Head bobbing gasping

[Laurenwill93]

I ordered 25 chicks online from a hatchery they arrived last Friday. I lost one yesterday… just started to lay around more than normal and died the same day. I had it, and one other seperated when it started acting weird.
It’s making a bobbing gasping motion. Peeps almost every time it breathes. It’s still standing but occasionally peeps loudly shakes its head and falls over. It isn’t eating or drinking.
I have electrolytes and probiotics in the water. It’s been like this 2 days. I give it water from my fingertip every so often. It does drink that but it can’t stop bobbing it’s head long enough to eat or drink on its own. It’s constantly doing it.

 

[Laurenwill93]

The peeping is pretty much constant as well. Walks backwards a few steps peeping loud and falls down

 

[coach723]

Could be shipping stress. I would give it fluids every 20 minutes or so, as much as you can get it to take, electrolites, sugar water, or raw egg yolk mixed in water. Room temp to slightly warm. When they are tiny I hold them in my hand with the tip of their beak resting in the crease of my finger. Drip the fluid down the crease, it will run to their beak and they will swallow. A little time consuming, but usually gets the job done. Dehydration can really do a number on them. Loud peeping is a sign of distress. I often will hold them around my neck, on my upper chest, in a neckerchief, like a hammock. The body contact, warmth, and being able to hear me talk or hum seems to comfort them. Watch for pasty butt, chicks that get chilled, over heated, or stressed are more likely to get it.

 

[Laurenwill93]

Thank u I’ll try some raw egg yolk. What should I do about it not eating? Is there anything I even could do… I’ve had to hold it to get it to drink off my finger but even holding it, it still does the big head bobs. It drops its head and swings it back up peeping so loud. Even sleeping it lays and gasps then just peeps loud and wakes back up and as soon as it’s up it goes back to the fast head bobbing.
Do u think this could be contagious?

 

[coach723]

At this age it is unlikely it's something contagious. Some chicks don't survive shipping, it's very stressful. They are in a box with a bunch of other chicks, in the dark, getting banged and bounced all over. They bunch together for warmth and comfort. Some chicks can get smothered or crushed. Some chicks fail to thrive for unknown reasons. All you can do is try to hydrate it, try to encourage it to want to live, support it as well you can. Electrolite water, sugar water, egg yolk in water, will give it a little energy as well as hydration, the hydration part is much more important right now.

 

[Laurenwill93]

It started having fits falling backwards and peeping frantically. It passed away about 10 mins ago it had one of those fits and then just never got back up.

 

[coach723]

I'm very sorry. I know it's hard to lose the little ones. It's very hard to know what's wrong when they are so small, but my guess is that the shipping was just too much for that one. It unfortunately happens. Some hatcheries will replace them, but generally have a minimum that they will ship, or they may refund for any lost. If you have 23 happy, healthy ones, then that is a very good percentage.