Sick or injured chick? Advice needed

[SuddenEclipse]

Hi guys, I am a brand new member and am a beginner at the whole chicken thing. We have a 30 acre farm with 8 horses and we have just recently gotten into the chickens and quail. We bought our first 6 chicks in March and then got 6 more from Southern States about a week later.

Yesterday we bought 4 chicks from this guy. 2 are blue laced wynadottes and the other 2 I'm not sure. But they are black and white, I remember the guy said they were some sort of French type? Anyway I think they are the kind that will get the feathers down their legs. Sorry for sounding completely ignorant but my husband just doesn't think writing this sort of thing down is important.

The new babies are being kept separate from the other 12 chickens. All 4 seemed fine yesterday, but when I came out to check on everyone this morning one of the new chicks was in distress (the leg hair French kind.) He/she was crying, panting, and couldn't stand up. I got into mama mode and took him inside so he could be in the air conditioning. He cries unless he is with me. I have him tucked up in my bathrobe right with me as I am typing this. He is sleeping. I cannot find any injury, although a part of his neck had something like dried up drool or spit on it, like maybe something pecked him or something. No blood. My husband had opened up the top door of the stall they are in to let more air through (one side has mesh wire on the top and the other does not) so it's a possibility a larger bird got in, but it's not really obvious what the problem is and I am only speculating.

I have managed to get him to drink some water with a water bottle (like one for guinea pigs) and let the water drip in a drop down my finger. He has also nibbled a bit on a grape. Definitely is too weak to peck at the chicken food, though I have offered. Just trying to keep him comfortable and keep fluids in him. He spit up the first couple times he drank water but it might just have been because he drank too much too fast or something and it's hard for him to keep his head up to swallow it properly. He drank a few minutes ago with success and did not spit it back up.

I know birds (especially babies) are hard to "fix" when they get hurt. They are so fragile. This little guy can't be more than a few days old. Just any advice is appreciated. I don't know if he'll make it or not but he seems comfortable and able to sleep quietly here in my bathrobe. If there's anything else I can do to help him please let me know. We also bought him some applesauce too. Haven't tried to give it to him yet, but just thinking of things that can keep fluid in him and that he can eat without difficulty.

 

[luvmigrls]

I haven't had trouble with chicks but when I had to nurse one of my girls I mixed a little plain yogurt in with her food, tuna fish, and some shredded lettuce. But am not sure about chicks' systems. I am sure someone will have the answers. Best wishes.

 

[leadwolf1]

How old are these chicks? First off, I would get some electrolytes/vitamins into the little guy. If none are available, 1tbsp of sugar in a quart of water will work nicely.

What are the conditions in the place they live? Temperature?

I'm not sure AC is what he needs which is probably why he is crying when he isn't with you. You provide warmth. Until they are fully feathered, they need a warm place to go.

Could you please provide some more info so that we can help?

 

[Habibs Hens]

not sure what to say here as im not too experienced

but i will say

your birds are French Copper Marans

 

[SuddenEclipse]

French Copper Marans huh? I kinda liked calling them the French Leg Hair breed ;-) HAHA just kidding, thanks for setting it straight.

Okay. I feel very confident that the other 3 chicks were bullying this little guy. He is by far the smallest of the 4, definitely must not have been hatched in the same week. He is several days younger than the other 3 because of his size.

He is doing SO much better now. He is able to stand, drink without spitting up, AND *the most exciting part* he was able to very enthusiastically eat his STARTER FOOD! YAY! That was the best thing. Earlier today he was so out of it he couldn't even peck at things. I feel confident that he will pull through, but I will have to keep him separated until he grows some. Then I will reintroduce them gradually. Maybe bring another into the house and keep them together for a few days so he can have an ally when he goes back to the others.

Now the problem I have (and I guess it's sort of a cute problem to have) is if I am not holding him he cries. Non stop. Loudly. :-\

Right now he is back snuggled up with me in my bathrobe and he just quietly chirps pleasantly a bit and if I pet his head he is quiet and drifts off to sleep. If I put him down I don't know how he doesn't wear himself out crying so much.

 

[SuddenEclipse]

Also forgot to add, he will have a warm light all night! Thanks for that advice. The others have one too! I just got him in the AC today because he was so upset this morning he was panting really bad. I am learning what meanies chicks can be! I live in Virginia. It got up to around 90 today. Tonight will be a low of around 66. I am setting up a cage in the stall that the other chicks are in but he will be kept in the stall but so the other chicks cannot get to him yet. So glad he seems like he'll be okay! He just needed some babying.

 

[Hannah159]

Does he have any buddies to go w/ that are his age and that wont pick on him?


It will be hard to introduce him and the others if they dont see each other everyday 24/7. I had to separate some chicks because (at the time i had 4 chickens) the boys were fighting. So one girl for each cock. One of the roos wanted both girls but, i could not do that because the other boy( Sam, the mean chicken

) would be lonely. So the girls were pacing, trying to get to each other ALL day, everyday. They could see each other all time. Then, I had to move Sam and his girl to the end of the 4 runs. So Sam's group was on one end and Camo's was on the other. I had more girls for Sam and was going to put Sam's girl, Duckie, in with Frodo and Camo. Frodo and Camo started to attack her. They forgot all about her. So she is w/ mean ol' Sam and some other hens.

I hope you know what I mean! (Chickens forget about each other after a week)

Hannah

 

[SuddenEclipse]

Just put him in there. Before I did I put him with the others and IMMEDIATELY the biggest one started to peck him. I stopped it real quick, but it definitely confirms my suspicions about what must have gotten him in such bad shape to begin with. I am fortunate I was there to intervene this morning.

I think I will let him get older and stronger. I will set something up in the house. Here's my plan: **With lots of supervision!!!*** After a couple of weeks I will get one of the new guys and put him in the house with the little guy. That way it will be the little guy's "territory" and hopefully he will make a friend. Then after they decide they are buddies I will put all four into a DIFFERENT stall altogether so it's neutral territory. Everyone will have a buddy, and it's neutral territory.

This plan might not work but I will be watching to get him out if any bullying starts again. Being new to all of this I was really surprised to see this pecking order and bullying stuff going on while they were so young. My original flock of 12 have never done anything like this. The most I've seen them do is get up in each other's face and jump up and down. It's kind of funny. Never seen them attack or fight. I know it's probably coming as they grow and it becomes more obvious which ones are roosters, but these new 4 are probably 2 weeks old -tops. It's crazy! I feel so bad for him having to be separate. If I knew I could let him sleep in bed with me without me rolling on him I'd do it in a heartbeat!!!!!