Lethargic EE chick doesn't want to eat.... what now?

[Guitartists]

One of my EE chicks (a little over a week old) is acting lethargic and shows little to no interest in eating. It just wants to lay down. I just know it will die if I let it. I dipped it's beak in the water, and it drank, and I made a mash to feed it and after about 40 mins of coaxing... I did finally get it to eat something, though very little.

Questions..... my DH (and no, today D does NOT stand for dear!) had opened the windows last night to cool down the house... I had no idea until I got up this morning and saw all my chicks huddled under the lamp!

Could this have caused her to get ill???

If I do get her to eat something here and there... will it be enough to sustain her until she perks up? If so, how often should I coax her to eat?? (I also have a very demanding 1 1/2 year old to contend with until 3 pm)

Should I try giving her sugar water... or will this make her feel worse when the sugars wear off?

I don't have access to a car until after 3.... should I go buy vitamin drops for her then? If so... do I go to the feed store and get something for chickens? Or can I go to the pet store and get something for pet birds? What do I need to look for?

I am thinking of seperating her and a few lesser-aggressive chicks into their own brooder. If so, how many should I put with her for comfort and companionship??? Having someone eat the mash next to her seems to help... but too many and she gives up and gets pushed aside.

 

[thechickenchick]

Oh! I am so sorry! (I know what you mean about the D in DH sometimes! When women are cranky its PMS, so why don't they have a name for cranky men?!) SORRY! Back to the subject at hand. If this is the first sign of illness it could be from getting cold. Thats not saying that it is for sure. It sounds like you are doing everything right. If she gets sicker I would seperate her just for her own comfort. However make sure she s warmed up and keep trying to feed her and keep her hydrated. If you can get vitamins it cant hurt. I have never done this but I read here that some use the liquid baby vitamins. Also I do believe sugar water is a good idea. I was told that by someone here when I had a sick chick. 3 TBSP to 1 gallon water. If this is wrong please someone correct me. I would not want to make her baby sicker. Lastley just give it some time. I sincerely hope she recovers. Please keep us posted.

 

[wegotchickens]

If the others aren't showing any signs of illness, then I'd probably put her in an area with just one buddy, if you can keep them warm enough.

I've used the vitamins before, but I just gave them to the lethargic chick, a drop of vitamin solution per table spoon of water for my sickly chick.
Before I got the vitamins I was adding a little honey to the water rather than sugar. I also added a little chick starter to make a gruel, so that she was getting a touch of feed in with the water.

I fed my sickie every 2-4 hours at first, then every 4-6 hours. After I fed her a little gruel I'd set her down net to the feed and tap it with my finger. Often, she'd peck a little then.

Luckily she picked up. Hope yours does, too!

 

[Guitartists]

Ok, she seems to be a bit more perky now. I've seperated her into her own brooder with 2 other chicks.... one other EE that is laid back and one of the chicks that really likes the mash.... seems to help get her interested if someone else wants to eat it

Keeping my fingers crossed that she makes a full recovery from whatever is ailing her.

I guess I did not make the whole draft thing clear enough to DH. Will have to have another talk with him or maybe better yet move the brooders to a better place in the house where he can't chill them again.

 

[Guitartists]

She is doing much better just since putting her in her own brooder.... I don't know if I have honey... but I do have some mollasses somewhere in the cupboard. I think I caught the problem early enough before she went too far downhill...

I sure hope she comes back around fully.

Oh yeah, I meant to say.... lordy how quickly they go downhill! Geesh! They sure don;t give you much time to fix things

 

[wegotchickens]

My 'D'H thinks I'm crazy because sometimes I say, "I don't like the way that chick is looking." By the time he'd notice an ailment the chick would be dead! Maybe it's a mom-thing?

After a year of chick experience, I find he's much more dependable now when it comes to taking care of chicks and hens. He sets up the brooder for me with an eye towards mimimizing drafts as well as not starting fires with the lamps

But we'd have more losses if he were the one checking for over-all chick health!

 

[Guitartists]

Yeah, I think it may be a mom thing... I noticed within like 5 seconds that there was a problem... and all she was doing was standing there. But, she didn't have that same "brightness" the others have. Knew right away... if only it was as easy to fix the problems. I think my DH thought, even though I had told him about the dangers of drafts, that they are much hardier than they are. After all, they ARE just chickens...says he

I think though when he gets home and hears that he could have killed one... he'll be much more careful, though, I am going to move them into another room. Better safe than sorry. I like having them where I can see them constantly... but I think it will be best to put them in another room... still close-by but safe from any more accidental drafts.