Shivering baby??

[Fallenone05]

Hi all. I had two eggs hatch from a first time broody yesterday (June 1st). The first baby to hatch was unfortunately killed by my chickens, and not the mother, but the second baby is still with me after an impromptu enclosure was built.

Unfortunately, something doesn't seem quite right with this baby.. It'll be 24 hours old soon but it can barely walk and shivers all the time. I put it out of the nest for a minute and mama came out to show him food and water but he just weeble-wobbled around and almost army crawled to get under her belly again.. It completely ignored the food even though mama was nearly in his face with it.

Is this a fixable issue?? Like will a shot of Gatorade give him a little energy boost or is this chicken sick?

 

[lazy gardener]

Is Mama covering him? Right now, what he needs is heat. If Mama is not providing that, you may have to intervene, and provide him with a heat lamp or a heating pad. He needs heat more than food. A chilled chick will soon be a dead chick.

 

[Fallenone05]

She is! Big Mama is really attentive of him. When I put him back in the nest she immediately hops in and sits.

It seems off to me.. The baby that was killed was up and chirping like crazy and had a lot of life, but this one just seems so weak.

 

[ChickennLoverr]

If the Mama is not keeping the baby warm you need to put it under a brooder lamp/heat lamp to keep the baby warm.

 

[Fallenone05]

She's sitting him! All she does is sit on him.. I'm just worried because he's not interested in food or water, anything. He's really different from his sibling who was up in the mommas face and everything.

 

[ChickennLoverr]

Put some water in your hand and kinda put his beak in the water and see if that helps. Try doing that with the food too!

 

[lazy gardener]

Every chick is different. I recommend that you not interfere. Let Mama sit on him. She may wait a day or two before bringing him out for food. And that's ok. Chicks are born with ample yolk reserve to keep them going for a couple of days. She knows best.

 

[junebuggena]

She's sitting him! All she does is sit on him.. I'm just worried because he's not interested in food or water, anything. He's really different from his sibling who was up in the mommas face and everything.

It's okay. Newly hatched chicks have just recently finished absorbing all their yolk. They emerge from their shells with full bellies. It's not until a few days later that they start to show interest in food and water.

 

[Fallenone05]

Hi everyone! Just wanted to give an update -
baby is doing well! They developed spraddle leg/splay leg and I treated it. He's able to stand and walk now, and isn't shivering anymore. He's also found the food and water and is doing great.

 

[ChickennLoverr]

How cute and that's good!