Chick died this morning--was there a way to prevent it?

[hastraga]

Our Silver Laced Wyandotte (about 2 weeks old) died last night. For a day or two she had been very low energy. She just stood still and was not eating or drinking. I put her in her own box with one friend so she wouldn't get pushed over so much. I gave her some plain yogurt (which she didn't eat). I saw her drink some water and then a few seconds later it bubble back out of her mouth. She continued to get weaker and weaker and this morning she was dead.
Do these symptoms sound familiar? She didn't have a pasty bum. Is there anything we could have done to prevent this or cure her?

 

[briteday]

I always keep Polyvisol without iron (childrens vitamins) and Pedialyte on hand. A drop of vitamins 1-2 times per day and hand feeding some Pedialyte can help perk up a bird that is "off."

However, with baby chicks there are bound to be losses. Sometimes they just have an inborn or genetic deformity.

Sorry, it's hard to lose them. We lost one this year and we all cried...

 

[Renee]

I agree with Briteday. It was probably just an internal genetic deformity and there was nothing to be done.

We are used to puppies and kittens, which do not have a very high mortality rate, so it is rather shocking at first how many baby chicks die.

Sorry.

 

[hastraga]

Thanks. I actually have some Pedialyte on hand, but how do you get them to drink it if they are not drinking?
It's good to know that so many are probably not going to make it. I'll be more prepared (emotionally).

 

[Renee]

Hi hastraga,
You can administer vitamins or Pedialyte with an eye dropper or syringe by putting drops on the tip of the beak. They will usually lick it off. You can also try dunking their beaks into the bowl, and sometimes they will drink.

In rare emergencies, when a chicken is about to die from dehydration, you can put a short section of rubber tubing on the end of a syringe and insert it into the crop of the bird. The problem is if you do not know what you are doing you may drown the bird or give in pnuemonia. They aspirate liquids that get under their tongue.

I managed to save a bird that way once, and I managed to almost kill one.

 

[hastraga]

Thanks, Renee. I don't think I'm confident enough to try the rubber tube thing, but I'll get me a couple of eye droppers on hand.
Thanks alot!