Baby Chicks Stop Eating and Drinking - Eyes Closed (6-7 Weeks)

[Goma]

I don't know what happened. I had 3 baby chicks, the mother was killed by a raccoon. We been keeping them in the house. They are about 6-7 weeks old still chirping.

And even this morning they were fine running around the house. We usually feed them uncooked white and brown rice and sometimes whole wheat bread for last 2 weeks or so. They were not sneezing or anything. But in the afternoon 2 of them just stop moving and sat down with their eyes closed.

The only thing I can think of is that they ate rat poison though I don't feel that's very likely. But it's just very unusual and that's the only thing I can think of. One moment they were fine and then now 2 of them can't even open their eyes it seems.

We just wrap 2 of them in towel paper towel because it's kinda cold in the house and cover them with a pillow case and put them in the basement so they can sleep.

 

[Rickba]

You should be feeding them 24% chick starter . They aren't getting the proper vitamins and nutrients with the diet you described. I would get some, drop in their mouth type, chick vitamins for them and put SAV-A-CHICK electrolytes and probiotics in their water.

 

[Goma]

Ok when the mother was still alive they would be eatting right and worms, bugs and grass outside. Basically just find food themselves unless they want rice.

We also feed them the odd vegetable and things like that. At this point they seem to be in pretty bad shape, I am just surprised how moment they are running around and next they are like deadlike.

I don't know where to get SAV-A-ChICK Electrolytes at the moment. Is there any household items I could try to force feed them to get something for them to eat for the time being?

When you say probiotic, you mean like yogurt sort of thing? And electrolyte is the stuff in Gatorade right? Is there substitute I could can use?

Edit: Correction (they are 7-8 weeks old) And been without mother for about 2 weeks.

 

[azygous]

I'm going to take a wild guess. These chicks haven't been on dirt or sand or gravel since you brought them indoors, and you forgot they needed grit to digest their food.

If you have any chicks still alive that are awake enough to open their mouths, get some oil into them immediately. If you have coconut oil in the solid form it's easiest. Break off small bits and slip it onto the chick's tongue. Keep putting the oil into the chicks until you get a teaspoon into each chick. Then make sure they drink water. Next, get some dirt from outside and let them eat it. If someone can go to the feed store and buy chick grit, that would be best, but dirt will do right now.

This is an emergency. Your chicks will die without grit and oil to help break up the impacted crops.

From now on, feed only chick feed, nothing else until they grow up.

 

[3riverschick]

What country are you located in?
Karen

 

[Rickba]

az's correct. I forgot about the grit. I missed the free range part. Mother feeding digested food vs you feeding whole foods is entirely different. Add the fact that they do peck grit off the ground. Once you get 'em on the chick starter you won't need the grit.

 

[Goma]

Thanks so much for all your guys input. Two of them can't even stand right now so I tried to force feed them some coconut oil and they seem to try to puke it out. The smaller one is eating up the coconut oil chunks by itself willingly.

 

[azygous]

Keep trying with the other two. When you get the oil in the chick, massage the crop very gently in a circular and upward motion. Feel with your fingers the impacted mass and concentrate on breaking it up.

 

[Goma]

One of them just died. The other one on the brink of death. Just breathing very mildly and occasionally gasping. The 3rd one seems to be doing ok for now.

Can I ask why you recommended coconut oil? I suppose that's not related to grit but just give them some digestible energy?

But it's still incredibly odd how they can go from super healthy to dead in 5-6hrs. And the 3rd on that had the same diet seems perfectly fine. It still makes me suspicious that it could of been rat poison.

Anyways I am crossing my fingers for the 2nd one to survive but I highly doubt it at this point. Thanks for all your advice. I remember them for all my future chicks.

 

[azygous]

The coconut oil is to grease the crop contents so they will slide on down. It's likely these chicks are all constipated, too. The oil will also grease the intestines to help the chick(s) poop. Coconut oil, as I stated earlier is easiest of all types of oils to give because it's solid usually. Liquid oil just ends up all over the outside of the chick if it doesn't go down the wrong pipe and end up in the lungs.

The reason why this happened all of a sudden today is probably the chicks had enough grit in them from when they were outside until now to handle the load of unprocessed foods they've been eating. Today they ran out and got sick because the stuff is now all impacted from their neck to their little butts because they have no grit in their crops and gizzards to grind it up.

The last chick probably had enough grit still in it to be able to hold out until now. It should make it, but you still need to follow the rest of the instructions I gave you : water, dirt and gravel, and massage the crop. If the crop seems hard, give more coconut oil. Too much isn't a danger.

Look for the surviving chick(s) to poop within 12 hours. When you see a couple of gigantic poops, you will know you've saved your chick. I just wish we had been in time to save the others.

The first food should be minced hard boiled egg and plenty of clean fresh water. Please, no rice or anything hard. Soft foods only. Tofu would also be a good food until you can find some chick starter feed.