Baby chick acting lathargic...any ideas?

[toddntiff]

I have 10 baby Austrolorps all about 5 days old. They have all been pretty active up until tonight. There is one that is a little smaller than the rest and she is just laying there with her head down. We put a cricket in the brooder tonight and the rest of the chicks went crazy running around but she didn't even look up. When I hold her in my hands, she doesn't squirm or try to escape like the others do and she won't eat.
Any suggestions? Should I seperate her from the rest to avoid a sickness among the whole group?

 

[AngelzFyre]

When I got my first chicks a year ago, I had the same thing. One was a bit smaller and just didn't perk up like the rest did after arriving. I separated it from the group and brought him inside and hand fed him and kept a light on him to keep him warm, etc.
It took about 2 weeks inside, but he started perking up the 2nd day and never looked back. I put him out with his siblings and he ended up being my biggest roo!

I gave him Avia Charge and home made yogurt by syringe and also made a fresh mush out of his starter crumbles and he ate that just fine by the 3rd day inside. He wasn't sick, just couldn't quite get caught up with the others and I wanted to see if I could boost him along with the hand feeding etc.
Hope this helps.

 

[toddntiff]

I will try this! This is my first time with chicks so I am learning so much! Thank you for the suggestion!

 

[AngelzFyre]

You're very welcome and .....

I know there are wayyyyy more people that know more than I do on the chicks but that's just what I did with my little 'runt'.
I called the man who made my coop for me and asked what to do and he's the one who helped me out..then I found this forum and the rest is history!
I learn something new every day on here and it's a great group of people that love their chicks n chickens like I do.

You can also go to the SEARCH option and type in anything you're looking for answers for and there will almost always be a post about what you're looking for.

Take care and let us know how she does!

 

[toddntiff]

Well, she didn't make it through the night. I don't know what I could have done to avoid this, the other 9 seem to be very active and thriving so maybe being the smallest and the "runt" she just didn't get enough to eat/drink. I will keep a closer eye on things going forward. It seems so sad to have lost one.

 

[kinardmommy]

I had a chick with similar behavior once. I had to give it sugar water by hand every hour or so and when it finally got some strength back it did eat. When I put him back with the others I watched them closely and noticed that one of the bigger chicks would not let him eat. That was the root of the problem. I ended up having to split them up and that solved it.

 

[AngelzFyre]

I'm so sorry to hear she didn't make it.
I know probaby all chicken owners have gone through the same thing, it's not ever easy, and I know you feel bad, but you live and learn and hopefully the next time the chick will make it.