I know baby chicks often die but does anyone have any success stories? Able to nurse a sick one back

[Pasadenachicken]

I know that odds are not good for my little one. I'm pretty bummed about it and could use some cheering up. Anyone have a success story? Did you have a chick that no one thought would make it? Maybe now it's pecking around your yard or giving you eggs for all the TLC you gave it?

I'd love to hear about it. I'm pretty sad that this cutie may not make it.

 

[kahlua]

I had one chick that I had to help hatch. He was the only one to hatch out of 18 eggs. He was weak at first, but seemed to get stronger over the first day or so. But then he started to go downhill, he was lethargic, and would barely move. I started giving him electrolytes via syringe every hour or so, but throughout the day he just seemed to get weaker. In the afternoon I got some Nutri Drench and started trying that. For hours there was no improvement, I was sure I'd lose him. But late that night he started preening and was starting to look more lively. I got up a few times in the night to give him some more Nutri Drench, and he pulled through. He is now 6 weeks old and is doing great.
Sorry your chick isn't doing well I hope you can save it! I thought I had a fairly thick skin, but since mine was the only one to hatch I grew pretty attached to my little guy.

 

[fried green eggs]

Have you tried giving it mashed up cooked egg yoke or plain yogurt? You may have to push it's beak in it to get it to try eating it but, It saved a weak chick that I thought wasn't going to make it.

 

[Pasadenachicken]

I tried yogurt earlier today and my husband lovingly fed the little one wet mash by hand. We spent dinner time with the little chick. The chick seemed pretty happy, despite the obvious issues.

Sadly the little chick just passed away.



But the stories make it a little more bearable. Sometimes positive things make it feel a little better.

 

[janinepeters]

Yes, I have some success stories. Without going into particular stories, I have found that while it is often not possible to determine an exact diagnosis and vet care is either too expensive or unavailable, a little supportive care goes a LONG way. The final blow that often kills a chick suffering any malady is dehydration. They become too weak to reach the water and things spiral downhill from there. If you can keep them hydrated, they often pull through whatever ails them. Dip the beak in water several times throughout the day, and try to make sure they can eat. Make sure food and water are easily accessible to all chicks without competition. That means if there are 8 chicks I have 16 feeding ports, so it's always easy for anyone to access food. Sometimes I add vitamins and electrolytes to the water, sometimes I don't.

If the competition is too much, and there is a chance of getting trampled, I separate the chick and put it with 1 or 2 of the mildest mannered other chicks who will not bully the sick one. You can separate the sick one entirely, but they really do like company. Sometimes I cover the shavings with paper towel in the "intensive care unit", and sprinkle it with the food, to make it really easy for the sick one to get it. I don't do anything fancier than that, and many (most?) of them make it.

 

[Pasadenachicken]

I like the paper towel idea.

I'm definitely a fan of electrolytes. Just like human babies, little ones get dehydrated really easily.

I'm going to add cider vinegar to their water for a bit also, I'm using organic starter crumble, so it's not medicated. Hopefully it will keep the remaining 10 alive and well.

Thanks for the advice, it does help to have some positive tips among the doom and gloom you see when searching about these topics. It makes you a bit paranoid, eh?

 

[janinepeters]

Yes, I know what you mean. But after you raise a few batches from the chick stage, you learn how resilient they are. So many survive with just a little extra help. Good luck!

 

[Arielle]

I recently had 4 sick chicks. Three laying on their sides unable to move. Unable to reach food. When I picked them up and offered a drink, they drank. There was hope.

Poly VitSol--expensive but I fed less than 1/2 drop a day, very concentrated. I offered lemon lime gatorade by the dropper when they became very weak. Forcing them to drink. Eventually each perked up and slowly improved--took about 7-8 days of around the clock care to get them back on their feet and self feeding again. THey recently went back into the brooder and it's hard to know which is which.

Good Luck!!

 

[iFairyx]

This is Lucky,



One of our young members borrowed the incubator, after several were not strong enough to break through the egg, they decided to help Lucky out,
he/she had started to break the egg then stopped (we know that you are not meant to help them out of the egg), so they helped him/her get out. This photo was taken when
he/she was about 9 weeks old (I think)..

Hope this cheers you up a little bit

 

[Pasadenachicken]

Nice! A little help isn't so bad, right?

It's nice to hear positive stories. The chicks are so sweet and cute, it's hard to lose them. Maybe it gets easier, but I'm not so sure.