Chick laying on side mouth opening, unresponsive!!!

[jessica8804]

When I woke up this morning one of my 2 day old chicks was laying on its side, unresponsive. I tried spooning a little water into its mouth, drank once. Second time not so good and just went limp... I'm pretty sure it died already did I kill it with the water? what happened to cause this? What should I do if it happens to another one??? Help please

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It could be almost anything. Perhaps the brooder is too hot. How big is the brooder? How many chicks in it? What is the heat source?

 

[debid]

X2 on the above questions. Dehydration from overheating kills chicks far too often.

Sometimes there is something wrong internally. Are the rest of them thriving? That's the best gauge.

 

[jessica8804]

All the other chicks r good. Keeping temp at 90. Must have been something internal I just didn't want it to be my fault. Thought the water did it in.... Thanks for the input

 

[Meljo1978]

I am extremely sad to admit this but I just had this happen to me after my first hatch of bantams.... 3 died from overheating.... I had just set up the brooder and I thought it was all set and went to bed and it was too warm I cried. Lesson learned the hard way. I have 6 healthy from the same hatch. Hard lesson to learn!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Right. Most think they'll be too cold. All they need is a warm spot and lots of cool space, just like a mother hen. Otherwise they'll get too hot.

 

[debid]

I stopped in at TSC yesterday and looked at the chicks while I was there. Every single brooder was too hot. The chicks were crowded at the far end, trying to escape the heat. I saw lots and lots of pasted vents. They did listen when I pointed out the empty waterer in their most crowded bin and filled it right away but I just shudder to think of those poor chicks' mortality rate because you know nobody is washing their backsides.

 

[Mashallaharabia]

That's what I love about the Muscovies... they sit and hatch their own eggs, and teach the ducklings to find food and water. No incubator, heat lamp, or effort on our part at all. We do put out chick grit, that's it, the mother ducks do all the work. (I don't want them imprinted on humans, there's no need for them to be "tame".)