single partridge chick?

[partridgemom]

One of our classroom Hungarian partridge babes had trouble getting out of its egg. My soft hearted colleagues helped it hatch, but it seemed to have various issues with balance, breathing and so on. Its siblings wanted nothing to do with it, so I ended up taking it home. Surprisingly it has done very well, except it doesn't seem to be very interested in eating. I have done the food rattling and finger pecking, but it will only feebly jab at water and crumbles... We will try and reunite it with its siblings next week, but in the meantime, is there anything else i can do? Should I use a syringe to force feed? Btw. its name is Hans

 

[Kittcat]

Well, it's been a while, so I don't know if you still need any help but...

I had a similar problem with a chukar chick who my fiance helped out of his shell. I dipped his beak in water several times for a couple days. He just wasn't interested in eating, but I saw him drink some, so we put some sugar in his water to give him a little calorie boost. Later I put a probiotic and vitamin mix in his water (Like save-a-chick but a different brand). After three days he was eating and much more energetic! Now he's starting to get his feathers! I'm really new to raising chicks but this seemed to work for me. I also thought about purchasing some crickets or other moving bug from a pet store to entice him, but didn't because before I did he was already eating

If your chick is lonely, another thing I did was tape a mirror to the inside of his brooder. He seemed to enjoy it

Is he still kicking?

 

[Tony K T]

Remember freshly hatched chicks are still feeding off from the yolk.They can feed from the yolk for as long as 3 days.The dipping beak in water and then feed is a good way to get them started.Also you can try mealworms,those crazy crawlers always do the trick.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[partridgemom]

"Hans" actually got reintegrated in his extended flock after 4 days! He was still the smallest (and feistiest!) of the 6, and for a while it was pretty obvious that he didn't belong, but in the end they worked it out. Their human mom tells me he still likes to be held more than the others, but since the flock will live on a farm, I am not too worried.
I finally got him to eat with flightless fruit flies, having read that partridge moms in the wild feed the babies small insects. Worked like a charm, and it gave him some good hunting skill, too. I think he got every single one of those things. And after that he started eating his mash as well. Unlike his siblings, he preferred his dry, though. Overall a good learning experience with a happy outcome, and even though I would have loved to keep "my baby", I am sure this is a better life for him.

 

[partridgemom]

Thanks for your advice! I ended up using fruit flies - mealworms would have been too big....

 

[Tony K T]

Thanks for your advice! I ended up using fruit flies - mealworms would have been too big....

Try www.rainbowmealworms.net.They have small mealworms for chicks.
In N.H.,Tony.