Very sick baby! Help please??!!

[Eelantha]

I have used paper towel for bedding for the first week of my chick’s life, and they have never eaten the paper. It does need to be changed frequently as it becomes soiled with droppings.

I wish I could say the same for my own chicks. Despite the chick feeder and waterers at their disposal and easy reach, mine were voracious little eaters that tried everything they could peck at. There were only three of them, but they proved as efficient as a shredding machine to lay waste to the journals I left in their brooder one unsuspecting day.

I agree 100% with you on the frequent changes, chicks make a soiled mess of such papers very quickly as they age up. The advantages of a wire mesh floor is that any feces they do falls through the gaps to the waiting surface below, making for an easy change-out bedding and chicks who can't eat, walk or sleep in their poop. They certainly couldn't get at the journals I used later once I put them on the wire mesh floor. They were pretty dismayed about it xD

 

[Katie386]

This happened to me and I lost two chicks and was so sad. Another chick started acting the same way falling asleep while standing not eating or drinking. I wet the chick food so it’s easy to eat and less waste, but since it’s wet I was able to hold the third chicks mouth open and put small amounts of food in his mouth. He would try to spit it out or swallow it so I kept doing it 3 more times I think and then dunked his head in water a couple times so he could digest the food. Then I repeated this step every couple of hours until the next day he started drinking water on his own so I know it was working and he was fighting me more I kept feeding him and he eventually started eating on his own with his siblings. He is now 5 weeks old and stronger then ever.

 

[Eggcessive]

Pasty butt occurs frequently in chicks who were shipped or in feed stores where the problem may have been ignored. If one has it they may get it every day for the first week or 10 days, so each day wash their bottom with fingers, warm water with soap. Dry well with a tissue. Put a drop of vaseline or oil on the vent. It can be caused by dehydration, getting, cold, or too warm of a brooder. The temperature for the chicks should be about 90 or a little less, with a cooler spot in the brooder. I would try to get the chicks drinking. Use a thermometer on the floor to tell if the brooder is too hot.

 

[Eelantha]

Hydration is most important, get some fluids in. If you have some Sav-a-chick electrolites that's good. I hold the chick in my hand with the point of the beak resting in the crease where my finger bends. Drip the electrolite water, or plain water, down the crease of your finger so it runs to the beak, the chick will usually swallow it. Go slow, but give it as much as it will take, let it rest and then repeat in 20 -30 minute intervals. I usually alternate electrolite water and plain water. Hopefully it will start to perk up some once you get some fluids in. Also make sure it is warm enough.
Did you just get these chicks, how old? Could be shipping/transport stress.

Agreed 100%. Electrolytes & vitamins for day-old chicks will see to and resolve alot of things in weakened chicks. If you don't have electrolytes on hand, use a raw egg yolk (the yellow part only, target farmer eggs rather than commercial eggs as they're much fresher) with a syringe and hand-feed your chick that way every 2-3 hours until you can get your hands on a vitamin sachet. That should sustain your peep until you're ready to start it on electrolytes.

 

[Birdmom2020]

We just got them today. They said theyre 3 days old. I dont have any save a chick. I havent seen any other symptoms. I dont think its making it. It keeps falling on its back now and wont get up at all.

 

[Eelantha]

We just got them today. They said theyre 3 days old. I dont have any save a chick. I havent seen any other symptoms. I dont think its making it. It keeps falling on its back now and wont get up at all.

Do you have any egg yolks to feed it??

Check up this site for more hints at what your chick might be ailed with!

 

[Eelantha]

RIP baby chick who couldn't be saved on time TTxTT waah I hope the rest of your batch makes it into fine-laying hens!

 

[Birdmom2020]

Thanks everybody yes my other ones are nice and warm and eating and drinking. They're weird tho. They won't eat from the bowl but would rather me sprinkle it on the clean part of the floor where there's no bedding.

 

[Eelantha]

Thanks everybody ❤ yes my other ones are nice and warm and eating and drinking. They're weird tho. They won't eat from the bowl but would rather me sprinkle it on the clean part of the floor where there's no bedding.

Not weird, just natural xD chickens like to scratch the ground looking for food, and this instinct is just as strong in chicks

 

[Eggcessive]

You can put paper towel down on top of the bedding and sprainkle a little food around their feet until they start eating out of the feeder. Sorry for your loss.