Lethargic Chick-what should I do?

[RedRoostChickens]

Hello! we recently got six chicks from our post office yesterday. they are about four days old. Yesterday, they were all doing great, but today, one of them is not eating and won't stand.She also won't open her eyes, except if she is drinking. We went to the vet this morning and they gave us antibiotics, but I'm just wondering if there is anything else I should do, since she isn't eating? thank you!

 

[RedRoostChickens]

I also forgot to mention that she just lays around and sleeps.

 

[coach723]

What antibiotic were you given and what reason did they give you, what are they trying to treat? Some chicks suffer from shipping stress, it's really hard on them. The following link is good, and pretty much what I do with weak or struggling chicks. The neckerchief carry sometimes helps a lot, some just need encouragement to want to live. Hydration is most important, I would give fluids every half hour or so as much as it will take. I hold them in my hand with the beak resting in the crease of my finger and drip it down the crease. When it hits the tip of the beak the chick will swallow it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-chicks-to-survive-hope-it-is-helpful.367608/

 

[Missythechickenlady]

No i would make magic water. Which is applecider vinegar. Probiotics and vitamin chick packs from feed store. Then mix garlic oregano and honey with apv and water. Look up magic water on youtube from cog hill. Then add the probiotics and vitamin packs with oregano and parsley is really good for them as well. Just keep trying to get it to drink the magic water or at least the apv and probiotics and vitamins they are called save a chick you get them at tsc or the feed store.

 

[RedRoostChickens]

What antibiotic were you given and what reason did they give you, what are they trying to treat? Some chicks suffer from shipping stress, it's really hard on them. The following link is good, and pretty much what I do with weak or struggling chicks. The neckerchief carry sometimes helps a lot, some just need encouragement to want to live. Hydration is most important, I would give fluids every half hour or so as much as it will take. I hold them in my hand with the beak resting in the crease of my finger and drip it down the crease. When it hits the tip of the beak the chick will swallow it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-chicks-to-survive-hope-it-is-helpful.367608/

Ok, thank you! I have been giving her water every hour so I'll start giving her water more. The vet said that the antibiotic treats a lot of things.

 

[RedRoostChickens]

No i would make magic water. Which is applecider vinegar. Probiotics and vitamin chick packs from feed store. Then mix garlic oregano and honey with apv and water. Look up magic water on youtube from cog hill. Then add the probiotics and vitamin packs with oregano and parsley is really good for them as well. Just keep trying to get it to drink the magic water or at least the apv and probiotics and vitamins they are called save a chick you get them at tsc or the feed store.

She had apple cider vinegar in her water before she got sick but now her water just has antibiotics in it. Thank you for the help!

 

[RedRoostChickens]

She's getting worse. I just gave her water. is there anything I should try to feed her? She's really weak and won't eat her regular chick food

 

[coach723]

Well, I was hoping that they had given them for a specific reason. Sounds like they are just trying to cover the bases. Some antibiotics can cause digestive upset, so I would watch for that. I would forgo all the other additives for the time being. Vitamins won't hurt. If I'm using any supplementing with tiny chicks I generally alternate with plain fresh water, if you are giving antibiotics then I would use that water. I would not worry about food yet. You can mix a raw egg yolk with water and give that for a bit of nutrition while hydrating. All you can do is try, some make it and unfortunately some of them don't make it. It's very hard to say.

 

[RedRoostChickens]

Well, I was hoping that they had given them for a specific reason. Sounds like they are just trying to cover the bases. Some antibiotics can cause digestive upset, so I would watch for that. I would forgo all the other additives for the time being. Vitamins won't hurt. If I'm using any supplementing with tiny chicks I generally alternate with plain fresh water, if you are giving antibiotics then I would use that water. I would not worry about food yet. You can mix a raw egg yolk with water and give that for a bit of nutrition while hydrating. All you can do is try, some make it and unfortunately some of them don't make it. It's very hard to say.

Ok thank you. She drank some water but didn't open her eyes or make any noise.

 

[Missythechickenlady]

If the chick will eat at all try giveing some scrameled eggs. But the magic water and vitamins and probiotics has brougjt back several chicks for us as well as a turkey.