Weak baby chick

[rosemarythyme]

This may sound weird but the Purina starter/grower seem too large for her. Or else she just isn't interested in it for some reason. She pecks it very rarely compared to the others.
I let her be for a bit today to see if she would eat more crumbles, but I didn't see her eat much

Mix the starter with a bit of water to make a thick, wet mash - it may be easier for her to eat and a lot of chickens prefer wetted feed.

 

[Estrella77]

Mix the starter with a bit of water to make a thick, wet mash - it may be easier for her to eat and a lot of chickens prefer wetted feed.

Thank you!! I did try that a little as well- but somehow the night that I wrote my last message 2 days ago she miraculously started pecking and eating like a normal chicken!! Now whenever I check her crop it's pretty full I am still giving Nutri-drench 2 drops bid and I'm cautious again bc every time I think she's either sick or well she does a 180. But it's been over 24 hrs of normal eating so I'm hopeful. She's still incredibly tiny, but the others aren't picking on her or trampling her yet. I guess if she makes it to 2 weeks (she's one week old today) then maybe we are mostly out of the woods?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you!! I did try that a little as well- but somehow the night that I wrote my last message 2 days ago she miraculously started pecking and eating like a normal chicken!! Now whenever I check her crop it's pretty full I am still giving Nutri-drench 2 drops bid and I'm cautious again bc every time I think she's either sick or well she does a 180. But it's been over 24 hrs of normal eating so I'm hopeful. She's still incredibly tiny, but the others aren't picking on her or trampling her yet. I guess if she makes it to 2 weeks (she's one week old today) then maybe we are mostly out of the woods?

That's great to hear! Doesn't hurt to continue with the Nutri-Drench for now so another week of that sounds good. Hopefully she continues to improve and any further updates remain positive.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I had one in my batch this year that stopped growing after the first week and I thought for sure it was gonna pass, but at around 10 weeks it started to grow, and has mostly caught up with it's siblings. You just never know. If it's made it this far it's got some fight in it. Hopefully it will continue to improve.

 

[Estrella77]

Hopefully this is the last update, but little Widget is now 3 weeks old and doing great a little smaller/more timid than her 3 fellow chicks but otherwise just like them. Thank you guys so much for your help and support! Best to you and your flocks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hopefully this is the last update, but little Widget is now 3 weeks old and doing great a little smaller/more timid than her 3 fellow chicks but otherwise just like them. Thank you guys so much for your help and support! Best to you and your flocks!

That's great news.