Harvey the Great is Dying. . .

[Cryss]

That’s the best news!!! Thanks for letting me know, big smiles-
I currently have one of my chicks, 3 days old, who stays under the heating plate almost all the time and doesn’t eat or drink much. I’m trying the raw ACV with fingers and toes crossed. Of course it had to be one of my favorites! I know Harvey is a full-size (to be charitable-lol) guy but I just don’t know what else to do except keep her warm and keep offering her stuff to drink and eat. She is making it very clear she does not like vinegar water so I decreased the amount of vinegar substantially. If you or anyone else has any ideas, I’d appreciate them.

Try nutridrench? Or at least a bit of sugar water? Maybe some powdered vitamin and electrolyte in their water?

 

[minaayindra]

Darn, I thought that was what the ACV was for. Is sugar water safe for all of them or just a sick one? I tried giving them gro-gel when they got here but not one of them would try it.

 

[Cryss]

You can put a tablespoon of acv in a gallon of water, very very diluted. It helps keep algae from growing in the waterer and is a good probiotic. Laying hens may not want acv as it could inhibit the calcium causing weak shells. That's kind of a debate that you need to decide for yourself. Were you giving vinegar straight?
Do you have a Tractor Supply or some local similar store nearby? They carry nutridrench, vitamins, chick-saver, and all sorts of medical emergency products. You should try to at least get nutridrench, and some vitamins (mine comes powder form in a bottle, one scoop to a gallon of water) for your chick. That's the start of a first aid kit for chickens.
If you can separate your weak chick it would be a good idea. But a bit of sugar water won't hurt the others in small amounts. It will just give them pep....like kids on candy. Right now your chick needs some energy. Then it might feel more like eating.

 

[minaayindra]

How much sugar to how much water?

 

[minaayindra]

Okay, she drank a normal amount of sugar water. She is the one with yellow mucous diarrhea.

 

[minaayindra]

Unfortunately, she and 2 other chicks in her brooder now have watery diarrhea, one with blood but she is still moving, the other two very lethargic. I’ve put out water with probiotics for the infected ones, put some egg yolk out on a dish but they just don’t seem interested. I am taking all three to a vet who will treat chicks tomorrow. I researched where one might be before I got them, just in case something went wrong. The “going wrong” part happened almost immediately. Now I have to keep an eye on the other chicks that were in with these three originally. This is so distressing- maybe I’m not cut out to be a chick mom after all.