hand feeding a silkie

[BeckyPower]

I've been syringe feeding a 1 week old silkie for about 4/5 days now. I use baby parrot food mixed in w/medicated chick feed. She doesn't really care for me feeding her, we really make a mess, but she doesn't seem to care about feeding herself. I've never seen her eat or drink. She was listless and week. She seems to be doing better but doesn't want to eat on her own. I feed her around 2cc of gruel every 4/6 hours. I just read a thread about medicated feed not being real good for the babies if they're inside, something about blocking B vitamins, I'm going to get some unmedicated tomorrow. My question is will she ever start feeding herself? I add a little nutri-drench vitamins and caro-syrup to her gruel to give her a boost. She's also started limping. ARGH!

This poor little baby has had such a hard time. She is in w/52 other babies and if that was all I received from Murray McMurray I'd have another tote and heat lamp to put her in a separate tote w/a couple of friends; but, MM sent me 34 red star roos as "heating pads" I'm working on making an outside brooder to put the boys in so I can have a spare heat lamp. I will say she is the only chick that I've ever had that has acting like she wants a momma hen, she keeps trying to cuddle under her bros and sisters wings.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[Maah]

I'm wondering if that was my thread about the medicated feed & B1 vitamin...

I don't know if your chick will start feeding herself. Is she still rather listless & weak? How is her walking, eye contact, etc? Does she seem to want to peck at little things here & there?

I've raised chicks before, but they have all been large fowl. This is my first attempt with the smaller breed, and this batch of silkies has seemed to go against everything I've learned about raising chicks. Ugh.

I am hopeful that the non medicated feed and the added vitamins have been helping my chick. I think you might want to try it. - it can't hurt at least.

Sorry I couldn't be more help... but you have my support. Keep us updated on the progress of your chick.

 

[BeckyPower]

Yep MaahBeaker I do think it was your thread that I read. She walks ok, except her sore leg. when she's awake she has bright eyes and yes she has started pecking at the wood shavings and her bros and sisters. She hates being fed. I just don't understand

. I've tried boiled eggs and she doesn't even want to look at it! She does like to sleep at my neck in my sweatshirt. She has such a cute little chirp. She's about the size of small walnut; so fragile but still hanging on.

 

[BeckyPower]

I'm sorry to say that my baby girl died on Valentine's day

. I know I tried everything and now she's up stretching her little wings up in chicky heaven. Thank you for all the support. I buried her and when the weather gets better I'm going to plant some herbs over her. I'm going to use the herbs for my coup to help my girls be happy and keep the coop smelling good. I read an article about how fresh herbs help chickens. It was hard but I'm glad I got to have her in my life.

 

[Maah]

Sorry to hear that.