new baby going down hill quick...I think she's dying. Please help!!!

[kari_dawn]

I recieved an order of chicks on the 8th. I was very excited about them, but now I am really worried. On the 9th, I noticed that one of my welsummer chicks was not eatting. She was distressed, and cried loudly. All the other chicks are making happy peeping noises, eatting, drinking, falling asleep, and growing very fast...

today(the tenth), I noticed that she is now almost half as big as the other babies...I was very worried about her, because I could not tell if she had started eatting or not. Her crop was empty, so I decided she had not. I moistened some chick starter, and gave her about a cc of pedialite before I went to work. I got enough moist chick starter (mixed with plain yogurt) in her to where her crop had about a pinky tip's worth of food in it. Not as much as I would like (I used the other chick's crops as a gage), and I was extremely worried about her because she seemed weak, and distressed. Unfortunately, I could not stay home to nurse her, so I went to work. My sister is home, so she kept an eye on her. (she does not know how to take care of baby critters).

Around two hours before I could leave, my sister called me to tell me that the baby was wet, she didnt know how she got that way, and that she was not moving. I asked her to dry her off as best she could, move her to a smaller box, and make sure the heat lamp was nice and close. When I got home, I checked on her. She had dried out, but her feathers were all stuck together, as if she had gotten something on them...she was gasping for air, her neck was limp...and she was very quiet.

I immediately pulled her out, held her in my hands for a moment, once she livened up a little, I gently washed the crusted baby fuzz with warm water. I stuck her back under the heat lamp to dry her off. She stopped gasping, and I gave her a few drops of pedialite, and crushed egg yolk in water. She seems to be doing a little better. She is sitting up(not standing), and holding her head up...but I am still very worried about her. Her eyes are still mostly closed. What else can I do? I don't want her to die, and she is far from out of the woods. Please help!

 

[mylittlechickpea]

Eek, I'm a newbie and unfortunately can't give any advise but I hope she is okay..

 

[MikasGirl]

Hi~
When we first got our chicks (we ordered mail from McMurray) there were a couple chicks that just didn't make it. It sounds like you are doing everything for your chick. Gasping can sometimes mean they are overheated, so I would check her brooder temp to make sure she isn't too hot. Try to keep her separate and comfortable. Good luck, I know how precious these little ones are

 

[kari_dawn]

Thanks for the tip! Maybe she was too hot...How warm should she be? She is not gasping anymore...and she is kindof standing, but I definately do not want her to get too hot...

 

[MikasGirl]

I can't remember the temperature, I'm sorry, our girls have been out of the brooder for awhile. I would look under the Raising Baby Chicks section, or do a search for "brooder temperature" and see what comes up.

 

[tammyd57]

Directly under the brooder light should be 90-95 degrees the first week. 5 degrees lower each week until you get to normal outdoor temperature. There should be room in the brooder for the chicks to get to a cooler spot if they need to. They will move about getting warmer and cooler as they like.

Good luck with your chick, I hope she gets better!

 

[kari_dawn]

Thanks guys...She didnt make it

I guess she was just too weak.

 

[ZepChick]

Oh I am sorry

It is never easy to lose a bird, no matter what age. It sounds like your going to be an excellent chicken mommy though

 

[pkw]

Sorry about you baby chick

 

[Penturner]

She is dehydrated first, and needs to be re hydrated slowly at first as it is probably sever dehydration. Second she is starving. she needs to be eating every two hours from the first day. she has a lot to make up and most likely is already beyond repair in may ways. giving her drops of water or better yet liquefied egg yolk is a very good way to get her going. They can spring back very very fast as far as energy but you have to keep it up. then you have to teach her where the food is. our chick took several days that it woudl only eat from the tip of our finger. we dipped our finger in water then in the starter crumble, then it woudl eat the food off the end of our finger. this is the only way we could get it to eat. IT is now 3 weeks old and we still have to watch it like a hawk. TO be honest if you don't have the time. It may just be best to let the chick pass. I know that sounds mean but most people simply do not have the time it takes. All I can figure is that there are chisks that simply do not have the curiosity to discover food and water.