"Loner" baby chick

[ccmelia0607]

I just bought baby chicks today - 6 of them. 2 are a week or two old, the other 4 are only a couple days old. I'm worried about one of the 2 day old ones for a couple of reasons. One, it seems a lot colder than the rest are. It's tried burrowing under a couple other chicks, but they don't seem to like it, so she's left shivering by herself. Two, she's my sons favorite (my son is 2.5) and I think the first few times he picked her up, he was a little rough with her and dropped her. She only fell a few inches and onto a nice padding of wood shavings, but I'm sure it still wasn't very pleasant. Is there anything I can do for her? The temp in the room is about 80 - I'm getting a heat lamp in a couple of hours to put over them. Is there anything I can do in the mean time?

 

[cafarmgirl]

80 is much to cool for such a young chick, she needs someplace where she can warm up to about 95 when she needs to. Same with the week old birds. They need one spot in the brooder where they can go to warm up whenever they need to, the rest of the brooder should be cooler. You could try just putting a regular bulb over them until you get your heat lamp. Or even just hold her cupped in your hands for warmth. They shut down and die pretty quickly when they cannot get warm.

I'd also be very cautious letting a 2 1/2 year old actually handle the chicks, I usually hold the chicks and let the kids touch them carefully with one finger. It's just so easy to squeeze to hard at this age.

 

[ccmelia0607]

Thanks! I was able to get a hold a light - it's providing some heat and all the other chicks seem to be much happier. This poor little one is still just huddled under the light. I hadn't really intended on letting my son handle them too much. This was the first one he grabbed for. When I tried to get it gently from him, that's when he dropped it, saying the claws hurt him. I'm just hoping and praying the little chick isn't hurt. It's so hard for me not to just pick her up and hold her, but I'm sure at this point it'd just be more traumatizing for her :/

 

[cafarmgirl]

She may just be slow because she was chilled. Sometimes they just need to rest and warm up. You might try putting some Save-A-Chick in their water to help perk her up.

 

[ccmelia0607]

Yeah, I have the Electrolyte and Probiotic blend in their water. She seems to be doing a lot better and we did go out and get an official heat lamp, so I think they're all much happier now. Thanks for your responses!!

 

[cafarmgirl]

Your very welcome, they should do fine now.