Chicks Dying Daily, Advice Please

[Mrs MIA]

Get a little bowl of luke-warm water, and add a pinch of sugar or a drop of honey... swirl to dissolve, and using a Q-tip, carefully touch the liquid to the chick's beak. Don't give it too much, as it will take it down the wrong pipe and gasp. Just a little, and keep an eye on him. Give him more heat, and keep us posted.

 

[ranchhand]

Well? Did you try the sugar water? I sure hope the temp change and sugar water work.

Tori, that avatar is awfully cute- and scary!

 

[Trish up North]

I gave a bit of sugar water to both babies and raised the temp on the brooder...so far so good!! The questionable chick is perking up a bit I think. I'm not sure, I could be just hoping. I should know soon though.

I will just feel so awful if that is all the problem was. I've been so vigilant about everything else, but I broke a thermometer on the last hatch and didn't replace it. I didn't consider that the room I have my incubator and brooder in has an open window now that its summer and never considered that would lower the temp to the brooder as well. It was only 83 degrees in there! I could just kick myself, I feel so guilty. It's amazing they lived this long.

Thank you so much to everyone that helped. I guess I just needed reminding of the obvious instead of looking for exotic infections. I'll let you know how they do over the next few hours...hopefully I won't lose these two! If I don't lose them soon, I'm betting they'll be just fine.

Oh, the guilt, the guilt. I'll never overlook temperatures again!

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
Oh, please don't beat yourself up over it... it's all part of the learning curve. If you knew how many quail I kissed and said I'm sorry to, you'd cry. But I hatch thousands. It's harder when you only start out with a few, but you can hatch more. In fact, if you have incubator space, I can send you some eggs.

Just PM me if you're interested. I have browns and goldens together, and A&Ms in a separate pen.

The sugar water will give them a little boost of energy, and hopefully they can eat/drink on their own. Make sure the food is close to the lamp so they don't have to go far, and grind it up really tiny for them.

Hopefully that did the trick!

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
You're right, she IS scary... looks like she's scowling! But they're the cutest little ring teal ducks!