Lethargic Chick Not Eating/Drinking

[Just Rosie]

I purchased 5 Silkie chicks a few days ago, was told they were close to 2 weeks but to me they looked just about a week old.
This chick started acting strange yesterday. She was laying in an un-chick-like position by herself.
I came home today and found her in a similar position. I’ve taken her upstairs with me.
I can’t get her to eat or drink. I have been using an eye dropper and have been giving her tiny amounts of water with rooster booster.
I mixed chick crumbles with hard-boiled egg and rooster booster water mixed to make a slurry. I tried spoon feeding this to her but she showed no interest.
She feels light, and she’s curled in a weird position. (Shes snuggled up to a hot-hands warmer in a sock) Her eyes are pretty much always closed.
I know things do not look good for her, but is there anything you can suggest that I can try? An idea on how to get food down her would be appreciated.

 

[azygous]

At over two weeks, the problem could be constipation from clogged crop or gizzard. Have you felt the crop? Compare to the other chicks if you aren't sure what's normal.

I'm guessing a crop issue or constipation has been starving this chick. It doesn't require much time for a young chick to lose ground in growth when it can't process nutrients.

The treatment is oil and gentle massage. Giving oil to a chick is safer using a solid oil like coconut oil slightly chilled. Measure out about a teaspoon and give it directly into the right side of the beak.

If you don't have coconut oil, mineral or olive oil will work. But you need to be very careful it doesn't get into the airway. I like to use a slender oral syringe and insert it directly into the esophagus, guaranteeing the liquid will go into the crop, not the lungs. You can safely feed and give water in this manner.

 

[Just Rosie]

Thank you very much for the information. Unfortunately, the chick passed last night.

I did feel the crop to see if the chick was eating. It was empty but otherwise felt normal.

As for constipation, I don’t think so just because the chick had fresh, solid but wet stool stuck to her butt when I found her. Keep in mind the poop felt and looked very fresh, so I don’t think the cause of death was pasty butt, although she previously did have pasty butt which I caught within a couple of hours.

I will definitely keep the oil info in the back of my mind for next time. I hadn’t thought of this before.

That’s quite an impressive feat, feeding the esophagus directly! Do you think I could do that with such a small silkie? I do have access to smaller tubing such as IV/Urinary catheters.

Thank you again for all the wonderful information. The chick was agonal breathing by the time I finished posting, so I knew there wasn’t much hope. But hopefully now for next time I’ll have a few more tricks up my sleeve.

At over two weeks, the problem could be constipation from clogged crop or gizzard. Have you felt the crop? Compare to the other chicks if you aren't sure what's normal.

I'm guessing a crop issue or constipation has been starving this chick. It doesn't require much time for a young chick to lose ground in growth when it can't process nutrients.

 

[Friendly_Lurker]

Thank you very much for the information. Unfortunately, the chick passed last night.

I did feel the crop to see if the chick was eating. It was empty but otherwise felt normal.

As for constipation, I don’t think so just because the chick had fresh, solid but wet stool stuck to her butt when I found her. Keep in mind the poop felt and looked very fresh, so I don’t think the cause of death was pasty butt, although she previously did have pasty butt which I caught within a couple of hours.

I will definitely keep the oil info in the back of my mind for next time. I hadn’t thought of this before.

That’s quite an impressive feat, feeding the esophagus directly! Do you think I could do that with such a small silkie? I do have access to smaller tubing such as IV/Urinary catheters.

Thank you again for all the wonderful information. The chick was agonal breathing by the time I finished posting, so I knew there wasn’t much hope. But hopefully now for next time I’ll have a few more tricks up my sleeve.

So sorry!