I hatched a little Tolbount Polish chick on Saturday so its 5 days old. It was given to me at a Show a few weeks ago. Here is what I've been doing:
It is in a rubbermaid brooder with a heat emitter - temp is fine, paper towels on floor.
The other chick in with it is totally normal and energetic (about a week older but has been in the same brooder) I've used this set-up to hatch about 50 chicks this year
They are fed a chick starter/grower
I keep vitamins/electrolytes in their water with a tiny bit of ACV
They are on paper towels for bedding.
The chick is not really eating. I saw it peck at the food when the other chick was eating but only twice and I don't think it got any food.
I have dipped its beak in the water a few times.
I am wondering if it is possible to hand-feed chicks like you do baby birds? I've raised a couple of parrots in the past - hand fed with a syringe and the Kaytee Exotic hand feeding formula. I have some of this on hand and wondered if I could give it to this chick?
Chick is just sitting under heat lamp kind of huddled down - it can walk but doesn't move much unless I make it. It peeps every once in a while. Just seems very weak and not wanting to eat/drink.
There was a tiny little piece of poop on its butt this morning which I removed but I have not seen any pasty butt type stuff.
Please respond if you have any suggestions or know if I can syringe feed this baby. I was so thrilled that the egg hatched and I don't want to lose this little one. Our local veterinarians have no clue about chickens other than basic feeding info and other common issues.
Thanks so very much!
Angela MacLean
www.naturallyequine.org
[email protected]
It is in a rubbermaid brooder with a heat emitter - temp is fine, paper towels on floor.
The other chick in with it is totally normal and energetic (about a week older but has been in the same brooder) I've used this set-up to hatch about 50 chicks this year
They are fed a chick starter/grower
I keep vitamins/electrolytes in their water with a tiny bit of ACV
They are on paper towels for bedding.
The chick is not really eating. I saw it peck at the food when the other chick was eating but only twice and I don't think it got any food.
I have dipped its beak in the water a few times.
I am wondering if it is possible to hand-feed chicks like you do baby birds? I've raised a couple of parrots in the past - hand fed with a syringe and the Kaytee Exotic hand feeding formula. I have some of this on hand and wondered if I could give it to this chick?
Chick is just sitting under heat lamp kind of huddled down - it can walk but doesn't move much unless I make it. It peeps every once in a while. Just seems very weak and not wanting to eat/drink.
There was a tiny little piece of poop on its butt this morning which I removed but I have not seen any pasty butt type stuff.
Please respond if you have any suggestions or know if I can syringe feed this baby. I was so thrilled that the egg hatched and I don't want to lose this little one. Our local veterinarians have no clue about chickens other than basic feeding info and other common issues.
Thanks so very much!
Angela MacLean
www.naturallyequine.org
[email protected]