How to put weight on week old poult?

[PolloGal]

I have a black Spanish poult turning a week old tomorrow and only weighs 60 grams. I use a small silver spoon and make her food (mix of feed, vit/elec, Nutri drench and water) a bit liquidy so I can ‘swipe’ some of it across her beak with the spoon. She gets some each time…a tiny bit…and occasionally will even take a bite of the food from the tiny silver spoon, but it doesn’t seem enough to me. I need to put weight on her before she gets too weak. I feed her on white paper towels, also use alum foil hoping to get more of her attention and keep her awake (not really working) and pour vitamin water into a small bottle lid and dip her beak for her water. I have her and 2 like her (a bit larger) in a small box…so she is not alone and doesn’t have but 2 steps to water and food. What else can I do? Will she like a different food better for now? I just can’t lose another one. She is so small for her age. I am feeding her every 2hours round the clock, sometimes more during the day…is that enough? Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Quarterhorses1]

What are you feeding her exactly? Do you have other poults?

 

[PolloGal]

What are you feeding her exactly? Do you have other poults?

Hi. Thanks…finally someone replied. I appreciate you! I am feeding turkey starter 28 percent. I have been mixing with vitam/elec and Nutri drench. She went from 58 grams to 68 grams so far from last Sat to today. But, I don’t know if that is a good amount of gain each day??? Still very small, but eating and I am still doing every hour and 1/2 around the clock to be sure she is getting enough to eat. It seems to be working, but she is still very small and started limping on her left foot on Sunday night. I looked and cannot find anything wrong..not on her leg or top or bottom of her foot…no swelling is evident so I just don’t know. And her toes seem ok too. I have been soaking her foot/lower leg in warm Epsom salt once a day - yesterday and today…hoping that gives her some relief. I can’t imagine what could be wrong with her foot/leg, but I am praying it doesn’t get worse and cause her to stop eating and thus her uphill weight climb. If you have any suggestions, that would be wonderful. Thanks again. BTW…yes..I have her with 2 other poults that she was hatched with. I think having them with her in a smaller box may actually be helping her thrive.

 

[Quarterhorses1]

Hi. Thanks…finally someone replied. I appreciate you! I am feeding turkey starter 28 percent. I have been mixing with vitam/elec and Nutri drench. She went from 58 grams to 68 grams so far from last Sat to today. But, I don’t know if that is a good amount of gain each day??? Still very small, but eating and I am still doing every hour and 1/2 around the clock to be sure she is getting enough to eat. It seems to be working, but she is still very small and started limping on her left foot on Sunday night. I looked and cannot find anything wrong..not on her leg or top or bottom of her foot…no swelling is evident so I just don’t know. And her toes seem ok too. I have been soaking her foot/lower leg in warm Epsom salt once a day - yesterday and today…hoping that gives her some relief. I can’t imagine what could be wrong with her foot/leg, but I am praying it doesn’t get worse and cause her to stop eating and thus her uphill weight climb. If you have any suggestions, that would be wonderful. Thanks again. BTW…yes..I have her with 2 other poults that she was hatched with. I think having them with her in a smaller box may actually be helping her thrive.

Ok, sounds like a good amount of feed. That rate seems to be a good gaining rate! Not sure on the limping, that’s confusing. I would keep her close to her friends. What type of bedding are they on ? Is her foot hot to the touch? Any excess jumping or perching ?

 

[PolloGal]

Ok, sounds like a good amount of feed. That rate seems to be a good gaining rate! Not sure on the limping, that’s confusing. I would keep her close to her friends. What type of bedding are they on ? Is her foot hot to the touch? Any excess jumping or perching ?

Ok, sounds like a good amount of feed. That rate seems to be a good gaining rate! Not sure on the limping, that’s confusing. I would keep her close to her friends. What type of bedding are they on ? Is her foot hot to the touch? Any excess jumping or perching ?

Oh good. I am glad she is gaining well. Wasn’t sure if that was good enough for her to make it. Thank you for that. She is in the same box with 2 poults born with her…but they are gaining in size and unintentionally beginning to ‘push’ her around a bit because of her small size. And now with the limping…which seems worse tonight…it’s hard for her to walk. I am so worried it will make her take a bad turn. I am going to put her foot/leg in epsom salt again for a few minutes tonight. Is there anything else I can do for that? It’s not hot to the touch and I just can’t see anything that’s wrong with it. She is able to stretch it out behind her to ‘stretch’…so I know it’s not a hip area or anything. I don‘t see any wounds. She doesn’t jump or perch…she hobbles. Is there anything better to use as a soak or sauve?

 

[Quarterhorses1]

Oh good. I am glad she is gaining well. Wasn’t sure if that was good enough for her to make it. Thank you for that. She is in the same box with 2 poults born with her…but they are gaining in size and unintentionally beginning to ‘push’ her around a bit because of her small size. And now with the limping…which seems worse tonight…it’s hard for her to walk. I am so worried it will make her take a bad turn. I am going to put her foot/leg in epsom salt again for a few minutes tonight. Is there anything else I can do for that? It’s not hot to the touch and I just can’t see anything that’s wrong with it. She is able to stretch it out behind her to ‘stretch’…so I know it’s not a hip area or anything. I don‘t see any wounds. She doesn’t jump or perch…she hobbles. Is there anything better to use as a soak or sauve?

Regarding the foot, she could’ve just twisted or sprained it and needs to rest. I ice sprains on my turkeys, but she’s pretty small so I’d wait and see if it gets worse.

 

[PolloGal]

Regarding the foot, she could’ve just twisted or sprained it and needs to rest. I ice sprains on my turkeys, but she’s pretty small so I’d wait and see if it gets worse.

Thank you. I do see where the Epson salt seems to help a little bit. She’ll be lethargic and laying down a lot or can barely limp and then I will soak it just for a few minutes for her and 10 minutes after that she is up and able to at least hobble around again. While she’s hurting really bad like that she won’t eat so I need to keep making sure she eats if she’s going to make it.