Hi guys,
We've got a 2 day old baby chick that will take water, but not food. She just seems to have no instincts or interest.
In short, she doesn't seem weak, she's alert got a cherp on her when she wants to but doesn't want to do much else than cuddle with her pretend Mum.
I've gotten a bit attached and really hope we haven't just prolonged the inevitable.
How long until I worry more and start syring feeding?
our detailed story of "Fluffy Nuggets" below:
Mum hatched 3 eggs. Sadly one was visible not going to make it and passed. The other 2 seemed OK for the first couple of hours. However one chick was much more spritly and adventurous than the other. Mum was struggling to run after one while the other just wanted to sleep. She made her call and rejected the weaker baby.
I couldn't stand the idea of her being cold and rejected in her last few hours. So we brought her inside, made a makeshift incubator and tried to make her comfortable, not expecting her to make it through the night.
Well she has survived 2 nights now. We have her all set up under a heat lamp with a couple of stuffed toys and she seems very content.
Her sister is out with mum, scratching, eating, drinking and apart from her fluff and size you would think she is a fully grown chicken.
Our poor other baby though seems to not know how to chicken. She's not particularly weak, but unsteady on her feet. She can walk to me and has no issue climbing up my body to snuggle into my neck.
If I put her down the other side, She will walk from the cold side of the pen to under the heat lamp, call for her stuffed pretend Mum and snuggle in. However she will also try and snuggle the feeder, water drinker, wall, mirror too. She'll walk around to find warmth and comfort, but nothing else.
But she isn't exploring, isn't eating and just seems to cherp at the wall alot.
She will drink water independently if I bring it to her and raise it off the ground a little.
We've tried the sugar water trick, which she drank no probs. Tried offering egg yoke and "wetter" foods, no interest. I've also tried demonstring chook behaviour with her toys, she's well enough to stare at me like I'm a complete idiot.
She seems to be getting sleepier, not more energetic. Apart from her being a snuggle pot, lazy chick, I can't see any other issues. She so lovely and a little fighter. I really want to do everything I can to hope she makes it.
Tell me she's not a lost cause
We've got a 2 day old baby chick that will take water, but not food. She just seems to have no instincts or interest.
In short, she doesn't seem weak, she's alert got a cherp on her when she wants to but doesn't want to do much else than cuddle with her pretend Mum.
I've gotten a bit attached and really hope we haven't just prolonged the inevitable.
How long until I worry more and start syring feeding?
our detailed story of "Fluffy Nuggets" below:
Mum hatched 3 eggs. Sadly one was visible not going to make it and passed. The other 2 seemed OK for the first couple of hours. However one chick was much more spritly and adventurous than the other. Mum was struggling to run after one while the other just wanted to sleep. She made her call and rejected the weaker baby.
I couldn't stand the idea of her being cold and rejected in her last few hours. So we brought her inside, made a makeshift incubator and tried to make her comfortable, not expecting her to make it through the night.
Well she has survived 2 nights now. We have her all set up under a heat lamp with a couple of stuffed toys and she seems very content.
Her sister is out with mum, scratching, eating, drinking and apart from her fluff and size you would think she is a fully grown chicken.
Our poor other baby though seems to not know how to chicken. She's not particularly weak, but unsteady on her feet. She can walk to me and has no issue climbing up my body to snuggle into my neck.
If I put her down the other side, She will walk from the cold side of the pen to under the heat lamp, call for her stuffed pretend Mum and snuggle in. However she will also try and snuggle the feeder, water drinker, wall, mirror too. She'll walk around to find warmth and comfort, but nothing else.
But she isn't exploring, isn't eating and just seems to cherp at the wall alot.
She will drink water independently if I bring it to her and raise it off the ground a little.
We've tried the sugar water trick, which she drank no probs. Tried offering egg yoke and "wetter" foods, no interest. I've also tried demonstring chook behaviour with her toys, she's well enough to stare at me like I'm a complete idiot.
She seems to be getting sleepier, not more energetic. Apart from her being a snuggle pot, lazy chick, I can't see any other issues. She so lovely and a little fighter. I really want to do everything I can to hope she makes it.
Tell me she's not a lost cause
