URGENT: Bantam Chicks Keep Dieing

[p1nkp1nkp1ggy]

I got an order of bantams from a hatchery, and now I'm having problems. They were shipped on Wednesday from Texas, and arrived at my post office in PA Thursday AM. They were doing alright yesterday, got settled in. When I was taking a night midterm one of them must've died because it was dead when I got home. Another one just died, and now there's a third that is getting rather limp/lifeless. They have been given water and feed, and I know they've had some. They have adequate heat and light (it's also not too hot.) Any help would be appreciated!!! What should I do about the one that's looking bad now?

 

[cottagegarden]

Keep that one hydrated. Get some Pedialyte(or the CVS kind, clear), mix it 50/50 with water and place drops of water on her beak to make sure she drinks or dip the beak in carefully. Don't let her aspirate water into her lungs: if you use a syringe or dropper to give her flluids make sure you get it well beyond the air hole under her tongue. Be really careful, its just as easy to overdo it. If you don't have access to Pedialyte you can use a Gatorade/water mix until you get some, probably even sugar water but Pedialyte is best. You could also give them vitamins: Avia Charge 2000 is best, but liquid baby vitamins like PolyViSol will work. They are just so tiny I know it is hard to not get really worried. Good Luck.

 

[p1nkp1nkp1ggy]

Thanks. I mixed some water with a melted pedialyte pop -- that's all I had on hand. I got some of it down, still not perking up but waiting to see what happens. He's back under the heat lamp.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Just a suggestion, you may want to call the hatchery and explain what is going on. They may have some suggestions, or may have other customers experiencing the same problem.

 

[nzpouter]

how warm is the brooder? Are they making a lot of noise?

 

[Katy]

Are they getting enough to eat? When I had bantams in the past I would sometimes have to grind the food up finer for them.