Chicks Dropping Like Flies

[chkn]

I do this thing to get my hens to drink when their sick using a dropper. Just drop one or two drops 'on top' of the beak but below the nostrils. Wait and see if she sips it in (i.e, moves her beak). The thing is when you drop the water on top of the beak, it rolls over either side and naturally into the mouth. All they have to do is swallow then. You might have to repeat the drop or two part several times to see her beak move. If she's dehydrated (which she probably is) too much too fast may not be good. So have her sip, a little at a time, as long as she's willing.

Okay, water, sugar, dropper (b vitamin if you have it)....Go. I'm hitting the sack!!!

 

[ChickenFanatic447]

All the vitamins I have on hand are the human gummy kind which I'm sure they can't eat. Hmm.. And Star-Gazers sounds about right, I really hope things turn out well. Where could I purchase Sav-A-Chick and how spendy is it compared to the other option?

I am trying to give my chick some sugar-water right now, but she isn't interested in eating/drinking and will hardly even move around at all. I don't have a dropper either so I can't do that.. Any other ways to get things rolling along/to keep her alive long enough for me to get vitamins for her?

 

[ChickenFanatic447]

To follow the cookie-cutter sheet in the sticky on the disease thread, here is the general info once again.

1). Buff Brahma, 3 days, I don't know the exact weight but she is a bit chubby for her age (probably only an illusion due to all that fluff!)
2). She was having spasms and kept tilting her head up in the air and opening her beak everytime she exhaled, she would occasionally tilt her head back so far she would flip over, resulting in a seizure-like spasm. She refuses to eat/drink and I am keeping her in a make-shift brooder currently and treating her with sugar-water until I can get vitamins in the morning.
3). Right after Hazel died (an hour after I bought this little chick, today.)
4). Some of them are, including my Cuckoo Maran.
5). No.
6). No idea, honestly..
7). She has not been eating and drinking much at all.
8). Very runny and yellow
9). Sugar-water, getting vitamins tomorrow.
10). I would like to treat completely myself and provide vitamins to help with any issues going on.
11).

12). Pineshavings in the actual brooder, papertowels/towels in her makeshift recovery one.

 

[chkn]

Put a drop on the beak and wait a half a minute and keep repeating. You can use your finger as a dropper. Dip your finger in the water mixture and touch the top of the beak with it. Keep repeating. You may have to do this 3-5 times with your finger to equal a drop from a dropper.

Don't give her any multi vitamin. Just do the sugar water tonight. Poly-Vi-Sol (remember, without the Iron in it) down at Walmart for $5-6, I can't remember for sure. The Sav-A-Chick, I don't know. I would assume feed and farm supplies have it although I can't say I remember seeing one at mine. You could call around. Otherwise, don't sweat it, get the Poly-Vi-Sol. I've picked it up over at Von's too. It's a baby vitamin. They sell two types, one with and one without Iron (just don't get the later).

So, use your finger and start dropping some sugar water.

 

[ChickenFanatic447]

Okay! Thanks so much, I'll keep you posted.

Update: She will drink a little bit from my finger tips and then heave really badly. Do you have any idea what the heaving could be from? We have the spasms and head tilting figured out, but the heaving is really concerning still..

 

[chkn]

P.S., I hope the little fatty makes it. Sweet talk her and stroke her face. I've just found out that chickens love to have their earlobes, ears and cheeks rubbed. I just thought of something else, you could try later is some chicken boullian. Maybe just some warm from a cube (or a can, heated and then cooled). But right now, sugar water and TLC.

 

[ChickenFanatic447]

Thank you so much for all your help, I hope she makes it! Her wings are becoming REALLY droopy and she is having trouble swallowing the sugar-water still. Her mobility is terrible like before and she can barely move around..

Edit: I can't help but feel like this is a bit my fault.. The chicks may have been better off without me and at the hatchery at this point, I've already lost one and two are to weak to move..

 

[chkn]

Is she keeping it down though, that is the question? Maybe swallowing is difficult being dehydrated. Keep working the sugar and water.

One thing I thought about is foods that contain B1. Here's a list including egg yolk:

http://www.weightlossforall.com/foods-rich-vitamin-B1.htm

Some things here including egg yolk have iron though. But don't chicks start life living off egg yolk? I thought putting something in a blender like peas or something low or no iron. Maybe you even have some baby food around the house. But what the heck, why not a drop or two of egg yolk? Or a drop or two of baby food.

Let her just do the sugar water though now and let's see if she keeps that down. That's the important thing.

Night!

 

[ChickenFanatic447]

Quote:
My older sister just had a child 5 months ago so yeah, we have a lot of baby food lying around! What kind would you suggest using?

 

[chkn]

You know what, at this point, maybe you should try a little egg yolk. With her mouth open you might be able to dab a little on the inside of her beak.