Need Advice - Miracle Chick

[Jay_314]

I had a hen sit on 6 eggs and 4 of them hatched by day 22. Since the egg box was higher up, she eventually gave up on the other two to take care of the babies on day 25. I candled the eggs and one was infertile while there didn’t appear to be movement in the other so I figured it died in the late stages and I rolled it away under a fence. About a week later, a weak 5 or 6 day old chick came wobbling through the yard and it turned out to be from that egg! It had survived a major storm and some rainy weather that long!

I’ve brought the chick inside under a heat lamp since it was shaking from the cold. It just wants to sleep and I’m struggling to get it to drink and eat anything. Will it eventually decide to on its own once it gets rested up, or is there something else I should be doing? Any advice would help and thanks in advance!

 

[alinas2010]

Hello, how is your little chick doing?

I’m sorry I don’t know a lot about raising chicks, I’ve only done it once, and never sick ones. But I’m wondering if you’ve been able to get her/him to take some sugar water or egg yolk via dropper? Dribble some on its beak in hopes it’ll take some in? Electrolytes would be good, too probably.

Hopefully someone with better advice will chime in soon.

 

[Jay_314]

Hello, how is your little chick doing?

I’m sorry I don’t know a lot about raising chicks, I’ve only done it once, and never sick ones. But I’m wondering if you’ve been able to get her/him to take some sugar water or egg yolk via dropper? Dribble some on its beak in hopes it’ll take some in? Electrolytes would be good, too probably.

Hopefully someone with better advice will chime in soon.

It’s got a little more energy today, and I’ve been able to get it to drink some sugar water and electrolytes on its own after dipping its beak in the water a few times. If it will start eating on its own too, I feel like it should be able to gain the strength to make it. Thanks for the advice!

 

[alinas2010]

It’s got a little more energy today, and I’ve been able to get it to drink some sugar water and electrolytes on its own after dipping its beak in the water a few times. If it will start eating on its own too, I feel like it should be able to gain the strength to make it. Thanks for the advice!

So glad to hear that! Have you tried scrambled egg or wetting the chick feed down into a mash?

 

[Jay_314]

So glad to hear that! Have you tried scrambled egg or wetting the chick feed down into a mash?

I haven’t yet, but I was considering wetting the feed some since it still isn’t eating much now that it’s warmed up and drinking. I will probably try that soon today. Thanks!

 

[BlueDawnRising]

We have only had chickens for a few months so take this advice for what it is worth!

We got a hatchery shipment in January and one of the chicks was in the bottom of the box. I thought it was dead but when my daughter reached in, it moved ever so slightly. She decided to try to save it, I gave it less than 12 hours to live. She mixed egg yolk to a liquid and used a dropper, putting just a drop on the side of its beak and letting it consume at it’s own pace until it stopped eating what was offered, every couple of hours. She always followed with drops of water with electrolytes in the same manner. To my surprise, it came around and started standing a bit. The next challenge was getting it to eat on its own. I had read about tapping the ground where the crumbles were with my finger to mimic pecking. I only did that once and she started eating on her own. We still offered egg yolk to make sure she was eating enough until we couldn’t really tell her behaviors from that of the others.

Fast forward 17ish weeks, she is as big as the others and holds her own! She is a bit…um…”special.” For example, she doesn’t seem to see well, having trouble with depth perception and will try several times to get onto the roost before actually getting there. She also doesn’t always open her mouth when she pecks at feed or treats. It is funny to watch her because once she actually gets the treat in her beak she kind of looks around, not sure what to do. She is a sweet girl but I worry she may not ever be “quite right.” We don’t really care as long as the others don’t pick on her or anything. She is our Lucky Lou! Good luck with your chick!

 

[Jay_314]

We have only had chickens for a few months so take this advice for what it is worth!

We got a hatchery shipment in January and one of the chicks was in the bottom of the box. I thought it was dead but when my daughter reached in, it moved ever so slightly. She decided to try to save it, I gave it less than 12 hours to live. She mixed egg yolk to a liquid and used a dropper, putting just a drop on the side of its beak and letting it consume at it’s own pace until it stopped eating what was offered, every couple of hours. She always followed with drops of water with electrolytes in the same manner. To my surprise, it came around and started standing a bit. The next challenge was getting it to eat on its own. I had read about tapping the ground where the crumbles were with my finger to mimic pecking. I only did that once and she started eating on her own. We still offered egg yolk to make sure she was eating enough until we couldn’t really tell her behaviors from that of the others.

Fast forward 17ish weeks, she is as big as the others and holds her own! She is a bit…um…”special.” For example, she doesn’t seem to see well, having trouble with depth perception and will try several times to get onto the roost before actually getting there. She also doesn’t always open her mouth when she pecks at feed or treats. It is funny to watch her because once she actually gets the treat in her beak she kind of looks around, not sure what to do. She is a sweet girl but I worry she may not ever be “quite right.” We don’t really care as long as the others don’t pick on her or anything. She is our Lucky Lou! Good luck with your chick!

That’s awesome! I might try the egg yolk sometime today if it doesn’t decide to eat the feed on its own. It’s been a lot better at drinking the electrolytes and sugar water, so maybe I can help it discover the food too.

 

[klb25]

I don't have any advice that hasn't already been said; I just wanted to say I'm rooting for the little trooper!

 

[BlueDawnRising]

That’s awesome! I might try the egg yolk sometime today if it doesn’t decide to eat the feed on its own. It’s been a lot better at drinking the electrolytes and sugar water, so maybe I can help it discover the food too.

Keep us posted!

 

[Jay_314]

Thank you all for your advice and support for the Chick! Sadly it passed away this evening when I came back from dinner I tried giving it egg yolk, but it wouldn't take hardly any. It did take some sugar water and electrolytes from a dropper. I think it was just almost too starved and weak to eat by the time I found it. At least it was able to have a safe, warm, and loving home for its last day Thanks again!