Sick 2 week old baby

[Acefit411]

Good Morning EVERYONE!!!!
I'm new to the site...

I have a two week old Barred Rock that up until this morning was very lively just like the other 7 baby chicks (different breeds) that I have...She is acting very lathargic, standing in the corner, eyes shut, head slightly down. She lets me pick her up with NO problem, will stay in my hands, then wants down. I have observed for 1 hour now - no drinking and no eating. They are on shavings that I change once a day, water gets changed twice a day, and they are on medicated starter food. NO pasting (clean coolie).

I did raise the heat lamp a few inches last night (temp reading 80). What have I done wrong???

Please advise, I don't want to lose her

~anna

 

[teach1rusl]

You've most likely done nothing wrong. Sometimes chicks (just like human babies) get sick. Is she hanging out under the lamp or just off to herself? If she's not under the lamp, then obviously it's not a "too cool" issue.
I would try to temp her with some bits of scrambled egg, or chopped up boiled egg. See if you can get her to eat something. If you have a syringe (needleless of course) or eyedropper handy, you might try to get a few drops of sugar water, watered down gatorade, or water w/electrolites down her.
Hopefully it's just a temporary illness...

 

[Acefit411]

Thank you teach1rusl !!


I'm thinking she wasn't doing well yesterday and I never noticed She was in such bad shape at 7:30am that I really thought I was going to lose her. She was getting worse as the hours were passing...

I ran out about noon for some vita water. I wasn't having luck with an eye dropper, but I turned my hand over used my finger nail to cup sugar water and she took it. About 45 minutes later she was eating, scratching and cleaning her feathers. I would say she is about 95% better now. I separated her from the rest of the clan for most of the day. Cleaned out the brooding box from head to toe and just put her back in with her sisters

I'm so tired!! Will I have to worry like this all the time?
I'm so glad that she is doing better... now I will watch closely to see if the others have the same problem...
Thank you again

~a