Chick not thriving, tried to offer yolk slurry

[tviss711]

I got some pullets yesterday. One of them, my blue australorp, was teetering, really wouldn’t lay down, and was not eating or drinking at all while her siblings were. She also appeared to be chirping frequently, but very little if any noise would come out. Her wings were very droopy from the start.

I decided if she survived the night and still wasn’t eating or drinking I would intervene to see if I could perk her up. I looked up a simple slurry to make with weak green tea, probiotic &electrolyte, and egg yolk. I put this into a syringe dropper, took her and a friend out, and dropped one tiny drop at a time on THE OUTSIDE of her beak to let her do the rest. I don’t know how this method is any different than dipping their beaks in the water initially to show them how to drink. I never EVER put the syringe into her mouth or tried to force it down because I know they can easily drown. She seemed to take some of it down, but I don’t know if she has properly figured out how to swallow anything at all. I stopped immediately when I saw some bubbles come up, and I let her sit in my hand and she seemed to try to swallow. I gave her a few more micro droplets (seriously small) on the outside of her beak so she could lick it off and placed her back with her siblings under the brooder. She seems to be sneezing a bit, still chirping with no sound. She did actually run, which I’ve not seen her do.

I’m hoping I didn’t do more harm than good in trying to get some nutrition and hydration into her. Her wings have been droopy since yesterday and she just seems so weak. Any help or advice would be appreciated. I will be so sad to lose her. I am afraid in trying to help her I made things worse. I was trying to be so careful.

UPDATE: after sneezing, I have finally watched and heard her peep with noise. It wasn’t whispery like it was yesterday, it was clear and loud. That makes me feel a little bit better. But I am not sure she will make it. I know sometimes chicks just don’t make it for all kinds of reasons, but I’ve raised a few batches now and haven’t lost one personally before. I’ve wanted a blue for a long time now too and was so excited about her. I will keep monitoring her. I’m hoping what little she was able to swallow might give her the energy to consider eating and drinking with her siblings.

 

[GlicksChicks]

Have you checked her for coccidiosis?

 

[tviss711]

Have you checked her for coccidiosis?

I don’t know how to check for that. There have been no bloody stools in the brooder at all. One chick had pasty butt which I took care of. They all came vaccinated for Mareks but I have them on medicated chick start. Not that she has eaten any of

 

[Bawkbok]

I'm sorry to hear your baby blue is sick. I don't have experienced advice to provide, just moral support. I hope she recovers.
Experts should be along soon to provide specific advice.

 

[GlicksChicks]

I don’t know how to check for that. There have been no bloody stools in the brooder at all. One chick had pasty butt which I took care of. They all came vaccinated for Mareks but I have them on medicated chick start. Not that she has eaten any of

This could just be a failure to thrive situation unfortunately.

 

[tviss711]

This could just be a failure to thrive situation unfortunately.

I’m really hoping not, but I think you may be right. I just don’t understand why she won’t eat anything. She wants to be with the other chicks, she stands there and follows them around, watching them eat but won’t do so herself.

 

[tviss711]

She is still alive. She pecked at a small piece of food on my husbands hand earlier, so maybe she is feeling hungry. I’m just not sure she’s going to figure it all out before it’s too late. I will not be home to attempt to hand feed her tomorrow, so she will need to figure things out. I’m not sure there isn’t something going on internally however as I have not seen her poop. She just spends so much time trying to stand and chirp, I’ve never really seen that before. I’m praying she is able to pull through but I’ll update in the morning if she makes it through another night. she is very small.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How old is she?

I'd still give her drops of electrolytes or sugar water. Try offering wet mushy feed to see if she's able to eat that.

She's trying to stand, are her legs splayed?

 

[tviss711]

How old is she?

I'd still give her drops of electrolytes or sugar water. Try offering wet mushy feed to see if she's able to eat that.

She's trying to stand, are her legs splayed?

Probably 3 days old, maybe 4. She stands like a normal chick, her legs are normal and she’s able to walk and she ran a little bit to catch up to the others when they moved. I’ve offered a plate of wet mash in there for the last two days. Her sisters all eat it and she will stand with them while they do, but I have not seen her participate. My husband said he saw her take two drinks of water this evening on her own, which is good. It’s strange because I can’t pinpoint one glaringly obvious thing to diagnose she just is off and runtish, not showing interest in eating which is unlike any chick I’ve ever raised. I tried a few times to give her the yolk slurry but she just sits in my hand trying to chirp and shakes the drops off her beak instead of swallowing it down. She might have eaten a total of 4 drops of slurry today (that I’ve seen).

 

[Slothinc]

If she is drinking, it wouldn’t hurt to put some electrolytes/sugar water in their main water source. I would offer that for about 24 hours and see if it makes any difference for the chick. Since she isn’t eating very much, this might be the easiest way to perk her up.

Also you can scramble an egg and offer it to them. It is soft and full of nutrients. Or mix a raw egg yolk with their food - or just offer a little bit to them in a tiny dish (like a glass jar lid) Also I find that sometimes weaker chicks aren’t able to eat normal chick crumbles as easy so I will smash it up so it is more powdery and offer that. Just a few suggestions on what I might try, but if it does end up being a failure to thrive situation, you know that you did all you could