chicks arnt eating/drinking either

[Henmaster5000]

I got 2 new 4-6 week old BA chicks, they both are huddling w/ each other one one side of their makeshift box ( coop will be finished today..) they don't seem to be eating or drinking but they are lively.. they run around away from me and try to fly ... are they just stressed and will eat eventually? how long can they last w/o food and water if they are not eating?

 

[SimplyForties]

How long has that been going on?

 

[Henmaster5000]

only had them from yesterday so like 12 hours?

 

[SimplyForties]

At 4-6 weeks if you have food and water easily accessible to them they should be okay. Are you positive they're not eating/drinking? If they seem healthy I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Henmaster5000]

I just haven't seen them eat or drink. they have food and water and iv dipped their beaks in the water and food and they smell it so both im sure they will be fine just stress for them i guess

 

[vyshtia]

Try this:

Make sure their crumbles are crushed up really small and put a small amount into a small, shallow dish - so they can see it (lid of a small tupperware container). Mess with it with some to get their interest - drop some water onto it.

For some reason, sometimes my chicks won't eat and when I drop some water onto it, they rush in and start eating like they have been starving. Not sure if it's because they want their food soft and mushy or they see the movement and think they are catching a bug...

Not sure why this works - but it does and gets them to eat!

 

[mschickychick]

You said they are huddled. Are they cold or scared? Were they in a brooder with a light when you got them? If you don't have a light on them now and they were used to that they are definitely scared and maybe cold. My chicks freak out when I turn out their light. Just searching for something to help you here.

Best of luck.

 

[farmin'chick]

They might be objecting to having a different feed than they were on before...give them a c ouple of days.