Week old olive egger chick tiny and not gaining weight?

[Sanderguy777]

Thank you. I have asked the breeder if they have any more chicks but she said they have sold out

I'm sure new to this too, but I was wondering if they're too hot or cold. Is the chick not moving away from the light, or is she staying away all the time? What about the others?

Again, I'm new, and you probably already know this. It just sounds like that based on what you said, and I've heard about that on podcasts and books I've read in preparation for the 4 chicks I'm getting tomorrow.

 

[pinewoodacres]

It is not bad practice to hatch chicks from mothers born at any certain time of year. They stop laying during molt, either completely or they slow way down. They also lay less following that bc daylight hours are shorter. If the hens were hatched in summer, they may not have started laying at all till a month or two ago. The first eggs are smaller and *may* have worse hatch rates and possibly more weak chicks.

It is likely failure to thrive. It can happen for any number of reasons. Personally I don’t baby my animals bc I want them to be hardy for my breeding program. There comes a point when it’s too much and nothing will help or hurt bc it’s just nature taking its course, even if it makes us humans sad. I remember feeling pretty upset about the first babies I lost or had to cull, and the first mean rooster I had to deal with, so I understand how upsetting it can be, but at the end of the day, they are animals and sometimes we can’t control how things turn out. I hope the baby improves.

Editing bc I misread your question - the only time I’ve had a broody hatch some chicks was end of July, and three of those went on to be in my breeding stock. It was actually great bc I didn’t worry about them having enough warmth since it was so hot out, and the mama did all the work for me. I have hatched in September also, I think that’s the latest hatch I did and it was my very first one, and again, I ended up using some of them as breeders. There will be some in every batch that are just less hardy and I try not to breed from them, but I can’t see into the future so I have hatched from less hardy birds and thankfully I have not had any issues on any offspring that I can tell.

 

[Hoglord]

All I can say,,,,, Is try your best
I would just offer clean water with no additives. (electrolytes), and the Starter crumbles. As to eggs, I would boil them and offer the yolks. Let the chick pick at it on her own. Your healthier chicks could eat the egg whites.
Consider getting a few more chicks from that breeder, but maybe 2 week old stock. Maybe breeder has more experience raising baby chicks.
We all learn as we go along.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

Thank you. I have asked the breeder if they have any more chicks but she said they have sold out

 

[Hoglord]

I suppose you do everything you can!
The breeder might have had a contaminated environment why you got these poor chicks. I had a similar pitiful experience with the first chicks I bought 10 years ago.

The peeping indicates there is something wrong with the tiny chick. I wouldn’t know what is wrong or what else you can do. The heat plate and giving water with electrolytes on the side of the beak is fine.
Personally I would try to give wet starter / chick feed. You can mix it with boiled egg yolk too.

Be prepared to loose this chick. Some just don’t make it. It’s not your fault if it doesn't survive. Back then I had one peeping, late summer, chick that lived a few months and died just when I thought she started to do better.

It is a good idea to keep searching for a few more chicks now or later. You can wait and see which gender the survivors are before adding new ones.
If you add new chicks later on they might not tolerate each other and the older /stronger ones will start pecking the small ones. But there are ways to deal with that.

Thanks so much for your advice and supportive words. I have found a place who has some sexed chicks available but I think I only want to get one more to replace this one that will probably die because they are causing me so much stress and I don’t want to add to the stress! Thank you again

 

[Sanderguy777]

Have you tried pecking the food on the ground with your finger? And going like cheep cheep yourself? Mimicking a Mama hen? I do that and with the water too. Good luck

My heart goes out to you and the little one.

I heard to dip their beaks. I tried pecking too, but they didn't seem to catch on. They did try to huddle under my hand though. Mama must have been an UGLY chicken if they think my hand looks like her!

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

So sorry for your issue

What does her butt look like? Any poop gathering?