Lethargic, 5 day old Chick

[LadyoftheCluck]

Hello BYC,

I need some advice on a chick that took a downturn yesterday:

I noticed one of our 4-5 day old blue Cochin bantams has not been eating or drinking, and became extremely lethargic, many times just standing with her eyes closed. I found her standing in her water a couple times also, sleeping - always seems to be sleeping, just not engaging in normal, healthy chick behavior, IMO. The other two cochin (blue & buff) chicks are very engaged and eating/drinking very well.

So, here's what I've been doing:

- gave a little sugar water with Sav-a-chick (we use SAV in our big waterers) in a dropper. She seemed to perk up a little bit - at least was opening her eyes, and preened her feathers 2-3 times, which is the most activity I've seen from her since she's been at our house.

- made a chick starter mash (medicated) with the above fluids, also gave some by dropper: it takes a few seconds, but once she notices that there is food and water in the dropper, she starts tipping her head back and swallowing.

- I've been repeating the fluids/starter mash every 1-2hours throughout the night, and this morning.

- we haven't noticed, or seen, any injury, or mishandling or her - no falls, or trampling, etc.

It seems that 20-30 min after this routine, she goes back into her lethargy: eyes closed and sleeping. She still peeps, not with gusto, but definitely when I'm handling her to feed. She has a heat lamp, and is in a heated coup. I do notice she will move away from & to the lamp when she wants. But usually, she doesn't move around a whole lot.

Her poop is tiny, but I have only seen her do two that we know are hers for sure: a tiny, soft regular-textured movement, and then this morning, she pooped straight clear water.

I also checked, she doesn't have any mites, lice, etc., that I can see.

I can't think of anything else to add to this; any and all help from you all will be greatly appreciated - we love this little sweetie, and would love to see her pull through.

Thank you,
Danielle

(Backstory: My husband and I have 7 Wellsummer bantams, ranging from 7-12 weeks: including 2 cockerels and 5 pullets, 1 jersey giant & 2 black stars, age 18 days, and 2 blue & 1 buff bantam Cochins, age 5 days.)

 

[LadyoftheCluck]

Thanks all, appreciate the warm welcome

As an update to our sick chick, she is still alive, but I am still having to feed her every 2hours because she simply will not eat or drink on her own. There is an improvement in the fact that she is not just standing with her eyes closed all the time, and I do see her laying, standing, etc. But she is still lethargic in her activity, and the part that concerns me the most is that she is only being sustained by my feeding her. I am not ready to let her go, but I am concerned that she has no desire to eat or drink herself. She does participate when I'm giving her the dropper, but at what point have I crossed the line between letting nature take its course, or interfering with natural selection?

I have never before had to cull any birds, nor entertain the idea of culling, but if she's not eating/drinking on her own, is she actually suffering?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Danielle