Starved chicks... one dead and one with enlarged crop!!

[cluelesschickmother]

She should be fine overnight without food in there . Chickens don’t eat overnight and she will need that time to digest. I’ll leave the other questions for the experts!!

Even at only three weeks old? I mean she did go five days without any food but maybe I will just leave the fortified water in there with her?

I did notice the chicks were both eating a LOT of the eco flake pine shavings (probably because they were completely starving). I just dont want her to eat the shavings anymore. Thankfully, she's completely stopped eating them since gorging herself on food.

 

[RevlisRemmah]

Even at only three weeks old? I mean she did go five days without any food but maybe I will just leave the fortified water in there with her?

I did notice the chicks were both eating a LOT of the eco flake pine shavings (probably because they were completely starving). I just dont want her to eat the shavings anymore. Thankfully, she's completely stopped eating them since gorging herself on food.

Yes I would still take it out at this point. She’s gotten enough that she’s not going to starve and at this point giving her the option to continue eating can lead to more complications. If her crop has gone down in the morning you can introduce food again, but like the other poster commented I would do measured amounts to start just to be safe. Leave the water in.

 

[cluelesschickmother]

Yes I would still take it out at this point. She’s gotten enough that she’s not going to starve and at this point giving her the option to continue eating can lead to more complications. If her crop has gone down in the morning you can introduce food again, but like the other poster commented I would do measured amounts to start just to be safe. Leave the water in.

Okay, I have taken the food tray out and will put the fortified water back in. Unfortunately, there is a good amount of food scattered amongst the eco flake and unless I clean out the whole brooder tonight she will peck at it.

I also really do think she will continue eating the eco flake if its the only option, so I think having food scattered throughout may not be a terrible thing since she won't be able to gorge on it like she did on the soggy starter feed.

Also, how bad is it that she was eating eco flake and that she still does occasionally eat it? She clearly learned to do so out of desperation and I worry she won't stop.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Okay, I have taken the food tray out and will put the fortified water back in. Unfortunately, there is a good amount of food scattered amongst the eco flake and unless I clean out the whole brooder tonight she will peck at it.

I also really do think she will continue eating the eco flake if its the only option, so I think having food scattered throughout may not be a terrible thing since she won't be able to gorge on it like she did on the soggy starter feed.

Also, how bad is it that she was eating eco flake and that she still does occasionally eat it? She clearly learned to do so out of desperation and I worry she won't stop.

If she is still trying to eat the bedding tomorrow I would take all the bedding out and put an old towel as bedding for a few days.

 

[azygous]

You've received very good advice. Try not to feel guilty. It's a useless emotion. Turn it into a humbling experience that has a lesson attached. Losing a chick in this way is traumatic for you. Many of us have been in your shoes. In fact, right now, I have a chick that has injured itself, and I feel anxious and helpless, wishing I could find the magic to make her better. This web site is full of chicken mishaps such as yours. You've come to a place where people completely understand what you're feeling.

A chick's crop is designed to stretch out and hold a lot of food. Heck, with all that grit, she shouldn't have any problem grinding up any bedding she consumed. If she's sluggish and acting a bit lethargic in the morning, be ready to dose her with a teaspoon of coconut oil. That should help clear up any clogs.

 

[cluelesschickmother]

If she is still trying to eat the bedding tomorrow I would take all the bedding out and put an old towel as bedding for a few days.

Okay, she actually has tons of towels under the eco flake, but it will definitely be a project clearing it out, she's in a very large brooder (from my last hatch).

Hopefully she will finally calm down and get some rest! She hasn't stopped chirping, eating, drinking and running around even for a moment. With the food out she's now just drinking nonstop. She's probably just full of energy after eating for the first time in five days (and the B12 and electrolytes in the water don't help...)

Its never fully dark with the bright red brooder light, which may be the reason she won't calm down but its probably the shock of watching her other half die in front of her and now being alone in the big brooder. I wish I could have picked up her sister chicks today! But they will be here tomorrow

 

[21hens-incharge]

Okay, she actually has tons of towels under the eco flake, but it will definitely be a project clearing it out, she's in a very large brooder (from my last hatch).

Hopefully she will finally calm down and get some rest! She hasn't stopped chirping, eating, drinking and running around even for a moment. With the food out she's now just drinking nonstop. She's probably just full of energy after eating for the first time in five days (and the B12 and electrolytes in the water don't help...)

Its never fully dark with the bright red brooder light, which may be the reason she won't calm down but its probably the shock of watching her other half die in front of her and now being alone in the big brooder. I wish I could have picked up her sister chicks today! But they will be here tomorrow

Do you have a small mirror and stuffed animal you can put in with her? It helps a lot with lone chicks.

 

[cluelesschickmother]

Do you have a small mirror and stuffed animal you can put in with her? It helps a lot with lone chicks.

Thats adorable!! Let me see what I can come up with.

 

[cluelesschickmother]

Do you have a small mirror and stuffed animal you can put in with her? It helps a lot with lone chicks.

You've received very good advice. Try not to feel guilty. It's a useless emotion. Turn it into a humbling experience that has a lesson attached. Losing a chick in this way is traumatic for you. Many of us have been in your shoes. In fact, right now, I have a chick that has injured itself, and I feel anxious and helpless, wishing I could find the magic to make her better. This web site is full of chicken mishaps such as yours. You've come to a place where people completely understand what you're feeling.

A chick's crop is designed to stretch out and hold a lot of food. Heck, with all that grit, she shouldn't have any problem grinding up any bedding she consumed. If she's sluggish and acting a bit lethargic in the morning, be ready to dose her with a teaspoon of coconut oil. That should help clear up any clogs.

Thanks so much for your consoling words. It was definitely a very sad learning experience if nothing else. I now know what chicken grit is! But I still don't quite understand how such a disastrous miscommunication transpired... so I guess I also learned to not let my boyfriend pick up chicks or chick feed without me.

It seems as if her crop has already gone down a good amount, which is great. Its also great to hear your thoughts on the bedding - very reassuring. She definitely isn't showing any signs of lethargy, quite the opposite (I think I should probably cut back on her B12 haha). My goal now is getting her to calm down and get some rest. I am sitting next to her brooder on the floor working and she actually just flew out of her brooder to cuddle against me!! The brooder is at least 14 inches tall and she's only 3 weeks old!! She is cuddled against me and cries mercilessly when I leave her by herself, so...

 

[21hens-incharge]

Checking in to hopefully hear she calmed down, digested her food and had a decent night.