Worried about chick. please help

[birdy_num_nums]

Newbie question again- my chicks are now on their second day, and one of them is lethargic. She just kind of lays around, or just stands there unsteadily if I gently move her closer to the food or whatever. She acts like the others do when they are sleepy, but the others will pop up and run around when another chick runs into or over them. The lethargic chick will do the tip-back-sippy thing when I dip her beak in the water, so I presume she understands where the water is.

Help! I don't want to lose this little peeper!

 

[pattee]

I wish I could help you. I'm a new chick owner. But I think dipping her beak in water is good. Also I get some chick food and get it realllly wet and try to feed it to her.

Wish I could be of more help.

 

[melirobin]

I raising baby chicks for the fist time and so can't give you and answer .

I think maybe you should post this message in the Emergencies/health issues topic section and might get more help from veteran chicken owners.

good luck.

 

[31665]

I have the same thing going on I feel so bad for her mine is 1 week old the others are crazy and she just stands and is half the size of the others. I have been getting up during the night to make sure she drinks. I think mine is dying she is worse tonight can hardly stand does any one ever put the poor things out of their suffering if so how?

 

[s6bee]

Typicallly a chick doesn't need food or water for thier first 3 days of life ( gets what they need from the yolk sac). I assume she's approaching that age now. You can try a little sugar water, or a little bit of electrolytes for them for a day. See if that helps. Make sure you aren't forcing it into her as she can asperate too easily. Unfortunately loss is common and should be expected. I know it's not easy but sometimes they just weren't right from the start.
What's the temp in the brooder?
Are they eating yet and what?

 

[31665]

I have had vitamins and electrolytes in their water from the start I am using chick starter 20%

 

[31665]

I do expect some loss I hate to watch the suffering!!

 

[Cetawin]

Try some sugar in the water, her crumbles mixed into a paste with warm water, baby vitamins...poly-visol I believe they are called. Put a drop or 2 in her beak and then do it again tomorrow. See if she perks up.

Good luck with her.

 

[s6bee]

I would go ahead and pull the electrolytes off them now if they have had it. Regular, clean, cool water is all they need now. It's just a little to give them a kick start.
Otherwise, I don't know what to tell you. You may end up losing it. I'm sorry. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Are they warm enough, too hot?

 

[Hiedi]

Hi,

I am totally new to raising chicks. Mine are only 2 1/2 weeks old. On day three, I had a very similar situation. one of my chicks started acting lethargic with diarrhea and would not eat or drink on its own. I removed it from the rest of the flock (which is only six total), and made another makeshift brooder out of a cardboard box. I used an eyedropper to try and give it some water with vitamins and electrolytes, and I also gave it some sugar water using the dropper. I just touched the dropper to its beak, and it figured out how to drink from the dropper. I will admit; I stayed up most of the night with this chick. I even tried giving it a little bit of warm yogurt. That was the only thing that I knew to do. The chick finally ate some on its own late that evening; it was able to eat some instant oatmeal; but it still appeared very weak. In fact, I was not expecting it to live. To my surprise, the next morning it seemed to be doing better (eating, drinking, pooping), but kept chirping very loudly every time I walked away from the box. I was reluctant to return it back with the others so I put another chick in with it to give it some company. I eventually returned both chicks back with the rest of the flock, and they all seem to be doing fine. I am not really sure what caused the problem.