Weak chick

[Lotusbird]

I had 3 chicks shipped to me about 5 hours ago from MPC. 2 are doing great, (Wyandottes) 1 is weak and drinks but doesn't eat. (Splash Maran) Much tinier than the others. She does not move around like the others, but is not shivering. The temperature in the brooder is 95. Should I try to feed scrambled egg or is this just shipping shock and I should wait a bit longer? Thanks

 

[Ridgerunner]

Do you know how long they were in shipping? That might give a clue as to if it is shipping stress. Some chicks hatch with birth defects and are just not meant to make it.

But regardless I would not wait. Some people use electrolytes or something they can get at the feed store. Some use sugar water. I use hummingbird liquid. I use a medicine dropper (some use a pippette) to put a drop of liquid on the tip of the chicks beak. They twist their head to drink it. I do not force the liquid down their throat, I do not want to drown them. I feed them several drops.

The idea is to get a high energy source inside them to energize them to the point they can start eating and drinking on their own. If she is drinking in her own try giving her an energy drink.

It is possible something else is going on. Before they hatch they absorb the yolk. They can live off of that yolk for over 72 hours before they need to eat or drink. They still can eat or drink while mostly living off of the yolk, some eat and drink more than others. It may be that she doesn't feel the need to eat.

The first few days after hatch many tend to not move around much, just staying in a warm area. The first couple of days my broody hen brings her chicks off of the nest they spend most of the time under her. But after a couple of days they start running around all over the place, just going back under her when they need to warm up.

I don't know what is going on with that chick. It could easily be nothing to worry about or it might be a problem.

 

[Lotusbird]

Do you know how long they were in shipping? That might give a clue as to if it is shipping stress. Some chicks hatch with birth defects and are just not meant to make it.

But regardless I would not wait. Some people use electrolytes or something they can get at the feed store. Some use sugar water. I use hummingbird liquid. I use a medicine dropper (some use a pippette) to put a drop of liquid on the tip of the chicks beak. They twist their head to drink it. I do not force the liquid down their throat, I do not want to drown them. I feed them several drops.

The idea is to get a high energy source inside them to energize them to the point they can start eating and drinking on their own. If she is drinking in her own try giving her an energy drink.

It is possible something else is going on. Before they hatch they absorb the yolk. They can live off of that yolk for over 72 hours before they need to eat or drink. They still can eat or drink while mostly living off of the yolk, some eat and drink more than others. It may be that she doesn't feel the need to eat.

The first few days after hatch many tend to not move around much, just staying in a warm area. The first couple of days my broody hen brings her chicks off of the nest they spend most of the time under her. But after a couple of days they start running around all over the place, just going back under her when they need to warm up.

I don't know what is going on with that chick. It could easily be nothing to worry about or it might be a problem.

Thank you for your response. While waiting for a reply, I gave some scrambled egg and she gobbled it up. I am wondering if the chick feed was too hard to eat in her weakened condition. The chicks were in transit for 2 days. She is just so much tinier than the others, I don't know if Maran chicks are typically smaller than other breeds.

I've raised chicks before, but never had them shipped
.Kind of stressful for me too!

 

[Ridgerunner]

2 days is not bad. Marans should not be smaller than Wyandottes. I wonder if she is something else or maybe a bantam??? Time will tell.
To me that sounds encouraging. Wishing you the best.