Mother hen not caring for chicks?

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Do you have a heating pad you could set up on a frame? I find the "MHP" (momma heating pad) works as a nice transition either to a real hen or the other way around. It gives them their own darkened quiet warm spot to sleep, tucked underneath. Here's my variation. You can use a roasting pan rack - I used the kind of thing you screw into the kitchen cabinet to store foil, saran wrap etc. I used an old pillow case, put the heating pad into the pillow case, then put the heating pad between 2 shelf frames, zip-tied together. Then a hand towel goes over the top. There are hundreds of ways to do it- a big "MHP" thread exists with all kinds of ideas. I've found the next best thing to a good broody is the MHP - warm and dark.

I don't have a heating pad unfortunately. It does look good though, much better then a light.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

What temperature is the brooder?

Under the lamp is about 30 degrees

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Just the inactive chick is cheeping now, other 2 are sleeping peacefully under the lamp

 

[Cazook]

I'd treat them all for coccoidosis, it's pretty common in young chicks, esp since they have been with the other chickens

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

I'd treat them all for coccoidosis, it's pretty common in young chicks, esp since they have been with the other chickens

I'll start them on amprolium today. Hopefully that will help the little chickie.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Sick chick seems more active now. I sat with her on my lap and made her drink and eat a little drop at a time and I'll she seemed to perk up a little in the last 2 hours, moving about and scratching and eating food herself.. . Does the meds work that quickly or could it be that she wasn't moving much because she hasn't eaten and drunk much the last day or so with her mother? If they all seem fine after 1 day do I give more corid meds still?

 

[Shezadandy]

Sick chick seems more active now. I sat with her on my lap and made her drink and eat a little drop at a time and I'll she seemed to perk up a little in the last 2 hours, moving about and scratching and eating food herself.. . Does the meds work that quickly or could it be that she wasn't moving much because she hasn't eaten and drunk much the last day or so with her mother? If they all seem fine after 1 day do I give more corid meds still?

Keep going with the Corid - I think it's either 3 or 5 days in a row (sorry I don't remember the directions but they should be easy to find)-- the treatment must continue because you're eliminating a parasite- one day of treatment won't do the job. Then there's a break in between, and a re-treat after a few days if I remember right.

https://the-chicken-chick.com/coccidiosis-what-backyard-chicken/

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Keep going with the Corid - I think it's either 3 or 5 days in a row (sorry I don't remember the directions but they should be easy to find)-- the treatment must continue because you're eliminating a parasite- one day of treatment won't do the job. Then there's a break in between, and a re-treat after a few days if I remember right.

https://the-chicken-chick.com/coccidiosis-what-backyard-chicken/

Great thanks, I'll keep going with it. I've never had to deal with cocci before or had to look after chickies myself. Broody hens took care of everything, I have now more appreciation for broody hens! So much work brooding chicks myself inside my house. Hopefully never again after these ones.

 

[Cazook]

Glad to her it is doing better.

 

[AOrchard]

Sick chick seems more active now. I sat with her on my lap and made her drink and eat a little drop at a time and I'll she seemed to perk up a little in the last 2 hours, moving about and scratching and eating food herself.. . Does the meds work that quickly or could it be that she wasn't moving much because she hasn't eaten and drunk much the last day or so with her mother? If they all seem fine after 1 day do I give more corid meds still?

Corid does not work that fast, it's sort of starves out the cocci, so takes a bit. She probably was just starving herself! Mom wasn't taking her to food and water, so she probably got a little weak. Keep up the feeding until you see her eating. You can also dab a little egg yolk on her beak, get her to eat some of that, nutritious. If the other two have figured out the food and water, they'll teach her. If they haven't, dip the chick's beak in the water to teach them where it is. Spread a little bit of crumble on a paper towel and tap it with your fingernail for food. A little food and water will probably help calm this one's cheeping too. You can place it by the two sleeping ones under the heat lamp until it starts moving more on its own, chicks are happier with friends.

They will adapt to sleeping under the red light. They are used to sleeping under something in the dark, so they just need to adapt. Won't take long, though I definitely recommend the mama heating pad if you ever do this again. In my experience at least the chicks do better with sleep and wake cycles under the mama heating pad and feather out a little faster. Millions of chicks have happily grown up under the red light though, yours will be just fine

Watch the chicks behavior, when they start fighting a lot, or jumping out of that bin, then it's time for a new home. As long as they have a hot spot to go to warm up, they can be put in a garage or other outdoor structure. As you saw with Mama, even young chicks can actually handle a fair bit of time without their heater, as long as they have heat readily available when they do need it. I had four chicks in a bin that size for just under two weeks once, before they got too antsy and had to upsize.