Baby chick eyes closed and still crying

[Juan7182]

I have a baby chick that was given to me, it has its eyes closed but still cries. Is it something to be concerned with?

 

[CountryFlock]

What kind of bedding are you using?

 

[Juan7182]

Right now some paper towels but I’m adding some hay/mulch

 

[Ebony Rose]

Avoid the hay please, baby chicks dump a lot of water and the resulting mold can kill your chick. How hot/cold is the area where you're keeping this chick? Is it alone or does it have company? Is it eating and drinking? What does its poop look like? Does it have poop stains on its butt feathers, if so, use a warm damp cloth to GENTLY and thoroughly clean that off as it can plug up their vent (making it impossible for them to poop more, which will kill them.)

 

[gtaus]

Chickens are flock animals, so I hope you have more than one chick so they can keep each other company. In my limited experience, chicks chirp a lot when they get cold, or need food or water. When well fed and happy, they settle down and sleep a lot.

Others have already mentioned some basic things to look for. I agree not to use hay this early. I have had great success with using paper towels for the first week and then pine shavings. The first days of the chicks life are critical to success. So I hope you can get over this initial period and the chick gets stronger.

 

[Juan7182]

I got this one from work and it’s very young so it’s alone, I usually buy them but those are much older and we don’t want the others to peck at this one, but it did get better.

 

[gtaus]

I got this one from work and it’s very young so it’s alone, I usually buy them but those are much older and we don’t want the others to peck at this one, but it did get better.

I am glad to hear your chick is better. If possible, I would try to keep this one chick in an isolation cage in the same area/coop with the other older chicks. Although separate, it still would feel part of the flock as it grows and I think the transition would be easier when the time comes to integrate the younger chick in with the older chicks.

And a belated welcome to the BYC forums

 

[Juan7182]

Thank you