Baby Chick just kinda scoots around and doesn’t eat

[Serphs]

Hello, we have a 3 day old chick that doesn’t walk or eat. It will just kinda scoot around when it wants to move. It drinks a lot of water when we try to help it eat or drink, but just refuses to eat. We tried to make the food a paste and feed her but she won’t eat it. The chick was left by its mom twice, and I think it’s a late Hatcher. We took her inside in a box and that’s when I noticed the walking problem. Is there anything we can do with her to make her walk or eat?

 

[azygous]

The chick could be losing the energy needed to eat and walk. Chicks always walk a narrow balance beam of health, and can go downhill very quickly.

First try warm sugar water with Nutri-drench. In a pinch, warm a bit of Gatoraid and syringe it into the chick's beak if it won't drink on its own. The sugar water can deliver a shot of glucose to ramp up the energy level quickly. Follow up by offering finely minced boiled egg.

Do the chick's legs seem splayed or crooked? How about the toes? Are the feet normal and flat on the floor?

 

[Serphs]

Do the chick's legs seem splayed or crooked? How about the toes? Are the feet normal and flat on the floor?

The way the chick sits makes it so it falls on it’s butt easily. I don’t see any abnormalities with the chicks legs or feet and when she falls over she can move them very fast.

 

[Serphs]

I’m sorry but it looks like the chick won’t make it through the night. She’s not drinking the sugar water or Gatorade, she’s not eating, she barely opens her eyes, and she won’t walk. I just tried to make her comfortable as possible and hope she makes it to tomorrow .

 

[hispoptart]

I'm so sorry, It's so hard when things like this happen. Just know that she knows she is loved.

 

[azygous]

Is she pasted on her vent? That can make a new chick decline quickly. I would check the vent and try to syringe the sugar water into her beak, drop by drop and give the chick a chance to swallow each drop.

A pencil thin syringe fits well into a very tiny beak. Is this a hatchery chick or one that you hatched?

 

[Serphs]

Is she pasted on her vent? That can make a new chick decline quickly. I would check the vent and try to syringe the sugar water into her beak, drop by drop and give the chick a chance to swallow each drop.

A pencil thin syringe fits well into a very tiny beak. Is this a hatchery chick or one that you hatched?

I have checked the vent area and it doesn’t look pasted, and we don’t have any syringes or droppers we can use. If she survives tomorrow we will buy plastic droppers and try to feed her

 

[Serphs]

I'm so sorry, It's so hard when things like this happen. Just know that she knows she is loved.

Thank you, it really does mean a lot.

 

[azygous]

Most pharmacies will happily give you a syringe for free. Ask for the one that's as skinny as a pencil.

 

[Serphs]

Thank you everybody who helped us on this post. I’m really grateful for the tips, but she did sadly pass away today.