HELP SICK CHICK! Please tell me what to do!

[esthermgr]

One of my 2-day old chicks is acting strangely. The others are running around eating and scratching and napping. But one of the chicks is just standing there looking sick. He has his wings slightly outspread and he is sort of heaving. His vent is squeezing rapidly, with his little butt bobbing sort of up and down hard. He either just stands in one spot or sleeps. He does NOT have pasty butt. He was the last to hatch. What is wrong with my little fuzzybutt??? Help please! I noticed it this afternoon but now it is still going on/ worse. He is acting like he's hot, spreading feathers and panting, but all the others are perfectly comfortable. What's going on?

 

[BoerneChickens]

does he drink anything? Could he be dehydrated?

 

[esthermgr]

I haven't seen him drink. I took him over to the water and tried to get him to drink a bit, and he did, but not enthusiastically. He was the last one to hatch- do you think he never learned where the water was? I also added cider vinegar to the water because I heard that can be a good deterrent for Cocci.

I think if I don't do something right he'll be dead by morning. This started this afternoon and has only gotten worse.

 

[laceynoelle]

The best you can do, i think, is to seperate him and make sure he has lots of food and water. im not sure if he can be weaker from hatching last, unless hatcing was hard on him and hes still tired. But make sure when you seperate him the light is where its supposed to be , especially if hes acting hot. try putting a well chick up to help possision the light. good luck!
byw, I learned from someone a rick that helps them eat and get their protien: Scramble and egg and try to get him to eat that.

 

[BoerneChickens]

When mine arrived in the mail, one was very weak and kept tipping over - I kept dipping her beak in the water and making sure she got water and she started to get a little better. I have also read on this site that vitamin drops (without Iron) can help? But I'm not sure how to dose it - maybe do a search on the site and see if you can find some posted on it? Polyvisol I think is what people use?

good luck!