injured chick emergency!

[chuckachucka]

I have a four week old pekin chick who was with his mother in the run when I found one of the other hens had got into their section and fought with the mother. I found feathers pulled from the mother but she is ok but one of her chicks was sitting on the ground with its eyes closed. No visible signs of injury but it wont get up or eat. I dipped his beak in water and opened his eyes to drink for a couple of seconds then went back to sitting all puffed up with closed eyes. I think the hens may have trodden on him while fighting. I have him inside the house, keeping him warm. Is there anything more I can do for him??

 

[Hybridchucks]

Thats awful!!!! sorry!

 

[ECMurray]

I've had the exact same situation with one of my chicks! It was a very young chick, and the older chicken blinded it. I did the best I could. I put it in a small, cardboard box with pine chips on the bottom. I took it inside and found a house lamp. I used that instead of a normal chicken lamp, which would be too clumsy to take inside. I put food and water inside the box with the chick, and dipped its beak in the water. She would drink, but eventually it started peeping loudly, so I brought in a couple other chicks its own age. It brought the chick great comfort. I would advise trying to put food in its beak early in the process. By the time I did put food in its mouth, it was too weak to swallow it. Hope your chickens turn out well!

 

[henny1129]

Great advice from @ECMurray! Continue dipping he/she's beak in water, so they stay hydrated. If possible, bring another chick or two in to the keep the little one company. They are most likely just traumatized and will recover in a few days time!

 

[chuckachucka]

Thanks for the replies. He seemed to perk up late last night, walking cheeping and drinking water, so I put him back out in the coop under the mother hen to keep warm. This morning he was standing and walking around but still not eating and tucking his head into his puffed up chest. When the mother hen left the coop he stayed behind cheeping and cold. So I have brought him back into the house and he seems to be worse again. He is sleeping and can't keep his eyes open more than a second or two. He will drink if I dip his beak in water but has no interest in food. I don't know how to get him to eat.

 

[chickengr]

Thanks for the replies. He seemed to perk up late last night, walking cheeping and drinking water, so I put him back out in the coop under the mother hen to keep warm. This morning he was standing and walking around but still not eating and tucking his head into his puffed up chest. When the mother hen left the coop he stayed behind cheeping and cold. So I have brought him back into the house and he seems to be worse again. He is sleeping and can't keep his eyes open more than a second or two. He will drink if I dip his beak in water but has no interest in food. I don't know how to get him to eat.

put some honey in water and make him drink. he will be fine without eating for a while. honey will give him strength.

good luck!

 

[Hybridchucks]

chickengr 2x

 

[henny1129]

chickengr 2x

X3, best of luck!

 

[Glenda Heywoodo]

put some honey in water and make him drink. he will be fine without eating for a while. honey will give him strength.
QUOTE]
Well here is some information on NOT USING HONEY
IE:
how to treat a WEAK NEWLY HATCHED CHICK
http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/…/how-to-care-for-…
(1) Water ~ Use clean, fresh water that is not chlorinated and preferably hasn’t been treated with a water softener. For the first few days, put 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar in each quart of water to give the little ones extra energy.
HONEY AND CHICK
Do not substitute honey because it can contain botulism spores that are fatal to young animals. I like to use an electrolyte tab in the chick water that contains vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and other nutrients. After the first few days you can give them plain water as long as they appear healthy

 

[chickengr]

dear Glenda,

I do appreciate your knowledge and I did read so many times that we should not give honey to the chickens. BUT I always give honey water to the chicks the day they hatch. honey water saved a few of my chickens who literary were dying and they still are alive (2 years later).

off topic, but I will tell you a story. when my mother had a disease called jaundice doctor told her not to eat anything greasy for the rest of her life. when she got out of hospital my granny slaughtered a hen to make a nice, greasy soup. my mother ate it, got well soon and when she went to the hospital for check up doctor couldn't believe how well she was. he was shocked when she told him that she ate chicken soup but agreed that obviously in her case it was ok.