New Chick Mom...need help...QUICK!!

[schmunko]

Got our first chickens on Saturday, Feb 26 from a local feed store. They were born on Thursday, Feb 24. Got 12 hens...different breeds (Araucana, New Hampshire, Buff Orpingtons, Barred Rock, Dominiques). They've all done great so far. Today I am noticing that one of them is very lethargic. She's the only one sleeping while the others are running around chirping and playing. She's even put herself off in a corner away from the others. We picked her up to exam her and make sure there wasn't anything obvious, but she looks great. She didn't put up a fight to be held like most will do either. And when we put her down, she sort of just stands there and immediately goes back to sleep. We're afraid we may lose her. Should I isolate her? What to do?!!!

 

[chicmom]

First of all, I want to say that sometimes this just happens, and you don't know why. They look perfectly normal, but something inside just isn't right, so they pass away.

But a good thing to do is try giving the chick some water with vitamins/electrolites in it......you could use a little dropper or syringe to give the chick the water. That may perk it right up.

Also, sometimes you can boil an egg, chop up the egg yolk and feed that to the chick....Just put a little in it's beak....not too far down the throat......

All you really can do is keep it comfy and try those things.....

Good luck!

 

[Momagain1]

I have to agree; I lost 2 chicks this past wk that way. We did everything we could; electrolytes, egg yolk, vitamins etc..and NOTHING worked; she didnt want to eat/drink nothing..she just laid there and when she did stand; she was wobbly and lethargic like...

It made me sad and the kids terribly sad; but there was just something maybe on the inside we couldnt help...

Sorry hon; maybe she'll perk up?

 

[jvajireh]

Hey, we just got our chicks yesterday (in the mail), and we already have lost 2. I feel for you. It is so cold right now, so they are very prone to hypothermia if they've traveled at all. I was told by Murray McMurray when I called this a.m. that if you face this situation, you should mix 3 tablespoons of sugar per quart of water to help give them a boost. We also have "chick starter" which is a mix of vitamins, electrolytes and such to also boost their energy and well being. I would start there, and make sure you dip her beak in the water frequently to ensure she's getting the fluid and energy.

 

[grammypam]

I would try some infant Poli-Visol liquid vitamins.....WITHOUT IRON

 

[Momagain1]

Quote:
If you do that; I was told to put like two drops on the end of their beak twice a day...
you can find these vitamins at any drug store...they are pricey tho about $10...unfortunately
it didnt make a difference in either of mine that we lost :-(

 

[schmunko]

Thank you all! She's just not looking good. She's standing and sleeping. She doesn't run from you when you reach in to scoop them up, she goes right to sleep in your hand. When we set her down back in the box, she just wobbles and seems unsteady, then...right back to sleep.
We did feed her water with a tiny syringe. She drank it and seemed fine to do that. I'm going to try the boiled egg yoke.
She did just try to poop. Sorry for all the gross details, but it probably means something. She pushed to go to the bathroom and white, runny liquid came out and hung there for just a second and then she relaxed and it all went back in her. Her vent did seems really red, maybe there was some blood? I don't know what it's really suppose to look like though. Is that bad?

 

[jvajireh]

Quote:
Blood would not be good. I think that would indicate an internal problem beyond just having a hard trip. Otherwise, try all you can. We have a chick that is very weak and I took some sugar water (with vitamin fortification in it, too) and mixed some of the mash (chick starter food) with it to make a slurry, then I sucked it into a syringe, getting as much "food" into the water as possible. I held the chick (who barely walked, just sat under the heat lamp and had no interest in eating) gently, raised it's head a little (while still under the heat lamp) and slowly pushed out the food/water slurry at the tip of it's beak until he/she had drunk most of it (just about 1/4 ml). He/she is actually doing much better now, as that was only about 2 hours ago, and now it's actually eating and walking around some. It still plops down to rest quite a bit, as I'm sure it needs more food for strength, and more exercise. But the interest in eating and actually moving around is twofold better. So far, so good.