chicks not thriving

[foggyforkfarm]

We have a variety of chicks this year. Some we bought from tractor supply, some we bought from somebody local, and a few I managed to hatch out myself.

Most of the chicks we bought from tractor supply are all doing great except one. The one I hatched are doing awesome. Very energetic and thriving.

Now, the ones I got from somebody local. Some are okay but there are three that just aren't thriving so well. Everybody else is growing but these guys are not. I have them in an old hovabator incubator set 95 degrees with the top windows open about and inch each and food/water availabe. They do good like this but about 3-4 hours of being in the brooder they go downhill. Standing around falling over. Not eating or drinking. Everybodies vents are open. They dont look sick just not acting like a lively chicks. Is leaving them in the hovabator okay? Its the only way they will eat and drink. Is it because of all my other chicks?

These chicks were born 2-16 threw 2-18. The three that arent doing great are gold cuckoo marans.

This is our first go round with young chicks so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[foggyforkfarm]

Also, I have two different kinds of feed. One medicated and one non medicated. They won't eat the medicated. I'm guessing because the crumbles of food are much larger than the non medicated. Thenon medicated is almost like a powder.

 

[azygous]

Sorry about those little guys. I know how worrisome it is. But.you're right. They need to eat. Try moistening their crumbles with warm water. Do you have some vitamins for them? I like Poultry Nuri-drench. You can squirt it right over the moist crumbles.

If they refuse to eat even the moistened feed, try crumbled tofu. I've had real good luck getting chicks to eat that who refuse to eat anything else.

Are you sure it's not too hot in the incubator? Can you back the temp off a bit? Maybe that would make a difference in their energy level. Also, chicks pick up the cue to eat by seeing other chicks eat. If you have to, put a couple more healthy chicks in with the sick ones and that might encourage them to eat.

 

[PapaChaz]

I'd leave them in the old incubator for a few days to let them get their legs under them so to speak. Can they see the others and the other see them? Would make it easier to integrate if they can

but I'm no expert

 

[foggyforkfarm]

At 95 degrees is when they are lively and will get up and eat and drink but if its any lower they get real sluggish and will only long around and sleep.

They will eat the non medicated crumbles because they are real fine just not the medicated crumbles.

I will run to the feed store and see what kind of vitamin drench I can find. Everywhere here is as sold out of most stuff.

 

[aart]

You can crush the larger crumbles in a bag with a rolling pin...or run them thru a blender.

 

[BonRae67]

You can crush the larger crumbles in a bag with a rolling pin...or run them thru a blender.

Agreed I had to do this for some smaller chicks I had. They ate it after I put it through the nutri bullet blender thing.

 

[foggyforkfarm]

They are doing good today. All of them are up eating and drinking and talking a lot.

I picked up 5 more cuckoo maran and 1 blue laced red wyandotte chicks yesterday and they seem to be doing really good in the brooder with the other chicks.

 

[Nate19]

I have been using electrolytes in my chick's water ('Vital Pack') with fairly good results so far. Seems to have been keeping them lively!

At first a few of them got "Pasty Butt" from it so I had to get those ones cleaned up and turned it down a bit on the amount of electrolytes added to the water.

As much as we all want our chicks to grow up healthy so we do all kinds of crazy things for them.. chickens have survived on their own for a long, long, long time!

Anyways, good luck with your flock! Do you have any pictures of the blue laced red Wyandotte? Those are great looking chickens!