Weak Chick - What Else Should I Be Doing?

[AnnPann]

she just ate a big meal (of chick feed mash). ate for 5-10 mins. i added a 2nd food dish in the brooder and she seemed more comfortable when she wasn’t having to jostle for a spot. her crop is full. she’s still avoiding the other chicks and hiding out under the brooder plate. perhaps more because she wants to be away from all the activity, than because she’s cold? at least she had a good meal, unassisted. i have not seen her drink on her own yet today. ..

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Poor little one! Apologies, I've been away from BYC most of the day.

Sugar water is a good first step. You can carefully dip her beak in it to make her drink more, or drip it on the tip or side of the beak (careful to avoid the nostrils) and it should draw inside for her to drink.

Good to hear that she's eating now! I wouldn't give her yogurt, honestly. Chickens' digestive tracts aren't built for the digestion of dairy, so I wouldn't want to risk upsetting her tummy further with that. I personally wouldn't push too much more than water now that she's finally eaten some chick feed on her own. Just make sure she's warm and hydrated. Hopefully she's on the rebound now.

 

[Iluveggers]

I’m glad to hear she is eating more! That’s a great first step. Wet mash made with electrolytes water might be a good option. She will get the hydration in the food from the water added in.

If you decide to go w yogurt (probably don’t need to if she is eating chick feed), it doesn’t matter what kind. Yogurt saved one of my little ones last year, it was the only thing she would eat and the probiotics, protein, and vitamin d are helpful if they won’t eat anything else.

Keep us posted!

 

[AnnPann]

she was a perky chick this morning!!! eating and drinking as soon as they all woke up!! she tired out sooner than the others and went back to bed but i’m so encouraged by how much interest she was showing this morning. i will give her some electrolytes today in her mash and some more snuggles and watch her closely. hope she just needed some TLC yesterday and has turned the corner!

 

[Lkhags29]

I’m in a similar boat. I received chicks from Murray McMurray on 10/13 (hatched 10/11). 5/6 were thriving upon arrival. One is weaker, not as active, not initiating meals and drinking as often as the others. She is also a lot smaller than the rest at this point. I’ve been dipping her beak in the Sav-A-chick water and trying to hand feed her. I just started also giving her Nutri-drench and raw egg yolk which she was very confused by but I was able to put some drops on the side of her beak. She does surprise me at times by jumping, roosting with the others, but she also just doesn’t seem “all there”. Stands around a lot. She does seem to get spooked by the other chicks who randomly run, jump, fly. I don’t see the other chicks picking on her though. I placed a second feeder (a lid to a dog treat jar) in the brooder with smaller pieces of the unmediated food I give them hoping it helps her to eat more.

I feel like I’ve tried everything I can try besides separating her from the others.

Everyday I wake up or come home from work hoping she’s made it another day.

 

[AnnPann]

I’m in a similar boat. I received chicks from Murray McMurray on 10/13 (hatched 10/11). 5/6 were thriving upon arrival. One is weaker, not as active, not initiating meals and drinking as often as the others. She is also a lot smaller than the rest at this point. I’ve been dipping her beak in the Sav-A-chick water and trying to hand feed her. I just started also giving her Nutri-drench and raw egg yolk which she was very confused by but I was able to put some drops on the side of her beak. She does surprise me at times by jumping, roosting with the others, but she also just doesn’t seem “all there”. Stands around a lot. She does seem to get spooked by the other chicks who randomly run, jump, fly. I don’t see the other chicks picking on her though. I placed a second feeder (a lid to a dog treat jar) in the brooder with smaller pieces of the unmediated food I give them hoping it helps her to eat more.

I feel like I’ve tried everything I can try besides separating her from the others.

Everyday I wake up or come home from work hoping she’s made it another day.

I’m so sorry to hear! It’s so difficult to not know what to do with a chick that is struggling! Have you tried offering mash instead of dry crumble? That might get her attention. What i think turned the corner for mine was a day of mostly holding her wrapped in a towel in my lap to stay warm and not be jostled around by the others and then offering her plain sugar water - that seemed to really perk her up more than anything, and right after that she had a big meal on her own. Since then she has been fine - much smaller than the others still and a little less active, but eating and drinking on her own. She just seems like she’s a week or so behind the others now, but holding her own. I hope yours pulls through!

 

[Lkhags29]

Thanks for the tips! I tried a mash vs the crumbles but she was not interested at all. I do see her eating out of the big feeder it’s just not as often as the other chicks and with less enthusiasm. I’ll try the towel today and see if that gives her the boost she needs! She’s a cute Rhode Island Red