Help, chick is dying :(

[chickenshet]

Hi, I'm hoping someone has some advice on ways I can keep my little chick alive. It is a Barred Plymouth Rock that is about half the size of all the other chicks (all the same age - 3 1/2 weeks). I am horrified to say this, but I think it's my fault. I checked their water before I went to bed and it looked like they had enough, however, when I checked it this morning, it was bone dry. I found her laying on her back almost dead. All the other chicks seem to be fine. I gave her some sugar water to see if that would give her a boost but it didn't seem to make much difference.
Help!

 

[kitchwitch]

Trust me, it's not your fault. First off, assuming you have them under a heat lamp, the lamp would be the cause of it being "bone dry", the heat would evaporate any remaining water left sitting in the bowl. Second, if she's 1/2 the size of her flock mates then a little bit of water over a few hours would not be what saves her or kills her. Separate her from the flock and give her as much TLC as you can, but be prepared for her to die. If she has growth issues, there are probably more problems with her than you can recognize. I would keep her warm, give her some PolyViSol in water (it's a liquid baby vitamin; can be found in almost any store) and some yogurt and see what happens.

 

[BrattishTaz]

Do you have any pedialyte or gatorade? Are you sure dehydration is the problem? It sounds like she may have other issues if she is half the size of the others. A drop of polyvisol (baby vitamins) without iron may help perk her up.

 

[ralleia]

If she was already half the size of the other chicks before this happened, then it probably isn't directly your fault at all.

Keep her warm. Is she conscious? Was she active before this? If she starts to come out of it, make sure she has food and water and hope for the best.

I managed to save one chick that had collapsed before--I think it was from heat exhaustion or something. It looked half-dead and was covered in wet stink. I took it inside, bathed her in warm soapy water, wrapped her in a towel and sat with her until she perked up and got combative. Returned her to the flock and all was better.

 

[TXmom]

Agree with previous posters, but also check her vent and make sure she's not plugged up with pasty butt. That happened to one of mine before, when I cleaned her vent, she let out the biggest poop on my hand and she perked up pretty quickly after that.

 

[chickenshet]

THanks everyone for the advice. I just gave her some vitamins mixed with water, separated her and put her on an old kitchen towel with a heat lamp all to herself. I am going to Target to pick up some poly-vi-sol. I hope she makes it but she's not looking too good. Thanks for your help!

 

[redfeather]

I really don't think it's your fault. I hatched out 9 chicks under on of my BOs last year, and after a week it became apparent that one was behind the others. Soon all the other chicks were 3x her size. I noticed that her beak and skin were a darker color, and we guessed possibly heart problem. She sneezed constantly, slept all the time.... Finally all the other chicks had moved out and I was just nursing her in the brooder... then one morning she had a heart attack and just left. Sometimes some chicks just don't make it.