New and not sure of what I'm doing

[smthgrly]

Hi all, I am new to the chicken game so will probably be in these forums a ton asking lots of questions. Our 5 white leghorn babies arrived yesterday under not so great circumstances. Instead of the USPS calling us to pick our babies up (I even went down there mid day to see if they had come in yet) the mail carrier brought them to our door at 5pm. This means they were in her cold truck all day. Two of the five chicks were listless and unresponsive but after 4 hours of constant vigil and making sure they drank, they seemed to rebound. By the time we went to bed everyone was chirping and moving around. They have slept most of the day today but we noticed one sitting in the corner for a couple of hours...looked like green poop on its bottom so I picked her up to clean it and she was unresponsive again. I quickly made some medicated water (amprol) and gave to all. I hand watered the sick one but she did not make it. The rest of the chicks have seemed listless most of the day but they are drinking . Haven't gotten them to eat much yet (even tried the boiled egg yolk and they just aren't interested). Is this normal for this breed or should I be concerned?

 

[drumstick diva]

Do you have the chicks in a brooder with a heat lamp? If they are newly hatched - temperature should be 95 degrees at floor(of brooder). Lamp should be securely fastened in two ways to be sure it doesn't drop on chicks or they touch it accidentally. Make sure the lamp is aimed at half of the brooder space, allowing a cooler area to the other half in case chicks feel too warm.

If you can get Polyvisol(NO IRON) pediatric vitamins at Walmart or drug stores. Give each chick 2 drops, 3 x a day. Just put inside the beak so if they don't want it they can push it out, - a bit of sugar in the water may encourage them to drink. Try tapping on the water dish - that is how mama would show them where water or food is. Use a shallow water dish with clean marbles or glass pebbles , as chicks are very unsteady and can fall face first and drown.

Cold chicks are not likely to eat, once they warm up and get some rest,hatching is tough business& so is shipping, they may be interested in food. If you have any gro gel (sometimes included with chicks) they may eat that.

chicks should be in a draft free brooder with a wire top for air exchange and to keep pets/kids from handling them. You may want to read more at Raising backyard chicks forum. Good luck to you.

 

[ChickyChickens]

Welcome to BYC!!! There are loads of members on here…so if you have ANY questions…just ASK!!!

Hope you have loads of fun and all your answers answered here on BYC the BEST CHICKEN KEEPING FORUM on EARTH!!

 

[smthgrly]

Have lost another one over night and third is on its way out.

Brrooder is set up according to all mentioned above. Hoping to get to walmart before the rest start fading. I'll let u know if the vitamins help.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

Glad you could join the flock! Sorry it's not under better circumstances You are doing all you can to help these chicks I see you have taken drumstick divas great advice on your brooder setup. I'm afraid it will be just a waiting game now for your chicks to see if they pull through I really hope they do for you. As you said sitting in a cold van all day will not have done them any good at all. What a real bummer they did not let you know they had arrived. Cold is a top killer of chicks.

This is a great section of the learnng centre on chicks as drumstick mentioned https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-and-raising-chicks
I hope it can help you and your chicks. Wishing you the very best of luck with them and so hope you don't lose anymore

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Welcome to BYC. I'm sending hugs to you and hoping your remaining babies pull through.
You're doing a great job.

 

[smthgrly]

Third died...now fourth and fifth have green poop and becoming listless...not sure what to do.

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

You'll have better luck by making a thread in the emergency section, here is a link.

Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

I'm sorry the third died.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Sorry about the loss of the chicks hope the other two survive.