One day old Silkie chick

[Silkie Chick 345]

Please may I ask when a new chick should start drinking and eating? I just had one silkie hatch from a batch of eggs. It was extremely weak for the first few hours and falling on its back. I was happily surprised it survived the night. I held a spoon of sugar water to its beak hoping it would drink, but it did not seem to have any response. I plan to get a pipette and try a drop of water/egg yolk on the side of the beak. Is there anything else to try or is the chick likely to start drinking and eating when it gets a day older?

I will collect a few three day old chicks tonight so it has company.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

They can survive off of the egg yolk that they absorbed for 24-48 hours and it's not uncommon for them to not be hungry or thirsty during this period. I have personally found that with assisted hatches or ones that hatch with some yolk sac to absorb do not start eating or drinking until closer to 48 hours after hatch.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If they absorb the yolk they should be able to survive 72 hours or more. That's why they can be shipped. Post office regulations require them to ship within 24 hours of hatch and have a reasonable expectation of being delivered within 48 hours of shipping. A postmaster explained that on here a while back. It doesn't hurt them to eat or drink earlier, it's just not normally necessary. Some will eat or drink earlier than others.

I'm using weasel words like should or normally. Not every chick is normal. Hatching is hard work and they often need to rest a bit to regain their strength before they are actively running around. Sometimes some are really weak after hatching. Drinking or eating something to give it some quick energy can help.

I use a medicine dropper but a pipette can work. Some people use electrolytes or something else special they buy, but some people just dissolve sugar in water. I use hummingbird liquid. I put a drop of liquid on the tip of its beak, they generally swallow that. Then keep putting drops on the beak tip until it stops drinking it. That's usually not a lot. The idea is to hydrate it but also give it enough energy so it feels like eating and drinking on its own. I've done the same thing with an injured mature hen.

I do not do this with every chick, just the ones I consider "not right". If one were still weak after a night I'd consider it a good candidate. Often if one is like that there is often something wrong with it to start with and it's not meant to make it. That doesn't mean you don't try because some will make it.

 

[Silkie Chick 345]

They can survive off of the egg yolk that they absorbed for 24-48 hours and it's not uncommon for them to not be hungry or thirsty during this period. I have personally found that with assisted hatches or ones that hatch with some yolk sac to absorb do not start eating or drinking until closer to 48 hours after hatch.

Thank you so much for the reply - I will stay hopeful, it is a mini Silkie, so maybe the tiny size is making me think it is weaker than it really is.

 

[Silkie Chick 345]

If they absorb the yolk they should be able to survive 72 hours or more. That's why they can be shipped. Post office regulations require them to ship within 24 hours of hatch and have a reasonable expectation of being delivered within 48 hours of shipping. A postmaster explained that on here a while back. It doesn't hurt them to eat or drink earlier, it's just not normally necessary. Some will eat or drink earlier than others.

I'm using weasel words like should or normally. Not every chick is normal. Hatching is hard work and they often need to rest a bit to regain their strength before they are actively running around. Sometimes some are really weak after hatching. Drinking or eating something to give it some quick energy can help.

I use a medicine dropper but a pipette can work. Some people use electrolytes or something else special they buy, but some people just dissolve sugar in water. I use hummingbird liquid. I put a drop of liquid on the tip of its beak, they generally swallow that. Then keep putting drops on the beak tip until it stops drinking it. That's usually not a lot. The idea is to hydrate it but also give it enough energy so it feels like eating and drinking on its own. I've done the same thing with an injured mature hen.

I do not do this with every chick, just the ones I consider "not right". If one were still weak after a night I'd consider it a good candidate. Often if one is like that there is often something wrong with it to start with and it's not meant to make it. That doesn't mean you don't try because some will make it.

Thank you so much for all the detail. I did this with a pipette with sugar water, being careful to keep it on the outside of the beak to not force liquid down. The chick is much brighter today. My husband collected a pair of chicks locally, so now we have a little group under the warming plate. One of the new chicks does not seem to coordinate its legs, so is sitting with them wide. I have not had such young chicks before, so don't know what is normal and when there is a problem. I will keep learning and trying to give them every chance. Thank you again so much.