Lethargic chick

[chickens r life]

well, I bought a 4 day old chick yesterday for my peachick I found and they both seem very lethargic. All they do is sit under the heat lamp and sometimes spread their wings out. They sometimes get up to eat but I have never seen them drink. They don't walk around much unless they get up to eat. Any help is appreciated,

 

[3riverschick]

sounds like they are hot and spreading they wings out to try and cool off. Do you have a cool corner of the brooder to which they can escape the heat light if they get too hot?
Another thing you can do...I raise all my chicks on it for the 1st month to get them off to a strong start and combat stress. I give them 1 drop only of Bovidr Labs Poultry or Goat Nutri-Drench then repeat as needed every 8-10 ours. Also put 2ml per gallon in their waterer for the 1st month. Looks like very weak tea. These Bovidr Labs formulas are excellent emergency nutritional supplements. Unlike other helps, they do not need to be digested. They mainline directly into the bloodstream measurebale in 30 minutes with 99% utilization. All natural. Great stuff, I have used it on my collies and poultry for over a decade. See Tractor Supply ( lowest price) or your feed store. TSC has the Poultry for 6.99 and the Goat for 9.99 Very concentrated. The small bottle is plenty for your needs. It helps to buy a 3ml syringe and safely dispose of the needle, using the syringe to measure out the liquid. It gets energy into them fast!
http://www.nutridrench.com .
Best Success,
Karen
P.S. Tho the Bovidr Labs formulas are species-specific, a conversation with the science tech at Bovidr revealed they also meet the scientific standard for a universal formula. I have used Goat and Poultry on my poultry ...and Pet and Beef formulas on my collies. All with good success. Always using the instructions for the species being attended regardless of the formula I chose.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
Also, if you are using a 250 red heat bulb, turn it off. The 250 reds are a heat lamp bulb. Their purpose is to heat objects in their realm of effect. This is why we see so many chicks get overheated each season when these 250 red bulbs are used. The 250's also tend to dry out the brooder faster which causes the humidity to plunge and the chicks to get thirstier .The incandescent bulbs cast heat as a side effect of their being on and anything in that realm of influence can take advantage of that heat. Use a 60 to 80 watt incandescent bulb. Not an LED bulb. Make sure the bulb is not Teflon-coated. It will say on the package. Teflon-coated bulbs give off carbon monoxide as a side effect and it will kill any age poultry. I read of one lady who put one of the Teflon bulbs in her coop and the next morning all 14 of her chickens were dead. Usually these bulbs as listed as "rugged" or "outdoor" bulbs.
Put your incandescent bulb on a chain which can be raise or lowered according to the chicks needs.
The chicks will tell you what they want.
1. If they are crowded under the light, they are cool and the light needs to be lowered.
2. If they are escaping the light and you find them in cooler corners, raise the light, they are too hot.
3. If they are loosely gathered under the light and calm, the temp is just right.
Best,
Karen
P.S. Also check them for pasty butt. If there is a plug of dried poop over their anus, you need to gently massage it off with a soft wet paper towel soaked in warm water. This plug will keep them from pooping and eventually kill them.
If you get the heat right, the Nutri-Drench should help keep the pasty butt from re-forming.

 

[chickens r life]

I checked for pasty butt last night it all looked clean. Right now I am useing a 75 watt bulb they seem happy so far. But little peachick is still drooping his right wing.

 

[chickens r life]

They are not spreading their wings out anymore one is standing and one is sitting under the light.