Sick 1 week old Polish Tophat

[Mx236]

I have a young little chick, he looks like Danny Devito, Woke up this morning to a very cold chick laying on its back. He was away from the heat lamp. I held hem for a while against my tummy to warm him up, I blended some food with warm water and gave him a few eye drops. Anything else I should do? He is looking better, eyes are open, making noises, but has terrible balance. He stands up for a few seconds and falls over.

 

[Outpost JWB]

Some chicks just have a failure to thrive. But I have a bunch of questions....
How did it get so far from heat lamp?
Is it not cuddling with the rest of the chicks?
Or do you only have the 1?
Have you cared for chicks before?

Now, suggestions......
Chicks that young need to be kept in a brooder box with a heat lamp (brooder bulb in a spring clamp utility light sold at Lowes for example). I use cardboard boxes so I can burn them or lay on top of the garden when it gets stinky.
Needs to be kept at a temp of 99F. You will gradually decrease the temp thru weeks.
Chicks should be on chick starter. (Not sure what type of feed you are feeding.)
I would boil an egg, mash it up really well & feed it to the chick. This is always the 1st meal my newborns get.
You should also get some Sav a chick. (Electrolytes) asap.

 

[Mx236]

I have raised dozens of chicks and this is my first failure. He passed while i was getting fecals done at the vet. I wanted to make sure nothing was endangering the rest of the flock. If i had to pinpoint a mistake, it was buying from the local feed store. I usually buy from local breeders but my wife wanted Tophats. After months of waiting for a breeder i found some at the feed store and decided to give them a try. my mistake. we love our birds and even-though we had him for a week, he will be missed. Thank you for posting.
Miss you Danny Devito

 

[Outpost JWB]

So sorry! I know what you mean. I've had good luck with some local breeders, with mail orders from hatcheries. Not such good luck with feed store chicks. Lost a bunch last year. This year I voweled to only buy mail order (more expensive) or from breeders. I lost one. Bought over 20.

I think there are just too many germs in the feed store chicks, or maybe it's just a matter of shipping & sitting.