Chick Doing Well, Then Going Downhill

[JAMarlow]

Chick hatched a little over 24 hours ago. Shortly after hatch she was up and active just like the other chicks. Very alert, vocal, and starting to learn how to stand and walk. But last night she started having problems. Can't keep head up for very long. Eventually her head will drop to the ground and stay there. Eyes that were open are now mostly closed. Hardly walks around. Lethargic.

She has no problem stools. No pasty butt. I don't feel any crop issues, but I spent time on several occasions to massage her gently. I've kept her in the incubator so she's warm enough (99.5, although we slept between several drop feedings last night with her cupped in my hands, under my chin. She seemed to really like that).

I've been giving her Nutri-Drench drops at the side of her beak, letting the drinking reflex take over to get the fluid into her. One weird thing is that even after the drops have been swallowed, for a while she will have her beak up and does the the beak movements as if she's still drinking it down, even though it's already down.

Thinking that maybe this could be a selenium or B vitamin problem, I switched from Nutri-Drench to Poultry Cell.

The 3 other chicks with her hatched at the same time and have graduated to the small chick brooder. They are doing great, drinking, eating, and running around all by themselves. It's just this one that is having issues.

 

[JAMarlow]

Tried to teach her how to drink but she just sits there with her beak up after I tilted her and touched the beak to the water.

So gave her a few drops with an eyedropper at the side of her beak.

 

[Eggcessive]

I think that you are doing all you can. I probably would not massage her crop in case it is pushing fluid back up into her throat. I prefer letting them drink on their own by dipping the beak into food and water. The eyedropper to the side works well too. Egg yolk can be good as well. As far as I know the only difference in Poultry NutriDrench (which has B1, B3, and selenium on the label) and Poultry Cell is that NutriDrench lacks B2 riboflavin, very important with curled toes and leg issues. Either one should work for a boost. Is she passing any droppings? Let us know how it gets along.

 

[JAMarlow]

I know that she has pooed at some point because it hardened earlier yesterday. I used warm water to get it loose. She hasn't done it since. I keep checking for that.

Would you suggest raw egg yolk, or cook it and crumble it?

I think that you are doing all you can. I probably would not massage her crop in case it is pushing fluid back up into her throat. I prefer letting them drink on their own by dipping the beak into food and water. The eyedropper to the side works well too. Egg yolk can be good as well. As far as I know the only difference in Poultry NutriDrench (which has B1, B3, and selenium on the label) and Poultry Cell is that NutriDrench lacks B2 riboflavin, very important with curled toes and leg issues. Either one should work for a boost. Is she passing any droppings? Let us know how it gets along.

 

[Eggcessive]

Raw egg yolk is fine. If you use boiled egg yolk, just water it down.

 

[JAMarlow]

I continued the regiment, and as of this moment she's still alive. Because I had to work today I started transitioning her to the newest chick brooder with her egg-mates. Watched her a lot, continued feeding her at regular intervals. Every time I set her down I would set her in front of the water (which I mixed and dosed for her. I figured it wouldn't hurt the other new chicks) and use my finger to try and get her attention and teach her what it was. Most of the day it didn't work. HOWEVER, late last night she took a drink by herself. Then after the next feeding she took several drinks. Horrah!

Feeding was harder, but at the very least she was getting the nutrients from the drenches. I did finally see her peck at the food, mimicking the other chicks.

She's a bit more uncoordinated compared to the others, but she's able to move around the brooder. She knows where the warmth is. I have the brooder plate at an angle, where the back end is closer to the ground. She snuggled right down into that area.

She made it through the night. I made sure to feed her this morning. I put some feed in my hand and held it in front of her while she was still on my lap and she did peck at it and I think got some of it down. When I set her down she drank again.

At that point I had to go to work. I was nervous all day.

Came home 9 hours later, lifted the brooder plate, and she was there! Alive and kicking! Horrah! I held her a moment and checked her over. She has one eye that doesn't want to open as wide as the other. I wiped it with a wet corner of towel, but honestly, I don't see any gunk in there.

When I put her down she drank and pecked at more food. Later on, I was cleaning some of the brooder. Out of curiosity I put my hand down, palm up. She climbed right up.

Talk about melting my heart. Yes, she got a good half hour of cuddling under my chin while being gently stroked. She loved it.

In a moment I'm going to feed her more egg yolk. She might make it!