Help! Day old chick not eating or drinking

[black_fx_35]

We are wondering what to do. We received 8 chicks today (Tuesday) and all but 1 seem to be doing okay. The one, salmon faverolle, doesn't appear to be eating or drinking, and seems a bit lethargic. Any ideas? We have put her beak into both water and food a few times. We have not watched her for hours on end, but every time we do watch, 20 or 30 minutes, all odf the others seem to get food or drink, but she does not. We don't want to lose her...what to do? Thanks so much.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Some of them just never learn to eat and drink on their own no matter what you do. It is called failure to thrive. However, I suggest you try using a medicine dropper and give it something to drink that has some energy in it. I like to use the hummingbird liquid but any sugar-water mixture will work, whatever you have on hand.

Hold the chick in one hand with its beak facing up, force the medicine dropper inside its beak, and squeeze out two or three drops. Hopefully it will swallow it. Then repeat a while. The idea is to give it something that will give it enough energy so it will want to eat and drink. This does not always work, but it is what I would try.

 

[chickee]

I put a little sugar in the water. This gives them some extra energy. Once they get a taste they really like it! I have also starting using a vitamin powder that I got at my local feed store called GQF vitamins plus, and I am very pleased at how spunky and healthy it has made my chicks. Another thing to think about is~ I had a Salmon Favorelle rooster chick that just stood back and would eat or drink. I would put him by the food and water and dip his beak several times a day. finally he got the hang of it. I discovered later that it was because he was almost completely blind! We named him Lucky and he did very well! When the head rooster got eaten by a coyote, Lucky jumped right in and became the leader of the flock. Later I gave him to my grandson, and one night they had a raccoon attack and Lucky fought off the raccoon and saved the flock!! Sadly he was so badly injured that he had to be put down

But he lived a very fullfilling life! I would be sure you take the time to teach your chick how to find the food and water just in case it is blind like Lucky was. Lucky came from Privett Hatchery.
Good Luck!