While at my new favorite hangout this afternoon, the local feed store, I noticed a gray and white baby Banty that had just arrived in their shipment this morning with a splayed leg. It seemed to be getting around quite well using its other leg and wings, but the other chicks were dragging it around by the leg whenever it would stop to sleep and pecking at it something horrible. It was unable to get up to the waterer and feeder they had in the cage so I knew it wasn't getting any food or water. All of us knew it would not make it through the night, so they gave it to me for free to try and save. I guess, two weeks after getting my first chickens, I am now rescuing them!
I have read many threads already and I'm sure there are many more that will give me the information I need till I get to the vet in the morning (the first appointment I could get), but I thought I would just ask so maybe I can get crucial information more quickly.
The chick drinks fine and has pooped once but so far I have not seen it eat. I'm not sure if this is normal for this young of chick or not. It is very active around the brooder I set up for it and cheeps constantly. It loves being held. I thought I was going to lose it earlier when it went into some sort of spasm. It's head twisted around funny and it flopped on its back. I held it, thinking if it was going to die at least it would die feeling safe but it settled right down and slept in my hands.
For the past hour it has been sleeping under the light while I ran out and got Polyvisol, pedialyte and baby food (to use the lids as a waterer and feeder). It loves the pedialyte, drinking it very easily from the dropper and it took 3 drops of Polyvisol very easily. I have boiled hard boiled eggs to mix with water to feed it soon. She opens her mouth like she wants food whenever I give her the pedialyte.
My questions are...am I doing everything I can be doing at this point? Can I feed it anything other than the hard boiled egg mixture to give it nourishment? Perhaps the baby food? How much pedialyte and how often? How often for the Polyvisol? Is there any other information or advice anyone can give me?
I really want to save this chick. I am weird I guess, but I fell in love with her the minute I saw her. My daughter has named her Quincy and we have accepted that she might always need special help due to her leg and might never be able to be with the other chickens.
Any help would be appreciated to this complete newbie! Thanks!
I have read many threads already and I'm sure there are many more that will give me the information I need till I get to the vet in the morning (the first appointment I could get), but I thought I would just ask so maybe I can get crucial information more quickly.
The chick drinks fine and has pooped once but so far I have not seen it eat. I'm not sure if this is normal for this young of chick or not. It is very active around the brooder I set up for it and cheeps constantly. It loves being held. I thought I was going to lose it earlier when it went into some sort of spasm. It's head twisted around funny and it flopped on its back. I held it, thinking if it was going to die at least it would die feeling safe but it settled right down and slept in my hands.
For the past hour it has been sleeping under the light while I ran out and got Polyvisol, pedialyte and baby food (to use the lids as a waterer and feeder). It loves the pedialyte, drinking it very easily from the dropper and it took 3 drops of Polyvisol very easily. I have boiled hard boiled eggs to mix with water to feed it soon. She opens her mouth like she wants food whenever I give her the pedialyte.
My questions are...am I doing everything I can be doing at this point? Can I feed it anything other than the hard boiled egg mixture to give it nourishment? Perhaps the baby food? How much pedialyte and how often? How often for the Polyvisol? Is there any other information or advice anyone can give me?
I really want to save this chick. I am weird I guess, but I fell in love with her the minute I saw her. My daughter has named her Quincy and we have accepted that she might always need special help due to her leg and might never be able to be with the other chickens.
Any help would be appreciated to this complete newbie! Thanks!
Last edited:
