Puny Baby Needs Help

[crazyfaith]

My family and I brought home some chicks last night. It's our first time caring for chicks, so I've been pretty nervous, but they've all been doing well until a few hours ago when I noticed one pretty zonked out in the feeder. I knew baby chicks would sleep a lot and in weird positions, so I just kept an eye on it. Watching it over the next couple hours didn't ease my worries. She's wobbly and very vocal. She's also making it a point to be either in the feeder or against a wall, facing it. I made the decision to pull her out and give her boiled egg yolk and water mashed up in a syringe because she wasn't eating. I did notice some rather runny poop on her butt and wiped her down. I didn't have to force feed her. I just would put a small drop on her beak and she'd take it down. I was hoping it would perk her up, but no such luck. Now, the others are beginning to peck at her and bully her around a bit. She's still not choosing to eat/drink on her own, so I'm fixing to help her out again. Her butt is staying wet and she seems to be pooping a lot. She's not nearly as stable or active as the others. What's my next step for her?

 

[red horse ranch]

My family and I brought home some chicks last night. It's our first time caring for chicks, so I've been pretty nervous, but they've all been doing well until a few hours ago when I noticed one pretty zonked out in the feeder. I knew baby chicks would sleep a lot and in weird positions, so I just kept an eye on it. Watching it over the next couple hours didn't ease my worries. She's wobbly and very vocal. She's also making it a point to be either in the feeder or against a wall, facing it. I made the decision to pull her out and give her boiled egg yolk and water mashed up in a syringe because she wasn't eating. I did notice some rather runny poop on her butt and wiped her down. I didn't have to force feed her. I just would put a small drop on her beak and she'd take it down. I was hoping it would perk her up, but no such luck. Now, the others are beginning to peck at her and bully her around a bit. She's still not choosing to eat/drink on her own, so I'm fixing to help her out again. Her butt is staying wet and she seems to be pooping a lot. She's not nearly as stable or active as the others. What's my next step for her?

I think you need to separate it for it's protection until you figure out whats wrong. When they are peeping loudly they are either cold or hurting somewhere. Just give it warmth and try to get food and water in it. Egg is a perfect food. Sometimes it's hard to know what the problem is.
Hopefully some of the others on here will have ideas.

 

[crazyfaith]

Thanks do much for the reply. I just washed her up and gave her a bit more egg and sugar water. She was a little more combative (which I'm counting as a good thing). I want to try a mash with her starter feed, yogurt, and apple cider vinegar tomorrow. Researching a little more, I'm wondering if her problem is travel stress, perhaps. The others seem to not be pecking at her and they're all huddled in for the night. I really hope it's stress and passes. For now, I'm just trying to keep her butt clean and get food and water in her.