

[wren]

take your finger and tap where the food is repeatedly. It's a peel chick so it might take days, but it will get it.

 

[ilikethedesert]

Thanks wren. I've tried that. It doesn't do it often, but every so often it will peck at something but seems to miss. I was tapping in a capful of food- it copied, but didn't actually get any food.

 

[ilikethedesert]

How do I each the chick to open its beak when it pecks and to waddle over to the food/ water when it needs a drink or a bite?

 

[halo]

You shouldnt have to teach a chick to either drink or eat. Its what they do naturally. If its not eating or drinking theres likely something wrong with it.

 

[ilikethedesert]

Quote:
There is most definitely something wrong with it, but if I can convince it to enjoy eating on it's own, I'm hoping it will gain the strength to pull through. It's been a long few days for this little one, (and me!!!) You can read about it here if you'd like:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=519506

 

[Azriel]

try some boild egg, cut the white in strips so it looks like a worm, wiggle it in front of the chick. I had to do that with one that wouldn't eat. It finally started to eat that way, then I could get it to eat the yolk also and after a few days it was eating on its own. Now I can't even tell which one it was.

 

[ilikethedesert]

Quote:
Thank you for this! I tried scrambled egg last night and boiled egg yolk today. I was about to go to bed, but now I'm off to the kitchen to boil another egg!!!! Wish me and chicky luck!

 

[JP101010]

my game plan would be get nutrition in the chick anyway possible even if you have to make a starter feed slurry and very slowy place a drop at a time on the corners of their mouth. Once the chicks been eating fro a couple of day you should see much improvement with "wanting to eat" . alot of times without nurtition the blood glucose levels drop causing the chick to not have an appetite. Also they usually sell a packet of yellow powder its called " vitamin and electrolyte mix" its for stressed chicks/ shipping chicks / Chicks that arent eating enough- its for chicks ages 1 day old and up. That will also prevent the Glucose levels from droppping too low.
also without a constant 90-95 degree over head heat source put to one side of the brooder box , they wont thrive.
Good Luck! Hope to see an update maybe a pic?

 

[ilikethedesert]

Quote:
Thank you. I've tried a slurry, eggs, gatorade, baby vitamins. I put food near the corners of its beak but it shakes it off. Is there a way to open its beak to get food it? The temp in the brooder is good.