Newly delivered silkie chick lethargic, unable to stand or walk well

[Salixx]

Boy I am having a rough week and it seems to want to continue.

I picked up a new batch of chicks from the PO this morning. They came from Meyers. I ordered 15 total.

One - the golden laced polish I wanted so bad was DOA. Two of the silkies had pasty butt. I cleaned them up. One is otherwise healthy and active so it went back in the brooder.

The other is weak and lethargic and was keeping its eyes closed. The others keep bowling it over and knocking it away from the brooder plate so I am holding it to keep it warm and am going to set up a separate box with a lamp shortly. I got it to take a few sips of water with save a chick in it but not as much as the others drink willingly.

It seems better now than when I opened the box. Occasionally popping it’s eyes open to look around before falling asleep again.

The hatchery opens at 9 so I am going to report the issues then.

In the mean time, is there anything else I can do for the sickly silkie? I don’t have my hopes up but I do want to give it the best chance and make sure it is comfortable no matter the outcome.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Boy I am having a rough week and it seems to want to continue.

I picked up a new batch of chicks from the PO this morning. They came from Meyers. I ordered 15 total.

One - the golden laced polish I wanted so bad was DOA. Two of the silkies had pasty butt. I cleaned them up. One is otherwise healthy and active so it went back in the brooder.

The other is weak and lethargic and was keeping its eyes closed. The others keep bowling it over and knocking it away from the brooder plate so I am holding it to keep it warm and am going to set up a separate box with a lamp shortly. I got it to take a few sips of water with save a chick in it but not as much as the others drink willingly.

It seems better now than when I opened the box. Occasionally popping it’s eyes open to look around before falling asleep again.

The hatchery opens at 9 so I am going to report the issues then.

In the mean time, is there anything else I can do for the sickly silkie? I don’t have my hopes up but I do want to give it the best chance and make sure it is comfortable no matter the outcome.

Add vitamins, & electrolytes to the water, the peep sounds like it's suffering from the stress of shipping. I lost half my order once, but Meyers replaced my dead chicks.

Pasty butt is commonly caused by shipping stress too. But I never had a case of it with my Meyer's chick orders.

 

[Salixx]

That’s good, I’ve been adding save a chick which has vitamins and electrolytes. Meyers also said to offer egg yolk. The poor little one is having a hard time eating and drinking. It will take a sip and then every couple of times start gasping like it’s aspirating itself.

This is my first mail order of chicks and my first day olds but the only other time I have encountered pasty butt was on the 1-2 week old silkies I got from TSC. I wonder if silkies are more prone to it due to their fuzziness?

Meyers is going to replace the dead one and requested that I call back Friday (48hr window) in case I lose this one or any others. At which point they will replace them for me.

 

[Salixx]

Sadly the little one never rallied. I think it was either weak to begin with or I didn’t receive it in time to clean up its vent and get more water and electrolytes in it. It was not even in the PO’s possession for 48hrs. I wish I could have done more for the little guy but it looked as if he or she just went in it’s sleep.

The remaining 13 chicks are happily running around the brooder, eating and drinking and ducking under the heat plate when they need a warm up. I hope these two were just bad luck and the rest thrive like my older chicks have.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Sorry about your losses. Just love the ones you are with. Keep an eye on them, I never feel safe with shipped chicks till after day 5.