Weak Chick - What Else Should I Be Doing?

[AnnPann]

Have 7 chicks hatched 10/3 from Meyers. Delivered on 10/5. All of them seemed healthy up until this morning when one (she is a Swedish Flower, and the smallest of the group) didn't come out from standing under the heat plate to eat/drink when the others did. I warmed up a towel and held her for a bit to see if she just needed to get warm, but she's very sleepy. Not weak physically - she can stand, move around, peep at me. But sleepy. I mixed some Sav-A-Chick and she took a few drinks, and gave her some raw egg yolk, which she didn't exactly eat, but did take in what I put on her beak. I have not seen her eat or drink anything on her own in the brooder this morning.

I have a K&H peep pad, topped with a K&H brooder plate (so heat from top and bottom, chicks can choose what combo they want) - all other chicks are very active and don't spend much time under the heat - even napping next to the heat. But I did try warming up the whole brooder box with a heat lamp temporarily, but the rest chicks were all trying to avoid the heat so I turned it off.

When I put her back in the brooder after holding/feeding her, she didn't go under the heat plate like she had been doing -just stood next to it, still sleepy looking. The other chicks kept pecking at her/waking her up so I've got her wrapped in a warm towel in my lap now to let her have some peace.

What else should I be doing to make sure she perks up and makes it?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

@Eggcessive @pipdzipdnreadytogo @Iluveggers @NatJ

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Since you said she is not weak just sleepy, are you using a heat lamp in the brooder or is there a light on 24/7 where they are at? If there is a light on 24/7 they do not have a "night" period to naturally put them in a sleeping cycle during our night hours. This can lead to chicks sleeping during our daylight hours because there is nothing to signal them to when it's night or day.

Other things to check is her little crop full?
Is her poop normal?
What are you feeding them?

 

[AnnPann]

Since you said she is not weak just sleepy, are you using a heat lamp in the brooder or is there a light on 24/7 where they are at? If there is a light on 24/7 they do not have a "night" period to naturally put them in a sleeping cycle during our night hours. This can lead to chicks sleeping during our daylight hours because there is nothing to signal them to when it's night or day.

Other things to check is her little crop full?
Is her poop normal?
What are you feeding them?

No heat lamp/light at night. They are in my laundry room, which as a window, so they bed down at night on their own when it gets dark out, and get up/active when sun rises.

Crop is not full. She has pooped twice that I have witnessed this morning and it didn't seem out of the ordinary (and no pasty butt). Pic attached of poop - seems inline with the others, but maybe a big lighter in color?

They are eating a wet mash of unmedicated chick feed. Normally I would not do wet mash, but the brand I bought was way too big of pieces for them to eat. The other chicks go nuts when I refill it or even just stir it around, but when I did that just now, she stayed standing under the heat plate and was not interested.

Should I move her to her own box and crank up the heat for her with a heat lamp? I don't want to cook the others by turning up heat too high for all of them.

 

[AnnPann]

She does not have trouble walking, moving her wings, head, etc. Spends a lot of time standing still, but it's not like she'll tip over or anything. Yet. She still has good coordination. I'm worried though.

 

[AnnPann]

She just pooped and it was almost completely clear.

 

[NatJ]

@Eggcessive @pipdzipdnreadytogo @Iluveggers @NatJ

Sorry, my knowledge stops at the very basic points that have already been covered (temperature, food & water, be sure the others are not picking on the weak one.)

 

[AnnPann]

i just tried moving her with one other chick to their own box and turning up the heat with a heat lamp. both chicks were too hot - wings out wide.

gave her a bit of sugar water and she perked up a little so i put her back in with the others to see what she’d do. everyone was excited about feed at the moment, and she acted like she’d join in and eat something. got jostled a bit at the dish, took good look at the food, then said “nah” and went and hid under brooder plate.

i’m out of ideas and energy on how to help her at this point. i don’t know what more to do, but of course she quickly became my favorite little meeper. i guess i’ll just keep trying more of what i’m doing (forcing electrolytes and trying to give her some egg yolk) and hoping for the best.

 

[Iluveggers]

Yogurt is also a quick source of nutrition if she will take that. Keep forcing the sugar water, a few times an hour if you can.

 

[AnnPann]

Yogurt is also a quick source of nutrition if she will take that. Keep forcing the sugar water, a few times an hour if you can.

does it matter if it’s not plain yogurt? i have some yogurt in the fridge but it’s flavored.