Runt

[woolymammoth]

I hatched out 36. Last one last Saturday. They are 6 days old now bi there is one that is half the size of the others. It is kind of lethargic and listless it does not huddle with the group. And one of its feet has dried blood on it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I hatched 36 and want 36 grown.

 

[azygous]

With runts, the big thing is strength. They may not have enough of it to eat and drink. Then the problem becomes one of starvation.

It's good you've identified the chick as needing special help. The first think you need to do is bolster what little strength it does have by getting food into it. There are those gel substances they pack with baby chicks when they ship them. You might try to get a hold of some of that.

If you can't find it, try moistening the chick starter with warm water, making a sort of pablum. If you keep the runt with the other chicks, it will be more apt to try to eat than if you isolate it. If it doesn't seem to want to eat the pablum, try crumbled tofu. It's pretty much pre-digested soy beans, what chick starter is made from.

If you can find Poultry Nutri-drench, it's a great way to boost the chick's nutritional intake. Just squirt some over the pablum or tofu. Be prepared for the other chicks to want to eat it too. That's normal and not a problem, as long as you can make sure the runt gets all it needs.

I would select three or four chicks and put the run with them. That way you aren't feeding this special diet to all 36. If you can, though, separate them with something like screening so they can all still see the rest of the flock.

Check back and let us know how this baby is doing.

 

[woolymammoth]

I showed it the water again and I watched it eat and it seemed better maybe I just caught it at a bad time but I will keep my eyes peeled. I'm thinking about putting them out with my flock in my chick pen this weekend and keeping it and a few more back in the brooder do its not alone but I will keep yall posted. Thsnks

 

[woolymammoth]

He didn't make it got home this evening and it was out hope that's the last

 

[woolymammoth]

I have another one that is sort of acting the same way. It is just not as active and spunky as the others. The one from last night had what looked like dried blood on the bottom of one of its feet. And the one acting lethargic tonight has the same thing on the bottom of one of its feet

 

[woolymammoth]

 

[woolymammoth]

Looking at its feet they look dried up and are a darker color than the other chicks of the same color and I noticed it last night on the chick that didn't end up making it