sick chick

[newjchick]

Hi, all. I just got my first-ever delivery of chicks in the mail this past Tuesday. All my chicks arrived alive and peeping; however, after the initial excitement of getting them into their brooder, I realized that one (my Barred Rock) was more lethargic than the rest. She seemed to pick up a bit the next day but since then has declined, in my opinion. She does not scamper around like the rest and really spends most her time sleeping. Also, whenever I reach my hand into the brooder to pick up a chick, they all run away from my hand. This chick, however, just stands still and lets me lift her w/no protesting peeps. It's as though she doesn't even see my coming - or care. Could she be blind? Maybe that's why she doesn't run around like the rest?...or more likely, is she just sick. I saw her eating the first couple of days...not so much now. Could just be that I'm not popping by at the right time. I don't know. Not sure what to do. I feel terrible just watching her. Her level of activity is noticeably different than the rest of my chicks. Any advice???

 

[NorthTexaschick]

Unfortunately, some just do not thrive. The only thing I know of that might help is to give her vitamins/electrolytes. Did you get a packet of vitamins to add to their water? You should be able to pick some up at TSC or other feed store. I'd encourage her to drink with a dropper - you want to drop the vitamin water on top of her beak, below her nostrils, and you'll see her swallow it. A way to encourage eating is to slightly moisten their crumbles. I'd also do that with the vitamin water - couldn't hurt. If you decide to moisten the food, just do a little at a time. You don't want to leave wet food in the brooder and have it mold.

Hope she pulls through.

 

[cicichick]

Sorry to hear that. We had the same experience this year - just very lethargic and not doing the same things as the rest of the chicks. We tried giving her a bit of sugar water to see if that was the issue. Also tried yogurt mixed with feed but that did not work either. She passed away shortly after. Best of luck - I hope she recovers.

 

[saladin]

Generally, the best thing to do is cull any sick or lethargic chick.

 

[newjchick]

Thanks for your advice. I wasn't able to get to my TS store today, so I tried some sugar water instead. I fed it to her w/a dropper, and she did drink it. I was glad about that. I did see her eating some food - not quite as ravenously as the other little chicks, but I was happy all the same. We'll see. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Guess I'm just hoping she'll pick up and catch up w/the rest of the gang!

 

[Azriel]

Try holding the chick in your lap and feeding it peices of boiled egg. That normally helps alot. Once it is eating a little better, just put the chopped egg in the brooder with them so all can eat. Might take a week or so but I've never had this fail to pull a chick through. Try to feed the egg at least twice a day.

 

[newjchick]

I will take your advice. It's funny b/c my mom grew up on a farm in Poland and told me her mother fed the baby chicks chopped up hard-boiled eggs mixed w/something green (mom said it looked like mint leaves but wasn't). My mom said they didn't have commercialized feed then, so that's how her mother took care of the chicks. Just a fun tid-bit!

Anyway, the little BR made it through the night (I even saw her drinking a little water on her own & pecking at her food). The other chicks are starting to outgrow her already! They were only just born this past Monday! Let's hope the hard-boiled egg helps!

 

[newjchick]

Great news!! I think my little BR is pulling through!! She is now running around a bit, and when I put my hand in the brooder, she runs away from me like the others. She is not sleeping all day, either. Thanks so much for the sugar-water/electrolyte advice, and the boiled egg idea. I really think I would have lost her if I hadn't given her the sugar water w/the dropper. Let's hope she continues on the up-swing!

 

[NorthTexaschick]

Yay! Hope she continues to thrive!

 

[SelfSufficient]

I am a very new chicken owner. We got 10 same day hatchlings on Thursday. Over the weekend I noticed one of the girls just wasn't acting the same as the others. She was sleeping more when the rest were active, she wouldn't come eat from my hand, I only saw her eat and drink a little. So I waited - to see if it was a personality thing but I kept getting more and more worried.

I found our thread and tried it. Brout her into the house and sat in my favorite chair with her in my hands. She barely peeped and didn't put up any fight. I stuck her beak in sugar water - I used brown sugar in the water. Then rubbed a bit of boiled egg yolk on it. She ate and drank - not gobble, but some got in of her own accord. Then she got noisy and started trying to wriggle away. So I returned her to the brooder and changed their water to the sugar mix.

I hand fed the rest of the while she scampered around picking bits Of food here and ther. She didnt eat from my hand but she ate more than I had witnessed in 36 hours. So I let them be. Went back in 30 minutes and all were napping. 30 minutes more and all were up so I hand-fed EVERYONE. She has regained her energy and is running with the crowd.

Thanks for your helpful posting - saved my "Sweetie"!!!!