Derperella, the (weird) Faverolles, & Friends

[Nambroth]

Oh! I also tried mixing a little sugar water with the various 'soups' I made for Derp. I found it was important to have whatever I was using completely dissolved-- no hunks-- or she wouldn't eat it. The little bit of sugar water mixed in seemed to fool her into eating more of it. I'd gradually decrease the sugar in the water until there was none. The egg yolk liquid and the yogurt/kefir seemed to end up being her favorites.

I know that you should not give infant humans honey because it can contain botulism spores/toxins. Once we produce flora in our gut to combat them, we are not harmed by them, but infants do not have the good yeasts and bacteria living in their systems yet to combat it and can become ill. Does anyone know if it is the same with chicks? Personally I would not offer honey. Sugar, or even better-- molasses, would be a lot safer.

 

[polishchickens111]

Derperella was like your chick. She knew how to peck (she liked to peck the other chick's faces) and knew what food was. She just wouldn't eat.

I used to make liquid meals for Derp, and at first she wouldn't take them. The ONLY thing I could get her to take was sugar water with some electrolytes/vitamins in it (as mentioned above... Polyvisol without iron). After a while she started to take other liquids, though. Things you can try: boiled egg yolk, mashed into a paste and then stirred with warm water to make egg-yolk-soup... powdered chick starter (I used a blender to turn it to powder), soaked with water then turned into a 'broth' as described above... plain yogurt or kefir, mixed with water enough to make it liquid...

Even once she started taking solids, she wouldn't eat them unless they came on the tip of an eyedropper, stick, or spoon. She would try to eat the food with the other chicks in their feeder, but wouldn't get anywhere.

This message is not for polishchickens111-- it's for everyone! Especially folks that wanted me to breed Derp. Realistically, such failure to thrive would be the end of the chick in a natural setting-- nature only 'wants' the strongest genetics to pass on, ensuring greater survivability of a species and so forth. While I do not regret saving Derp (not one bit!) I also know that I should never let her pass on her genetics and so I will enjoy her life for what it is.

Thanks for pointing that out. While everyone would love a Derp chick, it's not right for chicks to suffer.

 

[polishchickens111]

Could you fashion a little shoe for her - using bandaids to hold her feet to a piece cardboard. I know there are articles about this on BYC you could search for. You have to give her a name so she's knows she is not disaposable. We want to send healing vibes to her. I know how horribly upsetting it is when babies don't eat.

Ok, I'll name her. I have to giver her away when she gets better, though. What should it be?

 

[polishchickens111]

Oh! I also tried mixing a little sugar water with the various 'soups' I made for Derp. I found it was important to have whatever I was using completely dissolved-- no hunks-- or she wouldn't eat it. The little bit of sugar water mixed in seemed to fool her into eating more of it. I'd gradually decrease the sugar in the water until there was none. The egg yolk liquid and the yogurt/kefir seemed to end up being her favorites.

I know that you should not give infant humans honey because it can contain botulism spores/toxins. Once we produce flora in our gut to combat them, we are not harmed by them, but infants do not have the good yeasts and bacteria living in their systems yet to combat it and can become ill. Does anyone know if it is the same with chicks? Personally I would not offer honey. Sugar, or even better-- molasses, would be a lot safer.

My feed store recommended honey- I'll try sugar.

 

[SKG1121]

@polishchickens111 Surviver maybe, for good luck?

 

[polishchickens111]

@polishchickens111 Surviver maybe, for good luck?

That could work. I'll listen to some other suggestions too. She's chipmunk colored.

 

[ChirpyChick]

I think you should name the chick something totally silly and funnily inappropriate - Mr. or Mrs. Pickles... or someone from your favorite book/movies? - Aunt Pittypat...Miss Daisy...Bubba Gump...Melvin/Verdell

Something that will make you smile every time you talk/touch/heal this little one...happy energy rather than worried is always a good thing!

lol I have an Aunt Pittypat in my brood already...she's very much like Nambroth's victorian lady (who's name escapes me right now...apologies!)...my daughter call's her 'Fluffy' though and Aunt Pittypat gives her the most unfriendly look lol

Will probably end up with a Miss Daisy too though..there's at least one girly that wants nothing to do with my hubby unless he spends lots of time just sitting there with them.

Just my 2 cents!

~jr

 

[polishchickens111]

I think you should name the chick something totally silly and funnily inappropriate - Mr. or Mrs. Pickles... or someone from your favorite book/movies? - Aunt Pittypat...Miss Daisy...Bubba Gump...Melvin/Verdell

Something that will make you smile every time you talk/touch/heal this little one...happy energy rather than worried is always a good thing!

lol I have an Aunt Pittypat in my brood already...she's very much like Nambroth's victorian lady (who's name escapes me right now...apologies!)...my daughter call's her 'Fluffy' though and Aunt Pittypat gives her the most unfriendly look lol

Will probably end up with a Miss Daisy too though..there's at least one girly that wants nothing to do with my hubby unless he spends lots of time just sitting there with them.

Just my 2 cents!

~jr

Thanks! I think this is a great suggestion. I'll think about it.

Nambroth, I made the eggy-mix. She spat it out at first but took some of it.

 

[simplysophie]

Susie has made a friend! Its the millions of dandelions that grow in the field! She has a billion seeds stuck in her floofs.... oh well, didnt have anything to do anyways.

 

[polishchickens111]

She's gone now.