I was at the local flea market today and there was a man selling some chicks. He claimed to have RIR's, White Leghorns, & Araucana's. He had 3 of the Araucana's left, so I took them, not knowing the sex of them, he told me he'd give me all three for $7. The cages they were in were awful and I felt so bad that I just HAD to take these 3. They seemed to be no more than maybe 1-3 days old.
I brought them home, and the one little guy (i think it was a roo) didn't seem to be acting right. As soon as you picked him up he would just fall asleep, or he seemed disoriented, and very sleepy, if he was just sitting there in the cage. I gave them some sugar water, and medicated starter, showed them where the food and water was and left them be for a bit after they started eating. This little guy didn't seem interested in eating anything though.
Later I came down and he had poo'd just a tiny bit, it was white, but it was very small. I checked to see if he had pasty butt, but everything was fine in the back end.
Anyway, The reason I think it might be my fault is because I use an old dog crate for them that opens on the top and side, and I totally forgot to put cardboard up against the sides of the bottom half (which I ALWAYS do). I went down about an hour ago to check on them, and he was dead. He had his head sticking out of the side of the cage. I'm not sure what happened because when I picked him up, I didn't have any trouble getting him out, like he wasn't stuck in there.
Do you think he died because he freaked out thinking he was stuck, or do you think he was just sick? Should I be worried about the other two now? Plus I have 16 chicks in the same room, it won't affect them if they're in a different brooder box will it? I NEVER had a chick die on me before. I would hate to think it was my fault. He was the whole reason I took them, because he was sooooo adorable.
I feel horrible now!
I brought them home, and the one little guy (i think it was a roo) didn't seem to be acting right. As soon as you picked him up he would just fall asleep, or he seemed disoriented, and very sleepy, if he was just sitting there in the cage. I gave them some sugar water, and medicated starter, showed them where the food and water was and left them be for a bit after they started eating. This little guy didn't seem interested in eating anything though.
Later I came down and he had poo'd just a tiny bit, it was white, but it was very small. I checked to see if he had pasty butt, but everything was fine in the back end.
Anyway, The reason I think it might be my fault is because I use an old dog crate for them that opens on the top and side, and I totally forgot to put cardboard up against the sides of the bottom half (which I ALWAYS do). I went down about an hour ago to check on them, and he was dead. He had his head sticking out of the side of the cage. I'm not sure what happened because when I picked him up, I didn't have any trouble getting him out, like he wasn't stuck in there.
Do you think he died because he freaked out thinking he was stuck, or do you think he was just sick? Should I be worried about the other two now? Plus I have 16 chicks in the same room, it won't affect them if they're in a different brooder box will it? I NEVER had a chick die on me before. I would hate to think it was my fault. He was the whole reason I took them, because he was sooooo adorable.
I feel horrible now!
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