Urgent help needed!!!!! 1 week old chick possibly hypothermic

[Salmonsalmon]

I have a 1 week old brahma that got stuck for about 6 hours without a heat source. As soon as I noticed it I put him on the heat mat but after a few minutes he was laying in the middle of the cage on his side. I immediately put him in the incubator where he is wobbly and keeps falling asleep and chirping loudly. I have fed him some water multiple times but he refuses food. My second time raising baby birds and my first raising chickens HELP!!!! He was thriving before this!!!

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

When I’ve had chilled chicks I put them in my shirt against my upper chest for an hour at least. Body heat and contact will help your chick get warm and feel comforted. (To be blunt, put the chick against a non-boob area, fat is an insulator so it would not warm them as fast.)

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

Don’t worry about food or water until the chick is warm.

 

[Salmonsalmon]

Don’t worry about food or water until the chick is warm.

Thank you for both replies!! Is holding him close better than keeping him in the incubator? It's set at 37.8°C. I have a naturally low body temp. How long should it take before he's okay? I'm scared to walk away from him, no idea if it should take minutes or hours.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

Sorry for my late reply.

It will take an hour at least. I think holding him close is better than an incubator while he is in distress. Your body will comfort him. Baby chicks should never be alone.

When he is better you will be able to tell. He will be sleepy, not active or crying, and his body will feel warm.

 

[Salmonsalmon]

Sorry for my late reply.

It will take an hour at least. I think holding him close is better than an incubator while he is in distress. Your body will comfort him. Baby chicks should never be alone.

When he is better you will be able to tell. He will be sleepy, not active or crying, and his body will feel warm.

I kept him in the incubator for a while and when he was starting to protest, kept him on my skin where he slept for at least an hour. Around the time of your reply he was eating again with a lot of energy! He's still crying a lot but he has his energy back and is acting fairly normal. Thank you so much!! I'll continue keeping an eye on him & keeping him warm

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

That’s great!

Is he a lone chick or do you have others that didn’t get chilled?

 

[Salmonsalmon]

That’s great!

Is he a lone chick or do you have others that didn’t get chilled?

He is alone, but the first indian runner ducks are hatching right now so he'll have company in the future