Chick Nearly Froze to Death, Need Help

[Pyxis]

I ordered some chicks from Ideal poultry for my broody, and they arrived today. When I got the call, I also got the ominous message that the box was silent. I was expecting them all to be dead. Since it was insured, I had to open it at the post office. When I looked in, they were all laying on the bottom of the box. Then, a little twitch. Three were alive! Then one other I thought was surely dead moved, just a little - a tiny sultan bantam. She's the one I need help with. She was obviously the closest to death. The other three have bounced back and are acting like normal chicks. This one I thought for sure was a goner. She gained some strength back, but nowhere near the other chicks. She now can almost stand and wobbles a little around the brooder, but she doesn't open her eyes and she sleeps almost constantly. I've given her poultry vitamins. Does anyone know what else I can do?

 

[fried green eggs]

Try to get some sugar water into her with a eye dropper or syring (without a needle of corse) if she won't drink. Vitamins are good but, I would give all of them some cooked egg mashed up with a little sugar water in it tonight. Good Luck.

 

[LaynaDon95]

Oh no! First things first, have you given her electrolytes or just vitamins? If you don't have electrolytes give her sugar water. Other that that, make sure she stays warm. If she's not warm enough (or warming up fast enough) you can use a hair dryer on low. I just had to do that with almost all my chicks. I got my shipment from Ideal today and they promptly tried to drown themselves. If she is warm and has had electrolytes then just let her rest. Keep her environment warm, dark, and quiet. She is weak and probably in shock. She needs rest.

Also, this time of year is a bad time for ordering up north. Especially from hatcheries so far away from you. Next time you should try to order from a closer hatchery. Since you purchased insurance, then I guess there were no "packing peanut" males. It's simply too cold to ship small quantities of chicks up north right now. Not trying to be harsh, so I hope it didn't come across that way. Good luck with your babies. Keep me posted!

 

[rbaker0345]

Please don't give fluids with an eye dropper unless you are familiar with tube feeding a bird. You must put the fluids directly down her throat and make sure that you don't get it into her trachea. The trachea is a tiny tube just behind the tongue, so push that dropper a good ways down her throat, well past the back of her tongue. If you pull her tongue out a bit, you can see the tube I'm talking about. The cavern in the back of her throat is fair game, just not down that little tube or you will make her aspirate the fluids and she's a gonner.

 

[LaynaDon95]

I have dropper fed many of my chicks. I just squeeze enough to form a little ball of liquid on the end, touch it to their beak, and encourage them to drink it themselves. If they don't, I put a drop into their mouth, but not down their throat. That way they can tip their own head back to drink it.

 

[Pyxis]

I'm familiar with tube feeding birds. She actually drinks if I drip the liquid onto her beak. I picked her up at 9 this morning, so it's been a while. I know ordering small quantities of chicks in the winter is a bad idea - it wasn't a small order. I also thought with insurance they'd include a heat pack, but no such luck. They also packed them in such a way that they were all forced up against the sides of the box, instead of able to huddle up in the middle. I'll go mix her up some electrolytes right now. Thanks for the advice so far!

 

[littlecritters]

I'm familiar with tube feeding birds. She actually drinks if I drip the liquid onto her beak. I picked her up at 9 this morning, so it's been a while. I know ordering small quantities of chicks in the winter is a bad idea - it wasn't a small order. I also thought with insurance they'd include a heat pack, but no such luck. They also packed them in such a way that they were all forced up against the sides of the box, instead of able to huddle up in the middle. I'll go mix her up some electrolytes right now. Thanks for the advice so far!

A fellow BYCer ordered 25 chicks from Ideal recently and sadly, all arrived dead. When she received her second batch of replacement chicks, only 11 were alive and more passed away the next day. So please keep an eye on your babies and call Ideal to let hem know what has happened.

 

[Pyxis]

Last night she fell face first into the waterer, and I think she aspirated some of it before I pulled her out. There's a clicking sound when she breathes now. Is there anything I can for her? She's no better than yesterday...

 

[LaynaDon95]

Last night she fell face first into the waterer, and I think she aspirated some of it before I pulled her out. There's a clicking sound when she breathes now. Is there anything I can for her? She's no better than yesterday...

Oh, poor dear. I have no advice in this category, but I will say a prayer for both of you. I hope she gets better.

 

[Pyxis]

She passed away