Will not eat or drink on its own

[starling]

Mama hen hatched 6 chicks on Wednesday then abandoned the nest on Thursday while I was at work. There was one egg with a hole the size of a pencil eraser, so I went ahead and opened it thinking it was already dead. Surprise, it wasn't. Being as careful as I could I got it out, but the yolk was not fully absorbed. I kept it in the house under a light all evening, but because I wasn't able to keep the temp stable, we decided to put it under the hen for the night and hope for the best. This morning it was 10 times worse off. My husband cut off the runny oozing mess and I was able to push in a tiny bit with a wet Q-tip and it seems to have healed up. However, it is very weak and will not eat or drink on its own. I have dipped its beak in the lid with water and have sprinkled feed in the box with it, but no luck. I brought one of the other chicks in the house to keep it company and maybe help teach it, but it only picked on the little guy. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[chuck12]

I do not want to be the bearer of bad news but Ithink the poor little thing is doomed.
Do not feel to bad it is just the way of nature sometimes.

 

[starling]

I realize the worst case scenerio may very well happen, but if any one knows how to get them to take some nourishment so they have a fighting chance I would love to hear it.

 

[chuck12]

Put some water in an eye dropper and try to get it to take some.

 

[Califowlday]

I would mix chick scratch with water and use a syringe and squirt a little food in it's mouth.. like a wild bird feeds their young. If it eats it, I would keep doing this till it dies or gets better. Using this method of feeding is much easier with a chick compared to a barn swallow

-Jaxy

 

[reesepoultry]

Put karo syrup in the water and dip his beak in it then. When all my quail was dying off this is what I did and it kept them alive. Best of luck to you.

 

[starling]

Unfortunately it did not make it through the night. So Sad.