I picked up 10 Speckled Sussex on Monday. One has barely stopped peeping since I got them home. Last night it got so bad that I pulled that chick out and tried feeding it - I didn't know if it was, but the temp was good in the brooder, so I assumed it was food/drink related distress. It has very droopy wings and the feathers are not oversized. It uses them, but they just hang down. The chick acted like it didn't know how to eat so I used my finger to mimic pecking, and used it's head to show it how to peck. It wasn't drinking, so I used a dropper and let it catch the drops from it after it wouldn't drink from the chick drinker (quart jar type). I got it to eat some yogurt and hard boiled egg yolk last night, and it drank. Afterwards, it climbed up the front of my shirt from the table, nestled up by my neck and contently cheeped until it fell asleep... for 2hrs.
I was trying to watch to see if it ate today. I put egg and chick starter through the blend and finely processed some starter on it's own. I didn't witness the poor thing eat at all today, but saw it up and about okay. It started peeping in distress awhile ago, and again, yogurt, egg yolk and water with electrolytes and vitamins. I saw it drink from the dish, so at least it's able to drink on it's own. It's almost like this chick doesn't like the hard starter and refuses to eat it. I watched it accidentally peck at it and drop it instantly. It ate it's fill of egg and afterward... climbed up the front of my shirt and nestled down on my chest. Guess where it is now.
So... Anyone ever have a chick not eat chick starter at all? Is it a temporary thing? I do know I could get used to a cuddly chick! I hope it isn't a roo, though...
I was trying to watch to see if it ate today. I put egg and chick starter through the blend and finely processed some starter on it's own. I didn't witness the poor thing eat at all today, but saw it up and about okay. It started peeping in distress awhile ago, and again, yogurt, egg yolk and water with electrolytes and vitamins. I saw it drink from the dish, so at least it's able to drink on it's own. It's almost like this chick doesn't like the hard starter and refuses to eat it. I watched it accidentally peck at it and drop it instantly. It ate it's fill of egg and afterward... climbed up the front of my shirt and nestled down on my chest. Guess where it is now.
So... Anyone ever have a chick not eat chick starter at all? Is it a temporary thing? I do know I could get used to a cuddly chick! I hope it isn't a roo, though...
