4 day old chick not eating

[PedalPoweredPastures]

I had 5 chicks hatch Friday into Saturday last weekend. 4 of them are thriving, the 5th was an assisted hatch and seems to lack a pecking reflex. I’ve been giving her yolk, Nutri-drench, water, and some crumbs of chick feed multiple times every day, but she’s lost 3 grams since Monday afternoon and she’s tiny. She’s loud as all get out and doesn’t seem lethargic, although she isn’t as active as her hatch mates and generally stays under the brooder. I do dip her beak into food and water to try to ‘teach’ her, but I have not seen her eat.

I understand that there is a high chance that she just isn’t meant for this world, but is there anything else I could try?

 

[azygous]

Put sugar in the water along with Nutri-drench. Be sure it's warm, not chilled. The chick needs extra heat because it's not efficiently metabolizing its food.

Try sprinkling dry chick feed on the floor of the brooder on a small hard surface and peck it with your finger tip at the chick's feet. This is how a broody hen teaches chicks to eat. Pick up and drop a few morsels at a time at the chick's feet, pecking with your finger until the chick catches on.

Have you picked up and snuggled the chick while talking to it? This will help the chick imprint on you so it will be more likely to follow your urging to eat.

 

[PedalPoweredPastures]

Put sugar in the water along with Nutri-drench. Be sure it's warm, not chilled. The chick needs extra heat because it's not efficiently metabolizing its food.

Try sprinkling dry chick feed on the floor of the brooder on a small hard surface and peck it with your finger tip at the chick's feet. This is how a broody hen teaches chicks to eat. Pick up and drop a few morsels at a time at the chick's feet, pecking with your finger until the chick catches on.

Have you picked up and snuggled the chick while talking to it? This will help the chick imprint on you so it will be more likely to follow your urging to eat.

Thank you so much, I will try that. I have been giving her lots of snuggles, no lack of that here. I figure if she might not be here very long then I’m at least going to make it comfortable

 

[SmiYa0126]

Can you get some coconut oil into her in case she's constipated? Warm it up and put a little on the corner of her beak or on the tip of her beak. Wait for her to take it before giving her more.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

I used a red plastic coffee straw to tap on the food and water dish. they ran right over.

 

[PedalPoweredPastures]

Can you get some coconut oil into her in case she's constipated? Warm it up and put a little on the corner of her beak or on the tip of her beak. Wait for her to take it before giving her more.

She has pooped (they are tiny, but regular) but thank you. I have used coconut oil for a constipated shipped chick in the past, it was miraculous!

 

[gimmie birdies]

Was her yolk sack on the outside of her body?

 

[PedalPoweredPastures]

Was her yolk sack on the outside of her body?

No, it was fully absorbed