Weak baby chicks

[Aris2004]

Good evening friends of the night!

It's quite late but I can't stop worrying about two chicks in my flock. Compared to the others they are smaller, i don't know if maybe these two are just younger, but as the rest grows, they stay the same.

One of them is really keen on eating and luckily seems to be thriving. The other is my biggest concern. I had to nurse it and almost lost it if I didn't step in soon enough. That one now walks around, eats, sleep *very much* and drinks by himself now. From time to time he just stands there, closed eyes and gasps for air. He did that a lot during my time nursing him so Im glad he only does it sometimes. But I'd like to know what seems to be the issue.
I think it might be the brooder beeing hot during the day but since it's tiny and appears weak, I'm scared sleepless for it. I've been thinking about getting medication for it Google isn't much help to an easily spooked amateur like me. Any tips on how I could strengthen this lil' guy a bit?

 

[nuthatched]

It could be failure to thrive. Sometimes the catch up, often they don't. What's their diet?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Good evening friends of the night!

It's quite late but I can't stop worrying about two chicks in my flock. Compared to the others they are smaller, i don't know if maybe these two are just younger, but as the rest grows, they stay the same.

One of them is really keen on eating and luckily seems to be thriving. The other is my biggest concern. I had to nurse it and almost lost it if I didn't step in soon enough. That one now walks around, eats, sleep *very much* and drinks by himself now. From time to time he just stands there, closed eyes and gasps for air. He did that a lot during my time nursing him so Im glad he only does it sometimes. But I'd like to know what seems to be the issue.
I think it might be the brooder beeing hot during the day but since it's tiny and appears weak, I'm scared sleepless for it. I've been thinking about getting medication for it Google isn't much help to an easily spooked amateur like me. Any tips on how I could strengthen this lil' guy a bit?

How old is it? What does it eat? How does its poop look? Check that it's vent isn't blocked up with poop (pasty butt).

And a pic of your brooder might help. There should be a cooler area of the brooder they can go to if they are too hot.

You might try a couple drops of NutriDrench directly (just use the dropper to put a small amount on the side of the beak). That often perks birds right up.

 

[Aris2004]

It could be failure to thrive. Sometimes the catch up, often they don't. What's their diet?

It's baby chicken feed from an animal farm supply store. Water is clean. He seems to be catching up but slowly.

 

[Aris2004]

How old is it? What does it eat? How does its poop look? Check that it's vent isn't blocked up with poop (pasty butt).

And a pic of your brooder might help. There should be a cooler area of the brooder they can go to if they are too hot.

You might try a couple drops of NutriDrench directly (just use the dropper to put a small amount on the side of the beak). That often perks birds right

Poop is solid. Treated pasty butt a day ago and it is still clean. There are some small pictures from a previous post of mine but the brooder has a area where they can go and cool off, but I think I might click off a bulb during the day if its hot. The problem with the brooder is that it's like a stone basement with only a open door for ventilation. We put and extended cage to that so the chicks can go outside.
So far the weaker chick preferred to stay near the others, bulb and food. It should be close to two weeks old? Only way I can tell is that the others are bigger and started getting some feathers on their wings. He and his friend are a bit behind on that.
I'll check if there is any way to get some NutriDrench around here though, which I hope is possible.

 

[Coops Dad]

I have a tiny chick that is maybe 2/3 the size of its siblings, four weeks old, still covered with down while everyone else is well-feathered (it has wing feathers but still no body feathers or tail). Mine isn't as active as the rest but eats, drinks, scratches just fine. I use nutri drench in the waterer, feed them 20% gamebird starter crumbles and put them on grass in a chicken tractor at 2 weeks.

 

[Aris2004]

I have a tiny chick that is maybe 2/3 the size of its siblings, four weeks old, still covered with down while everyone else is well-feathered (it has wing feathers but still no body feathers or tail). Mine isn't as active as the rest but eats, drinks, scratches just fine. I use nutri drench in the waterer, feed them 20% gamebird starter crumbles and put them on grass in a chicken tractor at 2 weeks.

Thanks so much!! This takes so much off my worries!
I sadly can't get Nutri drench or the crumbles because by the time its shipped here the chicks will already be ready to go outside. Time flies and I won't be with them by September 6th :/

Is there maybe a substitute I could get from european sellers or look for something else? Ill work with whatever I can get

 

[Coops Dad]

Thanks so much!! This takes so much off my worries!
I sadly can't get Nutri drench or the crumbles because by the time its shipped here the chicks will already be ready to go outside. Time flies and I won't be with them by September 6th :/

Is there maybe a substitute I could get from european sellers or look for something else? Ill work with whatever I can get

It's an electrolyte supplement that you dissolve into their drinking water. I don't know what metric substitute y'all would have.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

There's a recipe for it here:

https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/2017/05/how-to-make-homemade-electrolytes-for.html

I found this in another post on homemade electrolytes. It may be good as a bridge until you can find a suitable product, but be certain to offer fresh unaltered water separately. good luck.

 

[Aris2004]

I found this in another post on homemade electrolytes. It may be good as a bridge until you can find a suitable product, but be certain to offer fresh unaltered water separately. good luck.

Greatly appreciated! I'll do my best and keep updates ready