How can I tell if a baby chick is dead or not?

[Chicalina]

it may just be absorbing the yolk still. It won't need to eat for a couple of days so I'd just leave it, or maybe try and give it some liquids. Do you have Save a Chick?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

One thing I check is if the eyes are glazed over. If the eyes are closed, you just press lightly and press the bottom lid down to look at the pupil

 

[kenzie223]

it may just be absorbing the yolk still. It won't need to eat for a couple of days so I'd just leave it, or maybe try and give it some liquids. Do you have Save a Chick?

well its fluffy and out of the shell its just laying there

 

[kenzie223]

One thing I check is if the eyes are glazed over. If the eyes are closed, you just press lightly and press the bottom lid down to look at the pupil

what will this check for?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

what will this check for?

If the eyes are glazed, it's dead

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Generally (in my experience), if they are dead they will look a little deflated with their legs out from under the body. Sometimes, a chick will appear dead because they are extremely chilled, so if you aren't sure you can try warming them up. But if their eyes are partially open, or their beak is open/slack, and you see no movement in the vent (it's usually doing something, especially if you lift their tail), then they are gone.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Generally (in my experience), if they are dead they will look a little deflated with their legs out from under the body. Sometimes, a chick will appear dead because they are extremely chilled, so if you aren't sure you can try warming them up. But if their eyes are partially open, or their beak is open/slack, and you see no movement in the vent (it's usually doing something, especially if you lift their tail), then they are gone.

Also depending in the body's position, I've noticed after a day or so (compost pile holds our dead and there were a lot of trips there this spring unfortunately) the beak and feet will get very pinkish red.

 

[Chicalina]

It would be helpful if you post some pics or even better a close up video of you lifting it out.

 

[Mellowmalt]

I've always been able to tell by just watching the chick for a minute, if it is breathing then the bum should lift a sink a few mm's every once in a while but if the chick is not breathing then it is dead.
This one with no movement in 24 hours sounds dead , whether it is stiff or not. I would expect the head to slop down and not be stiff and would not see lack of stiffness as it being alive. I would see lack of breathing as being the indicator to use.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

I've always been able to tell by just watching the chick for a minute, if it is breathing then the bum should lift a sink a few mm's every once in a while but if the chick is not breathing then it is dead.
This one with no movement in 24 hours sounds dead , whether it is stiff or not. I would expect the head to slop down and not be stiff and would not see lack of stiffness as it being alive. I would see lack of breathing as being the indicator to use.

That does work pretty well, but I have found chilled chicks before that I could have sworn were dead, and I only realized they were alive because the warmth of my hands after carrying them a moment put some life back in them. But yeah, if they've been in such a state such a long time, they are gone. Rigor mortis does cause stiffness, but it eventually goes away. This is one of the reasons why you age chicken after processing, so that it gets past that stage before you cook it.