tammy
New Member
Posts: 7
|
Post by tammy on Feb 15, 2009 10:22:11 GMT 8
Hello, I hope you are not shaking your head and thinking crazy chicken lady but I am new to chooks and just had my first hatch of chicks.
I have 4 chicks in with 3 mums.. (yes, not a good hatch rate) anyway the other 3 are running around and scratching and looking the well. The 4th one has never really left the nest and I havent seen it drink or eat and today he is very weak lying on his side with the other hens and chicks knocking it out of the way and pushing it over.
I have decided to step in and pulled it out of the broody pen and have moved it to a make-shift brooder of a foam box, shredded newspaper (didnt have sawdust) A 25 watt globe and wire mesh lid with the foam lid sitting on an angle to allow ventilation.
It drank readily from my hand before I put it in the box which gave me hope and is drinking a little every time I try and its cheeping madly and very loudly which is also a good sign but its not moving. Its wings are down for balance and its eyes are closed. Even when I hold it it barely opens it eyes. He is not standing on one foot properly either. It is fully formed and distends when I pop my finger underneath it but as soon as I move my finger it furls back up.
Am I wasting my time? I wont give up though and have been told by a bird rescue friend to add some penta-vite infant vitamins to its water which I have done.
Any other tips? Or any ideas on what might be wrong?
Any advise or encouragement would be much appreciated. I know that nature will take its course but I am feeling a bit sad for this poor little creature.
|
|
|
Post by fluffychook on Feb 15, 2009 10:51:30 GMT 8
Hi Tammy, sorry to hear about your little one. You have done the right thing in isolating it. I was going to suggest giving it some electrolyte in its water, but I think the vitamins may be enough. Someone else may know differently. Another thing you could do is put it on Sulphaquin or equivalent for possible cocci.
I hope all goes well with your little one, keep us posted.
|
|
|
Post by fluffychook on Feb 15, 2009 10:52:12 GMT 8
Crazy? Certainly not, just a kind caring keeper I think
|
|
tammy
New Member
Posts: 7
|
Post by tammy on Feb 15, 2009 11:02:03 GMT 8
Thanks Fluffy chook. I do have blackberry flavoured electrolyte solution.. I wonder if I should try adding that? Not sure about the flavouring though.
Its sitting up a bit better now but the cheeping has stopped and eyes are still fairly closed. Hopefully the cheeping has stopped because its not so scared.
Dont give up little chickie!!! I am not brave enough to name it yet incase it doesn't pull through and I am attached too much already
|
|
|
Post by rap on Feb 15, 2009 11:10:18 GMT 8
Sounds like your already as doing as much can for chick.Keep temperature at 37.5c or 100f by putting thermometer in floor of box.
|
|
tammy
New Member
Posts: 7
|
Post by tammy on Feb 15, 2009 15:49:55 GMT 8
Well, Cheeper is still with us and standing up now with its eyes open which I am taking as an improvement. My hubby and I are sticking the tip of beak in the vitamin water every 20 mins or so as we think of it and it is drinking. Still not seen it eat yet and its not walking around as such so not out of the woods yet. I hope it lives and that its not a Roo after all this!
Thanks everyone for your advise.. will keep you informed.
|
|
|
Post by lakelands on Feb 15, 2009 16:50:49 GMT 8
yes do let us know how it gets on Oh and you might also have to use a higher watt globe. depending on the hight of the box. check the temp if you have a athermometer should be around 99.5 for the 1st week and reduce by 5 degrees each week
|
|
tammy
New Member
Posts: 7
|
Post by tammy on Feb 16, 2009 8:26:40 GMT 8
Hello, Well Cheeper finally gave up the flight last night. RIP in chicken heaven little Cheeper. Thanks to everyone for your advise.
|
|
|
Post by fluffychook on Feb 16, 2009 9:14:09 GMT 8
What a shame, I hate it when I lose a little chickie, but you know you did all you could for it so it was well loved and pampered while it was with you. RIP little Cheeper
|
|
|
Post by lakelands on Feb 16, 2009 11:33:17 GMT 8
sorry to hear. Poor little cheeper Poor Tammy
|
|
|
Post by aliahna on Feb 16, 2009 12:11:00 GMT 8
Oh Tammy, I'm sorry to hear that. How sad. You know that you did all you could for it, but unfortunatley sometimes these things happen.
|
|
|
Post by Cluck N Waddle on Feb 16, 2009 12:29:08 GMT 8
Aw, I'm sorry to hear that Tammy. But at least you know that you did everything you could to help him.
|
|
|
Post by Duck Diva on Feb 16, 2009 20:38:23 GMT 8
Sorry about your cheeper Tammy, hope the others are doing well
|
|
Yam
Junior Member
Posts: 67
|
Post by Yam on Feb 17, 2009 14:24:29 GMT 8
Sorry to hear about your lil one Tammy I'm raising 8 RIRs at the moment which are almost 2 months now. I had a few problems in the beginning also. One chick was given to me for free at a week old because it wasn't eating and was smaller than the dayold chicks. It looked pretty sad, but just needed some encouragement to feed itself and is now my biggest boy! His middle toe was bent, but has straightened with age-please don't cull chicks just because they have a bent toe as it is likely to straighten... My smallest lil girl "Chili" had similar symptoms to your little Cheeper, sitting in the corner for days with eyes closed and wings down while the rest ran around eating... I ended up tube-feeding her very diluted parrot-rearing mix and Spark (electrolyte solution) for three days. I had lost almost all hope in her surviving, but she began eating on her own!!! She is the smallest, but more beautiful girl! Another boy had respiratory problems and stopped eating at 2wks old. After a few days of special attention, he was fine and now just suffers with a very slight respiratory problem. A brilliant electrolyte solution for short-term treatment of severe dehydration is "hartman's solution". otherwise "SparK" is pretty good too. Also, I have found that chicks are more inclined to eat live prey such as mealworms at any stage and mine only ate mealies when unwell, a real life-saver!!! Hope this helped someone.... Yam
|
|
Yam
Junior Member
Posts: 67
|
Post by Yam on Feb 17, 2009 14:28:13 GMT 8
Now who's the crazy-chook-lady??? lol But I do think you did all that could be done for your little one...so sorry
|
|