Orphaned Chick, wont stop peeping. Doesn't seem interested in eating or drinking. Very wobbly on i

[LittleMoon]

I have it inside in a cat carrier, with a towel and heating pad. I dont' have a brooder lamp and I can't put it anywhere outside the carrier because we have more than ten bird hunting cats.

The mom tried to kill it, very badly seemed to want to. We had to help it hatch two days back because mom stepped on it and broke it out early, there was some bleeding. One of it's eyes is half open/shut and has dried blood, but it screams when I try to put water on it, I think I'll just leave it alone until it heals, I dont know what area got hurt.

What should I do? Is my heating pad good enough? I take it out in the sun but it still screams.

It also falls asleep easily and is off balance. It's currently, today, 3 days old.

 

[sumi]

That's a bad one, shame! I think the heating pad's good and some chick company would be even better. Little one's probably lonely. is it eating and drinking?
You can clean it's eye by dipping an earbud in clean, warm water and wiping it along the lids. The chick won't thank you for it, but it will help.
Good luck!

 

[LittleMoon]

It seems too busy peeping to eat, i put some water in a check piece and held it up to its' face but the little one ignores it. It seems to like burying it's head into my palm.

 

[sumi]

It needs to drink and eat if it's 3 days old already. Hold it firmly, dip it's beak in the water for a 2 seconds and tilt it upright again. See if it took a drink and repeat.
What's happening with mom? Has she got more eggs/chicks?
I can tell this one wants and needs some comfort. What you can do is hang a feather duster in the brooder for it to crawl under or just tuck it into a light cloth. Like an old t-shirt. Just so it feels protected.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[wcah]

I have a chick in the same situation mum abandond it when hatching i thinck this was because her other chicks werw 4 days old. I have it in a box with some wood shavings and a heat lamp its now 2 days old and i have tried several times today to get it to drink by dipping its beak in sugar water but nothing. It is very unstedy on its legs wobbels around with its wings out to help well try and help with its balance. It will stand and its head just droops and shuts its eyes, when its head touches the floor it 'wakes' up and repeats this. It spends most of its time peched on the edge of a deep jar lid in which i have put some chick crumbs. It is very vocal and when handling i seams extreamly strong. Mummy hen has 2 chicks (6 days old) im toying with the idea of bringing one in the house to put with this one for company and guidence for eating and drinking, whats your thoughts? Would it be OK on is own? How do I get it to eat? When it is running about and stronger on its legs i am hoping to put it back with its mum. what are the chancs of he accepting it? I would REALY apreaciate any help/guidence this is my first time with chicks so cute and yet so worring

 

[sumi]

I'd say either bring in a buddy to show it the ropes or put it with mom and the other chicks and see what it does. Some chicken company can only help!

 

[LittleMoon]

Yeah mine already had chicks, week old, and this egg was mega late. I had to help hatch it, mom stepped on it, and it broke and she was kicking all sorts of stuff eveywhere.
Day one it did the fall asleep and wake up fast thing. Just like wcah said.

I put a snoopy slipper in there and it seems to be asleep now. But when I take it out all it does is peep, wont attempt eating.

 

[LittleMoon]

Should I take one of the chicks away from the hen and put it in cat carrier with this one?

 

[Sweetlilbaby]

what have you done to try to get it to eat? If you have a dish of food take and poke at the food, then flick the food around a bit (as if your finger was a hen scratching/eating food). After a few minutes the chick will get curious and come see what you are doing and peck at the food a little bit.
Also make sure that the water is room temp.Chicks don't like real cold water.

 

[RonC]

A small stuffed animal might trick her into thinking it's another companion or try putting one of the other chicks in with her and watch to make sure they get along. Possibly a mirror also but I think the stuffed animal would be better to cuddle with.