Isolation???

[LauraCTChick]

I have baby chicks that hatched starting on Saturday right up to Monday morning. I moved all of the good hatchers into a brooder bucket complete with feeder and shallow water dish and a red warming light. All seemed fine until just now when I noticed that one of my chicks, who had a strange red bump on his hiney when he was born, is now just lying around and all the other chicks are on the other side of the bin away from it. I thought the red bump would get absorbed or fall off eventually and it hasn't. It's still there. He was waddling around, eating, drinking and socializing up until now. Should I worry that he's sick or *gasp* dying?

I have to admit that this chick is my fave! Its coloring is fantastic for a RIR and I think it's a boy although, only being a few days old, I can't tell for sure. Here's a pic of him on Tuesday when I moved him into the bucket with the rest of his brothers and sisters. I've taken to calling it Kiss because of his markings and my teen addiction to the band.

 

[wildorchid053]

make sure he is drinking and eating.. and if others are bothering him or his bump i would isolate him.. have you tried electrolites and vitamins in their water? how about an hard boiled egg yolk.. i just fed my 2 day olds a cooked yolk and they went crazy for it.. seems like the chick crumbles are a little large for them to eat alot

 

[LauraCTChick]

I haven't given them anything but grain and water. This is our first hatch and so I'm learning as I go. His belly seems rather full like he's eating okay. I will go make up some hard boiled eggs and see if that helps. Thank you.

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Grain? They should be fed chick starter, that might be what you're referring too, just wanted to make sure you weren't feeding them just grain.

 

[LauraCTChick]

Yeah, sorry, totally wrong term. It's Dufour Chick Starter. Grain was TOTALLY wrong! It's this little pebble stuff with grit in it for them.

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

That's what I figured, just checking! You might also try a couple drops of Poly-Vi-Sol w/o iron (you can pick them up at Walmart or most pharmacies for around $7-10) on his beak a couple times a day. I had a weak one and someone suggested I try it and she perked right up. I now give a couple drops to all my new chicks to help give them a jump start. Also, ACV in their water is good in general, will help them absorb vitamins and gives their immune system a boost.

 

[LauraCTChick]

He's dead! I just went to check on them cause they were raising a ruckus and he's was dead when I got there. I just buried him in the back yard deep and in a ziploc to keep the animals from digging him up.

 

[ranchhand]

Well dang, too late. I'm sorry he didn't make it.

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Awww, I'm sorry! Sometimes the little guy just isn't meant to make it. You did all you could and I'm sure something just wasn't right in his little body. Of course, that doesn't make it any easier. So sorry!!