Emergency! Chick gasping/weak!

[Violetsfeathers]

She was struggling to hold her head up and balance so I made her a sling. When I was trying to put her in it she started struggling. She struggled so much she died.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sorry about your loss.

What types of food are you giving them?
Describe the symptoms that you are encountering - not eating, not drinking, not pooping, etc.?
If they are pooping what does it look like?
Have you tried giving them any vitamins/electrolytes in their water?

 

[Violetsfeathers]

Sorry about your loss.

What types of food are you giving them?
Describe the symptoms that you are encountering - not eating, not drinking, not pooping, etc.?
If they are pooping what does it look like?
Have you tried giving them any vitamins/electrolytes in their water?

I was giving them layer feed but now they are on chick feed because I thought it might be why they're dying.

The symptoms, I already said everything she was doing: her crop was empty, weak, straining when pooping, gasping for air, she would shake her head like something was on it, couldn't hold head up, fall over.

I gave her sugar water and a few crumbles of chick food.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would offer vitamins/electrolytes in the water. You can also wet the chick starter to see if they will eat that better.
It could be a nutritional/vitamin deficiency since they started out on layer feed.
Also offer them some chick grit since they are straining to poop.
Otherwise it could be a neurological/developmental disorder or failure to thrive.

 

[Violetsfeathers]

Is there a difference between chick grit and grit? The others are doing fine so far. I feel like it's an internal problem. It always starts with an empty crop.

Next empty crop I feel I will do something sooner.

 

[SAINTSCHICKS]

how is she doing?

 

[Violetsfeathers]

She was struggling to hold her head up and balance so I made her a sling. When I was trying to put her in it she started struggling. She struggled so much she died.

She died.

 

[WPFarmstead]

They may be having issues with excess calcium from the layer feed. It is very, very hard on the kidneys, as they have no way to excrete it properly.

 

[Violetsfeathers]

That must've been it, no chicks have died since I switched to chick feed. I think only 3-4 are girls though. Out of 13.