Help ! My first chick is sick !

[Clondia]

Hi everyone ! I have been researching all I can before I brought home any chicks. But I work at Tractor Supply, and a chick stole my heart. She is newly hatched, 3 days old. Asian Black supposedly. She is TINY. Like smallest Bantam tiny. She stayed away from all the other chicks and chirped incessantly all day. Didnt eat or drink because when she tries she falls down. She does not open her eyes. She can, she just chooses not too. Shes very sleepy, but does perk up a bit after food. I could see she wasnt going to survive with the other 100 chicks knocking her down so I brought her home. I have been feeding her warm mash out of chick starter with a tiny syringe as often as she will eat. She tilts her head way back to get it down. She does not have pasty butt. I am concerned she hatched premature and possibly blind ?! I was up all hours of the night trying to help her. I'm honestly shocked she hasn't passed yet. What can I do to help her more ?

 

[lbgreenfield]

I’m sorry this is happening! Babies can be so stressful.

Have you tried getting fluids in her? You can mix some water with Sav-A-Chik electrolytes and syringe her that way. She sounds like she was born premature, so extra fluids and feed will be helpful.

How is she doing at nighttime?

Is she under a heat lamp in the brooder or some kind of heat source?

 

[Clondia]

Thankyou for answering Yes ! She is under a lamp, and I actually have two very small ducklings in with her that cuddle up to her when she gets in trouble. Sometimes she will fall down on her back and cannot get up, the ducklings will lay beside her and comfort her until I get there to get her upright again. I'm at my wits end, how is she still alive ?! She gets better, as in eating and drinking on her own, and then she crashes again. I have been syringe feeding her, even through the night. Save a chick electrolytes, and warm mash out of chick starter. I havnt noticed any poop, could her insides be backed up ? I'm exhausted, but I dont want to give up on my chick.

 

[cooingdove]

hi welcome to BYC! yes your chick is probably a premi. I'd say feed her and water her and then get too sleep chicks are designed to go for 12 hours with out feed they do it all the time so stock her up and get some rest.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Aw. You’re doing the best you can! You mentioned you haven’t seen any poop, have you checked her for pasty butt? It’s when poop blocks their little vent and can back them up and potentially kill them. I’ve had 3 chicks with pasty butt. You can treat it by very very gently washing the vent area with warm water to clear the blockage, then moisturize and lubricate the vent with some melted coconut oil. I had to do that 4x a day for my one chick until her waste system developed properly.