New chicks today... a few are having issues... Help!

[ameador1]

These were shipped Saturday from MM. Got them this mornig here in NE West Virginia. So they may have been exposed to some crappy weather the past few days.

Anyway, a few of them are really not getting motivated and not seeming to be eating. I have been using a dropper and giving them water every hour or two and have even been trying to force feed them some small pieces of scrambled egg. I don't know if this is going to stress them more than it is going to help them. I am using the scrambled egg as it is soft and won't physically hurt them while trying to get them to take it. Two of them are appearing to vomit/blowing bubbles. Do they have something that I should be concerned with spreading? Oh what should I do???

Please advise!

Thanks!

P.S. One was dead in box upon arrival and 5-6 of them have me concerned right now.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I wouldn't try force feeding them...Did you try sugar water?...They may be trying to throw up what you've tried feeding them....may just be the water and food coming back up...got them nice an warm under a heatlamp?...

They do chill easy and stress out so that might be what your seeing...make sure you call MM if you lose some....

Hey St. George!! I'm close to Elkins....

 

[ameador1]

Yep, they are under a nice warm heat lamp - set it low enough that they force a ring instead of trying to cluster right under the center. The first water they got had the Quik Chik Vitamins and Electolytes added to it (based on directions given) and 2 tablespoons of sugar to 1/2 gallon of water.

Yeah, I will (Call MM). We lost one about an hour ago, and there are 5 others I'm watching pretty closely. 3 of them just lay around constantly - I haven't seen them eat, but two of them do drink anytime I put them in front of the waterer.

I'll stop force feeding. I know they've been stressed enough over the last 4 days.

Thanks!

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I'd say its from the stress and cold of traveling and you will lose some, just be prepared I know its hard....