Rejected Runt

[OleMcMosley]

We just "adopted" a chick that was the runt of the group. She was rejected by the mother, who threw her against the side of the run. She is smaller than the other chicks (we got 2 others from the same hatching) and the runt now has missing feathers on one side, a lot of exposed skin, and is not spreading her wings like the other chicks. We're fairly new to raising chicks, and are looking for advice on how to care for this injured bird. We currently have her in a separate brooder, are applying neosporin a few times a day, and are feeding her medicated food. Any advice on what else we can do?

 

[MisfitMarie]

We just "adopted" a chick that was the runt of the group. She was rejected by the mother, who threw her against the side of the run. She is smaller than the other chicks (we got 2 others from the same hatching) and the runt now has missing feathers on one side, a lot of exposed skin, and is not spreading her wings like the other chicks. We're fairly new to raising chicks, and are looking for advice on how to care for this injured bird. We currently have her in a separate brooder, are applying neosporin a few times a day, and are feeding her medicated food. Any advice on what else we can do?

Is the baby under a heat lamp? Have you showed it how to drink water?

 

[OleMcMosley]

Is the baby under a heat lamp? Have you showed it how to drink water?

It's under a heat lamp and has been drinking and eating seemingly fine. It just still seems a lot smaller and I'm not sure if there's anything else I should be doing to help it heal and grow.

 

[MisfitMarie]

It's under a heat lamp and has been drinking and eating seemingly fine. It just still seems a lot smaller and I'm not sure if there's anything else I should be doing to help it heal and grow.

A comfortable brooder, fresh water and food, and TLC. You could try supplementing the chick's diet with boiled eggs crumbled up... that did wonders for a couple sick/runty chicks that I had.

I also add a little Poly-vi-sol (without the iron) to their drinking water.

Hopefully, the baby wont get too lonely. I once felt so bad for a loner chick that I had in a brooder. I could hear it peeping in the garage all the way from the upstairs bedroom. I ended up rushing to the feed store and buying a couple cheap chicks to add in there with it... The chick was then quiet, and happy as a clam with all the company.