First question

[Cwhitechicks]

Hi, thank you for providing this forum. We just got 6 baby chicks 5 days ago and are first time chick parents. We have so many questions because we just want to keep the chicks healthy. 5 are doing great but one is much smaller and though she's eating and drinking electrolyte water, she spends most her time under the heat plate. The concerning thing is that she is standing there nodding off like she's exhausted. When she comes out to walk around a bit she's a little wobbly still. After 5 minutes she goes back under the heat plate when everyone else is out. What can I do to help her? The rest of the chicks are getting bigger and stronger. She is the only Polish chick. No one has started pecking at her yet, but I'm afraid that could start. I hope she makes it through the night

 

[WingItRanch]

I'm sorry your little chick is struggling! It's possible that it's failure to thrive. Unfortunately, that does happen. It sounds like the rest of your chicks are doing well so its probably not environmental or any type of illness.

I will say that chicks sleep a lot. They will just crash suddenly. Pretty cute when its not terrifying. Maybe your polish just needs a little more heat and rest.

 

[nuthatched]

It might be a runt and there's nothing you can do, I'm sorry

 

[Cwhitechicks]

I'm sorry your little chick is struggling! It's possible that it's failure to thrive. Unfortunately, that does happen. It sounds like the rest of your chicks are doing well so its probably not environmental or any type of illness.

I will say that chicks sleep a lot. They will just crash suddenly. Pretty cute when its not terrifying. Maybe your polish just needs a little more heat and rest.

Thank You, I hope that's all it is. We'll see in the morning.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Good job identifying a problem, hopefully in time.
There are some realities. Sometimes chicks fail to thrive. Not all living creatures do. Survival of the fittest is a reality.
It is also a reality that occasionally a chick can be a runt. Are all the chickens large fowl or could the small one be a bantam? I doubt the electrolytes are what the chick needs, after all, that is nothing more than various minerals. There is a limit to how much is needed. If you are in the US or somewhere else where Poultry Nutri-Drench is available, get some. It is various vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids and molasses for energy. The advantage is that it doesn't even need to be digested but is absorbed and directly enters the bloodstream. It is a real boon for feeble shipped chicks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum! Glad you joined but wish it were better circumstances.

Excellent post by Chickencanoe. He is one of my gurus on here.

A 5-day-old chick eating and drinking but not developing and is spending a lot of time under the heat. It is not unusual for a chick to spend a couple of its first days mostly in a warm spot, whether in a brooder ort with a broody hen, but they soon spend a lot of time out running around and being active.

It could be what I'd consider a birth defect, something is wrong and it is not meant to survive. It could be something else. As long as it appears to not be suffering I'd give it a chance. Part of that is to keep it warm. It sounds like you are doing that.

My approach is to get something in it to give it energy. That's why molasses is in that Nutri-Drench. Some people use sugar water. I use hummingbird liquid since I always have some around. I use a medicine dropper to put a drop of liquid on the tip of its beak. They usually snap their heads and drink it. I'm not putting the liquid down their throats for fear of drowning them, let them manage that.

Good luck. This isn't always easy or successful.

 

[Cwhitechicks]

Thank you for answering. I was able to give her electrolyte water and a tiny bit of egg yolka few times yesterday but early this morning she was so weak and hunched up that we took her out of the brooder. The reason was although it looks like she was able to be cozy with the other 5 chicks under the heat plate last night, once they all woke up they were knocking her over. Not as an attack but more because they are so much bigger than she is. We tried to give her more vitamin water which she tried to drink but you could see she was just to weak and even when holding her she could not keep her head up. She was still quietly chirping off and on. We decided not to put her back in with everyone else and laid her in a little soft nest in a little basket on a low heating pad. We keep checking in her and pretty much gave up on trying to give her more water because she won't take it. The plan was to keep her warm and comfortable and she is.

 

[WingItRanch]

Thank you for answering. I was able to give her electrolyte water and a tiny bit of egg yolka few times yesterday but early this morning she was so weak and hunched up that we took her out of the brooder. The reason was although it looks like she was able to be cozy with the other 5 chicks under the heat plate last night, once they all woke up they were knocking her over. Not as an attack but more because they are so much bigger than she is. We tried to give her more vitamin water which she tried to drink but you could see she was just to weak and even when holding her she could not keep her head up. She was still quietly chirping off and on. We decided not to put her back in with everyone else and laid her in a little soft nest in a little basket on a low heating pad. We keep checking in her and pretty much gave up on trying to give her more water because she won't take it. The plan was to keep her warm and comfortable and she is.

Try adding some water to the chick food and making a mash for her. That might get her more food and hydration. Sounds like you're doing everything you can. I hope she makes it.

 

[Cwhitechicks]

Thank you, we tried that yesterday when she was coming out from under the heat to eat at the feeder but she won't even left her head up now.

Try adding some water to the chick food and making a mash for her. That might get her more food and hydration. Sounds like you're doing everything you can. I hope she makes it.