Couple chicks are very lethargic...EDIT: 4 died...

[Jeffross1968]

Picked up 25 rare pullet chicks today from the PO we bought from Ideal. Most are doing great, but I have a couple that are very, very lethargic. I've put sav-a-chick in the water, and made them drink, but they are basically just sitting there. Anything I can do?

All 3 that are lethargic are from the same breed it appears. 1 just died

 

[Happy Chooks]

Picked up 25 rare pullet chicks today from the PO we bought from Ideal. Most are doing great, but I have a couple that are very, very lethargic. I've put sav-a-chick in the water, and made them drink, but they are basically just sitting there. Anything I can do?

Sounds like you're doing well so far. Watch them and make sure they are drinking. If not, dip their beaks in the water a couple times a day to make sure they get some water. You can also cook some eggs (scramble or hard boiled) and chop it up and feed it to them.

 

[Jeffross1968]

On the flip side, I have some chicks with giant crops! I'm sure they've over eaten. Is that ok? I don't want to take the food away...

 

[Happy Chooks]

On the flip side, I have some chicks with giant crops! I'm sure they've over eaten. Is that ok? I don't want to take the food away...

They have only been eating chick starter, right? If so, they are fine, it will go down in the morning.

 

[Jeffross1968]

Yeah, medicated starter...

 

[Happy Chooks]

Then it's fine...........they're just little piggies.

 

[seclusionfarms]

Not sure if this will help, I had some lathergic chicks when I got my first chicks from a breeder and even though it wasn't that cold outside,they were just cold and needed a heat source.Gook Luck

 

[Jeffross1968]

The hot spot seems to be right around 95, so I think it's warm enough. Hate losing chicks...

 

[Jeffross1968]

Lost a second over night. 3rd is still very lethargic, and doesn't appear to be eating. I've dipped it's beak in sugar water a few times more. Also scrambled some egg and dipped it's beak in that too, hoping it would see it was food, but no go yet...

 

[allpeepedout]

Many people find that 95 degrees is way too hot, especially if they start piling on each other. I did. My chicks became lethargic, flopped down, and started cooking, too weak to move away from the heat. Try 90. Use thermometer. The idea that they all are able to move away from too much heat presumes a healthy active chick to begin with. Good luck.