So sad... Silkies... (pic)

[KellyGwen]

I recently bought 4 silkies from a local breeder. One was a week or two old and the other three were hatched the day I came. She only had "colors" in the newly hatched... so I took those (in retrospect I should have waited)...

Anyway... The older silkie is doing great and is in with my "normal" chickens who are just a little bit older.

BUT... my little black one died 2 days ago... I took the remaining 2 littles out of the big brooder ( a HUGE cardboard box w/no bottom) and put them in their own mini brooder (a rubbermaid tub). Maybe I shold have had them separate from the get go, but they were having fun in there and nobody was picking on them. They were copying the older chicks and eating and drinking with them.

Anyway... this morning I found my little white one dead. My little splash was all alone so I put my smallest astralorp ("Dum-Dum") in with her to keep her company (she seems to eat more when someone else eats first).

None of my hatchery chicks have died since I've gotten them. Even Dum-Dum who was almost dead when she arrived (there were 14 dead in the box out of a 25 chick order).

What can I do to make sure my little splash silkie lives??? I'm so scared she's going to die... and she's my favorite... Should I put some sugar in her water? I really don't want to find her dead... I'm starting to dread going out to the brooder in the morning...

Thanks!

 

[Zookeeper9000]

Sorry I can't help I am new to chicks just wanted to send you well wishes and prayers for your last little fuzzy butt.

 

[chickhamm]

do you have a warming light in there? are they acting normal or kinda quiet and tired? Chick vit and electrolites are prety cheap, usually around 5$ a bag but will last for a long time. Are they on medicated feed?

chickhamm
Theressa
GA

 

[KellyGwen]

There is a heat lamp in both brooders (with plenty of room to get out of the heat too). They were acting tired... but now that Dum-Dum is in there with the last one she seems to have pepped up and is copying the older chick. They are all on medicated feed. I'll have to check at the feed store for the electrolytes. Is there anything I can do now? I am not going to the feed mill until later this week...

 

[chick4chicks]

I am so sorry about your little chicks.

I know how it is to lose even one. I cried and cried. here is Prayers for You and the little Splash one left. Best of Luck:yiipchicke

 

[tiki244]

Is she in 95* for he brooder for part of it? Make sure she is eating enough, feel her "pocket" by her neck. Try scrambled eggs and a little sugar in the water but not too much. Then back to regular water, just a small boost of sugar and then off again.

She is very cute I hope she doesnt die.

I am sorry for your loss of the other chicks.

 

[KellyGwen]

I just checked on them all again. The little silkie still looks tired. I "made" her drink some water (dipped her beak in a few times) and she did drink it. I have seen her eating. She is still very wobbly...

Thanks everyone!! Any more ideas are welcome!!

 

[fallenweeble]

yur checking for pasty butt right? i check the new chicks every night one at a time to make sure they don't have poo stuck to their bottoms - if they do you gently remove it with a wet warm cloth.
do you have a thermometer in the brooder so that you can make sure you've got the right temps?
i hope she recovers quickly for you!
good luck.

 

[KellyGwen]

I checked on her this morning and all was well! She looked a little peppier! There is no pasty butt (I have been checking everyone and have had to clean a few bottoms, but none recently!)

Hopefully she'll keep improving!
Thanks for your support everyone

I'll keep you updated!

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

AWW SO sorry...I hope your little one makes it! I dreaded going down to my brooder the first and second night but all was well. I had two tired acting birds that just wanted to stand under the heat lamp and wobble back and forth but they both had pasty butt big time! I cleaned them up and now they are just fine but it took 1/2 the day to recover from the cleaning of the butt area...poor babies! Good luck to you!