Wyandottes are not eating. :/

[thechickenchick]

Hi HHH! How are things today? Is everyone eating and happy?

 

[Hidden Hollow Hatchery]

Everyone has been good today, actually! I bought some mealworms and the chicks had a blast while getting some good nutrition at the same time.

 

[thechickenchick]

Wonderful! I am glad to hear it. I bet that was fun to watch!

 

[Autumn Mama]

Just a thought, HHH, have you checked the new chick (and the one that died...?) for 'pasting up'? You probably already know about it, but in case you don't: lift the chick out of the brooder and gently feel its' vent area with a finger, noting anything crusty and hard. You may be able to see the dried poop as well, and it needs to be gently removed. *Do not* pull it off, you may injure the chick's internal organs!!!

To remove the poop, soften/moisten vent area and clump of poop with warm water, and repeatedly and gently, rub and break up the poop until the vent is clear. If they can't poop, they will die. I know, I missed pasting up on one of my new babes today, and found it dead. It was only two days old.

 

[thndrdancr]

Also sometimes bantams cant eat normal chick crumbles, they will "beak" it, and appear to be eating but arent actually able to handle the large pieces.

Many people either grind them finer in a blender or offer mash to begin with til they get a lil bigger and are able to actually eat. I have had this happen with several bantams.

This last lil silkie I had couldnt even handle finely chopped one minute oats.

She is thriving well now, but it was a real problem getting her to eat.

If egg yolk doesnt do the trick, sprinkle some oats (like human oatmeal, the fine one minute kind) over their food, for some reason the white color of it REALLY gets them excited about eating.

 

[Hidden Hollow Hatchery]

Nobody was pasted up, and I make my own food for the bantams, after a horrible choking incident last year.

The food I make consists of pedialyte, egg yolk, oatmeal, and baby food. It's very thick and pasty, so I feed it on a constant rotation with mixed pedialyte and water, often through a dropper by hand, leaving a powdered version of the food mix as a staple. I had this approved by a vet, but it didn't work this time.

After these chicks, I'm afraid there will be no more bantams for me. I have a knack for killing them, and I think I should stick to standard breeds. Although I'll always dream about bantams and their gorgeous little antics.