One of my lovely Splash Orps has hatched a mixed clutch of adorable chicks. I keep them for the first couple days in the coop in a separate pen, on the ground. Sometimes chicks will slip thru the bars on the cage and slip back in the bars are ¾ of an inch apart.
This AM I was out a 6 to let the gang out of the coop, I go back out at 8 to do a quick chick check and find my Roo Versace standing half in the pop door making distressing noises. I actually have to move his body the pop door is in the human door to get into the coop.
Inside a couple of the girls are leaning over the momma cage looking in and I find one of the chicks has escaped and tried to reenter the pen just to get caught up in the bars and the chick is hanging there lifeless. It is very cool here still in the morning not freezing, but just above it so a bitty chick without mommas warmth chills fast.
Quickly I untangled the chick, but it is unresponsive, legs almost stiff, eyes unblinking and drying, neck arched back. Stick chick into my jacket and rush to the house. Grab the hair dryer and a towel. Make a bowl out of towel and place chick into towel and start to warm with dryer on low.
Chick actually warmed and became responsive, started giving little fingernail-full sips of water and then mixed some water with Polyvisol. Chick is now back out with mom and the other 5 in the clutch.
Not one hen picked the chick as it was stuck which kind of surprises me what a temptation that fluffy butt stuck. My roo is actually really good with the babies, gentle even and will feed a chick just like mom.
I want to say THANK YOU to BYC and all the wonderful posts here I read on this site to NOT give up on a dead chick. Always take the few minutes to warm that little body up just in case. I could not feel a heartbeat in this chick eyes unresponsive legs almost stiff. I honestly thought the chick was dead but figured what the heck I would give it a try.
This AM I was out a 6 to let the gang out of the coop, I go back out at 8 to do a quick chick check and find my Roo Versace standing half in the pop door making distressing noises. I actually have to move his body the pop door is in the human door to get into the coop.
Inside a couple of the girls are leaning over the momma cage looking in and I find one of the chicks has escaped and tried to reenter the pen just to get caught up in the bars and the chick is hanging there lifeless. It is very cool here still in the morning not freezing, but just above it so a bitty chick without mommas warmth chills fast.
Quickly I untangled the chick, but it is unresponsive, legs almost stiff, eyes unblinking and drying, neck arched back. Stick chick into my jacket and rush to the house. Grab the hair dryer and a towel. Make a bowl out of towel and place chick into towel and start to warm with dryer on low.
Chick actually warmed and became responsive, started giving little fingernail-full sips of water and then mixed some water with Polyvisol. Chick is now back out with mom and the other 5 in the clutch.
Not one hen picked the chick as it was stuck which kind of surprises me what a temptation that fluffy butt stuck. My roo is actually really good with the babies, gentle even and will feed a chick just like mom.
I want to say THANK YOU to BYC and all the wonderful posts here I read on this site to NOT give up on a dead chick. Always take the few minutes to warm that little body up just in case. I could not feel a heartbeat in this chick eyes unresponsive legs almost stiff. I honestly thought the chick was dead but figured what the heck I would give it a try.
