Little runt won't/can't eat or drink

[Ezekielette]

This weekend we have just added four bantam australorps to our family, and I'm having some problems which I thought someone may be able to assist with?

On 8.10.16 we picked up 4 one day old chicks 3 of them were fine when we got them home and were eating and drinking. There is one that we never saw eat or drink. She didn't open her eyes until the second day and she seems very unbalanced; always walking backwards and falling over.

I started hand feeding her electrolytes but she won't eat anything solid, not even chick mash.

Today I gave her some plain yoghurt. No pasty butt. She just sits under the heat lamp and chirps, makes no attempt to eat or drink.

At first I thought she was blind but she watches me walk around and recognises the food I feed her on.

Any suggestions on what this might be, what we can do for her, etc? I have ordered some poultry vitamins to give her as well.

Anything anyone could offer will be incredibly appreciated.

Katie

 

[mustangrooster]

Hi There Ezekielette, And a big warm welcome to the BYC community!


From what you have described, it sounds like a problem I had 4 weeks ago with one of my home hatched chicks.

My little one was indeed a little runt, and when all of her siblings were up, walking around, eating, drinking and playing little chick just stayed under the heat unable to walk or keep her balance. Of course I was worried, so I came to BYC for help, and was suggested to check her feet, hocks and legs for injuries. And I was also suggested to check for pasty butt. However she had no injuries nor a pasty butt.

You stated that they were one day old when you picked them up on the weekend, so if your chick has not eaten or drunken for more than 2 days then there is a problem.

I would advise to not count on the poultry vitamins, I know some that do more harm than good. So please just be careful when you give her store brought medicine. She only has a small body.

Here is what I did to help my little chick when she was in the situation you have with yours.

Instantly, after I figured that little chick was in trouble I mixed up some sugar water. A lot of people use this method because the sugar boosts up their body energy.

You only need about 1 teaspoon of sugar per one big cup of warm water.

I made her drink as much of it as she could, by dipping her beak into the water container of sugar water.

Then I moved onto adding water into a little container of chick starter until the chick starter was mash, I chopped up a few pieces of garlic, only very tiny pieces because a little chick can NOT have too much garlic when they are that small. Its important to remember that the garlic has to be tiny.

I put the garlic pieces in with the chick mash, stirred it and scooped some into a syringe. Then slowly fed her with a syringe until I knew that she had enough.

Leave your chick in with the other chicks, it will encourage her to try and walk and be with her siblings.

I continued to dunk her beak in the sugar water (and plain water) all throughout the day, and I fed her every 1 1/2 hours. I noticed her improvement. And soon enough she was up and walking, drinking and eating on her own.

I hope your chick has a easy recovery, for what I have just written is the only advice I can give you.

So BEST of luck!

-Mustang

EDIT: By the way, you have a very adorable chick

 

[MrsBrooke]

I would try feeding her raw yolk. That's the BEST thing you can give her.

If any others start looking down or you see bloody poops, I'd track down some amprolium if you don't have any on hand. Here in the States, we have Corid... it's a Coccidiostat and treats Coccidiosis.

I hope your sweet baby thrives!!!

MrsB

 

[mustangrooster]

Quote:
x2 I didn't mention raw yolk because when I had the same problem with a chick she wouldn't eat raw yolk... -Mustang

 

[Ezekielette]

Thank you so much everyone for your advice. Unfortunately she didn't make it through this evening

Now to look after her three siblings and additional one we are getting tomorrow

K8i

 

[MrsBrooke]

I am so sorry for your loss.

As a fellow crazy Austalorp lady, I am saddened by the passing of a little banty baby.

Sometimes, we do the best we can and they just don't make it. You did a great job trying to save her.

MrsB