Weak chick

[buckabucka]

We have 4 day old chicks - this is our first experience. One chick was DOE, and one died within 12 hours. All the chicks seemed a little stressed from shipping the first day, chirping loudly and sleeping a lot.

The second day, everyone was eating and drinking and looking healthy, and all were much more quiet except for one chick which chirped loudly all day and night, whenever it was awake. Finally, on the third day, it settled down and seemed fine. It did not chirp loudly all last night.

Today, the chick appeared to be weak. It is only half the size of the others, and mostly sleeps. It will drink a little if I dip it's beak in water, but is only vaguely interested in food.

We've sectioned off a small area of the brooder so the weak chick does not get trampled. It has water with vitamin/electrolyte, regular medicated feed, and some feed mixed with a tiny bit of yogurt and egg yolk (which it has no interest in). We moved the light a little closer, and cleaned off it's butt. Is there anything else we should be doing?

I'm trying not to mess with it too much, as I feel as though I'm causing even more stress.

I hate to have the chick suffer. I appreciate any advice!
Robin

 

[RAWR]

oh geez ):
this seems to be a HUGE problem this year

 

[artsyrobin]

try making a broth of chick starter and egg yolks, make it thin so you can drip it on its beak, he should suck it in instinctively, i don't think handling is a problem as it will give him reassurance, keep us posted

 

[nittanyxi]

I just got 15 chicks delivered on tue from My Pet Chicken. all arrived ok. ate and drank an awful lot. made a lot of noice the first few hours and then calmed down and slept a lot and have been very quiet and content ever since. On thursday morning one of them was laying on the ground dead. No idea what it was. it was healthy as all the rest the day before. I'm guessing it was just the stress of the whole order catching up to it. Not the same as your situation as yours is showing signs of weakness. If it is sectioned off make sure it is not trapped in an area that is to hot for it. the ones that have the run of the entire brooder can choose to move to hotter or cooler parts. As long as the other chicks aren't picking on him you might try just leaving it with the others. they are flock animals and don't like to be isolated. Unless you are worried it has something that it may spread to the others. Hope this helps. I think sometimes there just isn't a lot we can do. And you never know if what you are doing is helping or hurting. either way you are doing what you feel is best for the chick.

 

[birder]

I am also new to chickens and I had a very similar problem. I got 25 chicks on 4/7 and they started out fine for a few days until one started to seem week, no appetite, and finally just laid on it's side. I ended up removing it after I noticed others seemed to be affected.
I ended up culling 8 (all BO) after being very reluctant at first. Now I'm not sure if it was my imagination that they were sick or not, except for the first one. Maybe buff orpingtons just develop really slow.
I still have three BO left along with 10 BR and five NHR and they all seem fine. I hope I did the right thing and I hope yours are all right.

 

[buckabucka]

Thank you for your replies. The tiny chick died last night.

Now I am a little paranoid. There are 2 or 3 other smaller chicks that are definitely not as active as the others. But they are not emitting a loud distressing chirp, and they do eat and drink, - just not with the vigor of the others, and they seem to sleep more.

I am wondering if some breeds are more delicate/difficult to raise than others. Unfortunately, I don't even know what I lost. I ordered 10 dark cornish, 2 welsummers, 2 speckled sussex, and 3 easter eggers, all of which have chipmunk-type patterns (at least from what I can tell by photos on feathersite). As their patterns become more distinct, I keep trying to figure out which is which, but I cannot find anything in multiples of 2, it's either 1, 3 or more. I guess I'll just have to be patient.

So many seem to be pasted up. They are able to defecate, but there is a lot of stuff crusted on there. I hesitate to wipe them too much. Yesterday DH was working on a particularly crusty bird and accidentally caused a drop of blood. He did not realize it until everyone started to attack. We blu-koted her (hope that's okay for babies) and put her back and she is fine now.

The birds that are easy to identify (leghorn, chantecler, brahma, wyandotte, barred rock) all seem to be thriving. I am hopeful that the rest will pull through, and glad that my DH talked me into getting more than I wanted originally!

Despite my worry and stressing out, this chicken-raising is a lot of fun!

Robin

 

[artsyrobin]

i am sorry you lost the little one- as far as their pasty but, you need to get a warm damp towel and clean them up, that may take some time, soaking it, then get some vaseline and dab some on the area, it will help minimize it in the future. What are you feeding them? anything beside the chick starter? you might add hard boiled egg for some extra calories for the smaller ones-

 

[LivinNewDreamInND]

Robin, I am sorry about your tiny chick

I just got my chicks yesterday and one of them is exactly like you described, weak and no interest in food or water. She is a Black Jersey Giant, but she is half the size of the other chicks. I have been dripping water in her beak every half hour or so but she hasn't changed a bit. I am going to try the mash and egg yolk broth, but I am pretty sure she is to far gone. Happy, healthy thoughts for the rest of your chicks.

LeAnn

 

[buckabucka]

Sorry to hear you have a similar chick, LeAnn. It is sad to lose them. Maybe yours will make a come-back.

I tried some boiled egg with the dying chick last night, Robin, but I guess it was too late, she wouldn't eat it and I gave it away to the others. Maybe I will take out the 2 smallest chicks for a few minutes and give them a separate treat, as it is total mayhem when I put it in for the group (and probably the little ones never get any).

I guess I should work on cleaning them up more today. They hate this and squirm and scream, and I always worry I am hurting them. I think I need to soak them, - the wet washcloth does not do much, - it is like cement!

Thanks for your advice.
Robin

 

[featherz]

I had good luck with a qtip and vaseline. You 'roll' it over the vent area and keep gently doing it until the clot comes off. thankfully mine are all now pasty butt free (keeping fingers crossed)..