HELP guys please HELP! Problems with chick!

[mustangrooster]

On the 20th i hatched a lone chick in the incubator, the other eggs are not due to hatch for another week.

She has been my little bundle of joy and i love her to pieces. So, this morning she has gone into the brooder full time as she can now walk, a little wobbly, but she can still walk.

I turned the heat lamp off for a bit because i was afraid of it wearing out, i gave her a heated sock filled with rice to keep her warm.

An hour later i found her on her back and opening and shutting her mouth. I was shocked, and worried. I figured she was in need of heat so i put her in the incubator so she could regain her heat. I was so dumb to turn of the heat lamp.

She was all chirpy and everything this morning, now she still seems to be opening and shutting her mouth, like shes either gasping for air, or trying to make a noise, which only turns out as a baffled very small cheep.I dont understand! Shes kinda lethargic too, i dipped her beak in some honey and garlic water and she swalloed that well.

I've lost a lot of birds lately, and i fear i will be in tears if this baby dies. PLEASE GUYS help me. anything will do! Something positive preferred but anything! I cant wait for 3 hours for an answer, for the sake of me and the baby chick who is so beautiful we need an answer, please guys.

 

[chickluvinfreak]

How does her crop and beak look? I had a chick with similar symptoms caused by a beak deformity and food aspiration.

 

[ChickenGrass]

How does her crop and beak look? I had a chick with similar symptoms caused by a beak deformity and food aspiration.

I agree,
Just for future reference when the chicks are in their
First few days they are very weak and with no heat,
They can die with in a few hours,
Goodluck and I hope he/she survives.
Fionn.

 

[mustangrooster]

Thankyou very much for the quick replys.

Her beak...well it actually is smaller than other chicks but her crop is empty.

She did have heat, that sock filled with rice was just as good as a heat lamp, she was resting right next to it, all snuggled up.

Since im the little girls mamma, (She would follow me around and cheeps when in not with her) should i be keeping her with me me? I once read a article on BYC about suffering/dying chicks need/want the will to live, that means being with their mama or such. I dont want to be sounding like a 5 year old, but thats what i read. I checked on her, her cheeps are really muffled, i've never seen anything like this, she just wants to sleep....she had scrambled hard boiled eggs yesterday and water.....

 

[chickluvinfreak]

Is her lower or upper beak smaller? Or its just overall small? And she should stay in the brooder where it's warm not being held. You can hold her more when she's older. If you want to be with her then you can sit by the brooder and talk to her and stroke/pet her.

 

[mustangrooster]

Okay-She is definitely not gasping for air. Being a nervous ball right now, i checked on her once again. She seems pretty alert, but is still sleeping, eyes closed and all, i stroked my finger down her head and neck and when she would usually cheep she is just opening her mouth and a raspy sound comes out, i could barely hear it. Although she seems alert she still has her eyes closed and is pretty lethargic.

 

[mustangrooster]

Quote:
Just the overall beak is smaller than usual. I dont know....I've always handled all my chicks from day one, whether it be broodys chicks or my chicks, so what would be different about this one? Its already attached to me, i cant just leave it, its a lone chick.....I wont handle it while its in this state though.

 

[chickluvinfreak]

Okay-She is definitely not gasping for air. Being a nervous ball right now, i checked on her once again. She seems pretty alert, but is still sleeping, eyes closed and all, i stroked my finger down her head and neck and when she would usually cheep she is just opening her mouth and a raspy sound comes out, i could barely hear it. Although she seems alert she still has her eyes closed and is pretty lethargic.

Ok, that's good. Is there any discharge? Maybe she got a respiratory disorder from being cold

 

[TwoCrows]

Could she have eaten any bedding and its stuck? Is she pooping or any pasty butt?

Small and weak or sick chicks need higher heat than healthy chicks of the same age. So I would keep this one in another brooder and put a buddy in with her and keep the heat 5 degrees higher than for chicks the same age. Dip her beak in the water every hour or so, sprinkle feed around the feeder and tap your finger at tge food like you are eating it...give her the hint.

 

[mustangrooster]

She has Chaff Bedding...and she has been pecking at it, so maybe? No she has not pooed since this came over her.

Ok, she is all cozy now in the brooder, i cant overheat her can i? She has no other buddys, her to be hatch-mates dont hatch for another week, and the only other chick around is one week old chick with her broody mama..She has a teddy bear with her-if that counts. Shes been feeding on scrambled eggs, but has no interest in them right now..