I've got a 5 day old chick that was incubated by a broody Hen she had 4 chicks hatch 2 days earlier and the day I discovered him she would no long set. So I brought him and the rest of the eggs in. Another egg hatched and has spraddled legs I put them both inside my brooder in my house. He was doing magnificently super active. He drinks a ton but I haven't seen him eat but the food gets spread everywhere.and he picks and things. He was fine earlier had a very small amount of feces stuck lower on his butt,but not covering vent and then this evening he is just limp he woulodnt wake up when I picked him up and the vent was then covered in feces so I cleaned him off which made him start chirpping. I gave him a gruel of chick starter, water, finely chopped oatmeal and a dab of corn syrup and he has perked up alittle he is nw laying on his feet where as before he was laying on his side. Are there any other things I can give him or do to help him?
Some of my 2.5 wk olds have had similar symptoms, and one died yesterday. Today I started giving them molasses water in place of regular sugar water, and it seems to be helping. I got the molasses flush from an older thread here on BYC, it's basically 1/4 c molasses to 1 gal of water, so I broke it down to 1/2 tbs to 1 qt, which I've been offering free choice. I don't know if it'll help your little one, but it may be worth a try.
