BABY NOT HAPPY HELP PLEASE!!!!!

[apple]

I saved a baby chicken today.. the mother had rejected him and I couldn't think of what else to do.
I took him home and I currently have him in a cardboard box, he has dry bird on the floor. He has two lamp lights because I know only one isn't 100watts. (they are on one side so he can cool down on the other side on the box) He also has water.

All of the local farm supply stores in town are closed, so I can not get chicken scratch for the night. I need a substitute for the night untill I can get to the feed supply store in the morning.


I have tried:
-I've heard that you can feed them hard boiled eggs chopped up very small. (he won't eat it)
-100% dry cornmeal (isn't interested)
- I have tried to give it worms but it tries to eat them and can't bite them.
-grass from out side.. doesnt work.

does anyone have any tips for me?
thank you!!!!

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

If you don't have chick starter feed yet, you can feed them for a day or two on instant oatmeal, flaked infant cereal, or other whole-grain cereals. You can put whole grains (rice, wheat, barley, old-fashioned oats, anything) into the blender and blend them slightly. Do not blend completely to a powder the feed should have some "grits" in it. Leave the feed with them all the time they will stop eating when they have had enough.

 

[apple]

its not eating it!!!! i dont know what to do.. shes growing very quiet, like she might die!!

im soo upset! i really want it to live.

 

[hypnojessi]

The first thing I would do is put sugar and/or electrolites (pedialite) in the water so the chick has some calories coming into it's body. Did you ever see what the chick was eating when it was with it's mom? Are there other chicks with the mom? What are they eating with her. Like if she is showing them to eat bugs, maybe a small bug would work? How about softened cat or dog food?

 

[4H kids and mom]

It is also possible that the mom chicken knew something you dont yet know. Possibly the chick was rejected because the hen knows something is wrong with it and chose not to waste precious energy trying to save a chick that wouldnt make it? Animals often know these things before we do, but you can still try to save it. I would for sure give it some sugar water, or you can use Karo syrup in the water. Dip its beak in to get it to drink. If its too weak to drink, you can use a little eye dropper and gently open its beak and give it a few drops at a time. Go slowly! After several droppers (throughout the day) she should perk up. Just like a human, if their blood sugar drops too low, they loose energy, and if not corrected, they may forget to eat, lay about listless, and eventually die.

 

[Llysse]

Let us know how your baby is doing!!!