Yay new babies!...need help with one though

[kari_dawn]

My new baby Easter Eggers have just arrived! I am so very excited! There are some really interesting colored chicks in the mix, and I can't WAIT to see what they are going to look like when they grow up!

But I am worried about one...she was kindof squished into the corner of the shipment box, and now she keeps trying to tuck in under the others as if she is cold...She doesn't seem to be injured, but what can I do for her?!

I have pedialite in their water, a heat lamp, food, all the baby stuff....

There is one other that also looks like she got crammed in the corner, and her little back is bald, and she is sitting down on her haunches...I think she is the smallest one, but she is alert and active, so I am less worried about her...

 

[BlazeJester]

Have you seen her eat or drink?

Sometimes chicks just aren't born right and though they make it through hatch, aren't strong enough to survive life in the world. Winter is a particularly hard time for chicks to be born and have to survive.

With the recent cold snap, though, she may just have had a hard time in shipment and might be fine in a couple days. A couple of mine didn't look so great on arrival but after a couple days of electrolytes in the water they were fine.

 

[kari_dawn]

I dipped her beak in the water and she drank a little, and she seems to be getting around the brooder okay, but she is kindof staying away from the others

 

[Kickin' Chickin']

Is there any way to keep the two separated from the others in the brooder?

 

[oesdog]

Maybe you could make a small partition in the broodbox so these more delicate chicks get the best possible chance. They may be a bit trumatised from transport and weak from being crammed in with the stronger chicks that will instinctively turn on the weaker ones. If you take the two out together as they grow and develop and become stronger - instead of re-introducing then to the others. Take one at a time fromt he other stronger ones and set it in with the two weaker ones. Then those two will be at the top of the pecking order not the bottom.

Do try as these two seem that they just need a little more tlc

Good luck

Oesdog

 

[oesdog]

Sorry - posted 2x ?????????

 

[mothernaturesdaughter]

I have found with the little ones they will not eat or drink like they should when they do not feel well, and a little force feeding and vitamin water with a little sugar, the sugar is important this usually brings them around within 24 hours. You can use moistened chick food, Boiled eggs, yogurt anything to get them thinking food.

 

[oesdog]

Yes that is true about food - my little one wouldn;t eat at all untill I was eating a custard tart and then - he took all the inside of it and that is the only thing he would eat for days !!!!!!!! He lived though so all good!!!!!!!!

oesdog

 

[kari_dawn]

Well, the smallest one has taken a turn for the worst. Lethargic, breathing, quite, not really moving. I gave it .2cc pedialite water with sugar, separated it, and put it in a box with the "blind" chick, who seems to be doing just fine except for not opening it's eyes...I gave the blind chick .1cc pedialite water w/ sugar, but she did NOT like it....I do not think the little one is going to make it