HELP!

[Pawsitivly]

our chicks have just come in from a hatchery, and one of our bantams is acting very lethargic. the other chicks are up moving, chirping, etc. she’s (or he’s) breathing heavily, and her eyes are closed. what can i do??

 

[WIchickMama]

Has she drank anything? If not, I would try and get some fluid in her. Is she under a heat source? Pics of your brooder might help. Was she/he mailed or did you pick up?

 

[FathertoFeathers]

Separate and provide an electrolyte pack. If that is unavailable sugar water or Gatorade can be given. Keep the chick warm and calm. You can try giving scrambled eggs but odds are he isn’t going to want to eat.

 

[m0ther_g00se]

if they're well enough to drink, you could try adding electrolytes or sugar to the water. that perked mine up in the days after shipping.

 

[Pawsitivly]

Has she drank anything? If not, I would try and get some fluid in her. Is she under a heat source? Pics of your brooder might help. Was she/he mailed or did you pick up?

they were mailed to us, and yes they are under a heat lamp. the hatchery sent some gel powder and she had a little bit of that, but not much

 

[Pawsitivly]

she’s also sitting with her legs out, like she doesn’t know to use them

 

[Pawsitivly]

 

[WIchickMama]

are you able to create a sling for her so that she can be upright?

similar to this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/spay-leg-slipped-tendon-or-what.1510642/#post-25380500

 

[Pawsitivly]

we think she possibly has spraddle leg and we’re going to try to make her a brace

 

[coach723]

You may need to use a chick chair to help it stay upright, there are some ideas in this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/
Try to get it drinking, dehydration is serious. Dip it's beak in a spoon of water/electrolites, or drop one drip at a time on the beak and let it swallow. When they are this tiny I hold them so that their beak is resting in the crease of my finger with the tip touching the crease and let the drips run down my finger crease, time consuming, but it works well. Give it as much as it will take and then let it rest. I would repeat every 20 minutes or so, til it perks up. With the legs out like that I would also be inclined to give it some Super B Complex, human ones. 1/4 of a tablet daily. If it will eat then grind it up and mix with a tiny bit of moistened chick feed so it will eat it.