Sleepy Chick...What's wrong with it?

[FoxHead]

I have a chick that is about 4 days old. It can't stay awake for more than 30 seconds it seems. Yesterday I noticed it is now a little smaller than the rest, but it was the first hatched. When I poke around in the brooder, it is alert and active, for about 30 seconds, then it settles to sleep. I've started manually giving it water, but it doesn't want to peck any feed from my fingers with the others. Today I will get some electrolytes to continue watering it, but does anyone have any suggestions about it not eating? It's poop is greener than the others which makes me think it's not eating.
Thanks for any advice and info!

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Electrolytes are a good first step. If it continues not to thrive I would seperate it. The other chicks will single it out if it is weak. It is normal for new babies to sleep a lot but this sounds excessive. I would continue to give it water with the added electrolytes and hope it perks up. Are they on a medicated feed?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It probably just wasn't vigorous to begin with.
I like to start all chicks the first few days with vitamins, electrolytes, probiotic powder and agave nectar in their water.
You may want to mix up a batch of water with a sweetener for energy. If you don't have the A nectar you can use sugar or honey.
Getting probiotics in them for good gut flora helps digestion and prevents pasty vent.

 

[FoxHead]

No, they are not on medicated feed. I've always just assumed medicated is best for larger numbers of chicks. What is your opinion on feeding medicated chick feed?

 

[alldembirds]

I would still never use medicated feed....

@ChickenCanoe I was raised on a commercial chicken farm and I wasn't aware that the medicated feeds we used were different than those commercially sold, we did give our chickens feed with antibiotics many different kinds most people would cringe if you had any idea what commercial growers from tyson's georges and simmons feed there flocks.

http://www.reuters.com/investigates...o-farm-animals-and-the-risks-posed-to-humans/

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Medicated feed contains a thiamine blocker such as amprolium which limits growth of the protozoa coccidia. That's all it's for. It has no antibiotics in it, therefor has no effect on gut bacteria or any other bacteria for that matter.

If you're better able to micro manage, make sure the bedding is bone dry and feeders are kept at least half full, coccidia shouldn't be a problem, eliminating the need for medicated feed.

 

[kmartinez]

try to give it some small curd cottage cheese..I had a baby like that it was not eating it couldnt eat and i did not know it by the time i figured it out it died one me..check ur crumbles my bag of crumbles was to big for them to eat i had to grind them down with my coffee grinder (rolling pin works to) it looked like it was eating and trying to eat but it was not.Cottage cheese the go crazy for as well as smashed hard boiled egg but cottage cheese might be easier to get some in the beak..I hope it perks up for ya

 

[Eggcessive]

I would dip it's beak into the electrolyte water as often as possible to make sure it is hydrated. Put some paper towel down where it walks and sprinkle a small amount of chick crumbles on it around it's feet. It should get the idea to peck it, and then will probably start going to the feeder.

 

[FoxHead]

Thank you for all the replies! It turned out my little one was blind.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your chick.