I need help! Problem with new chicks!

Hey all,

I took delivery of my 5 baby chicks today and one of them is doing something strange....

One White Crested Black Polish chick is acting like it's trying to throw up. It's whole body heaves a couple times and then it lays down and falls asleep for a bit, only to resume a couple more heaves, etc., etc. The rest of the chicks are acting normal. They have food and water.
Any idea what the deal is with the heaving chick? He/she is NOT throwing anything up. Does anyone know what the problem is? Is this is ok? And if there is anything I'm suppose to do??
Thanks guys! I don't know what I'd do without you all!
~~ Glenda

Glenda,
Try and hand feed it some water with a little food. Try that ...
Tracey

Ok.... I'll be right back. Thanks Tracey.

Well, apparently, my WCBP chick was thirsty. He wouldn't take the food/water mixture, but he sat on his butt, with his beak pointed straight up, and drank drops of water hanging from my fingertip. After about 4 or 5 drops of water, the heaving stopped. He's eating food on his own ok also. …….I'll keep an eye on him and if the heaving starts up again, I'll give him more drops of water. Eventually, he'll learn how to drink from his brooder buddies.

Thanks Tracey! Sure appreciate your quick help! ;) Whew!!

~~ Glenda

Have you been dipping his beak in the water bowl , sometimes it takes a few times before they get the idea ??

Sometimes marbles in the water dish help a little too, they attract them and they help to keep them from drowning if they fall in.

Are you using an electrolyte solution ?? A lot of folks give a little sugar water the first day.... mail order can be rough.

Good luck, hope it starts to drink on it's own soon !!

~Julie =0)

Julie,
I have some Pedialyte here. Is that what you're talking about? If so, how much do I put in per cup?

Well, it's 4:42am and I've just checked on my chicks..... Guess that makes me the Mother Hen.

I'm glad to report that my little white crested black polish chick has finally learned how to drink from the water dish on his own! Yeah!! I saw him run over to the water dish and take a few drinks. I sat and watched him for 20 minutes or more and he is no longer heaving, so that must have been the problem.

Thanks again Tracey for the quick help!
You're a little-chick-in-Michigan's guardian angel!! ;)

~~ Glenda

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY,for Tracy to the rescue!!!!! Good going Glenda on the Quick Save of your little Po Po!!

Glenda, you can put a half cup of sugar in a gallon of water. Don't know the amount for pedialyte. Just give that the first day though so it's probably too late to help you.

Good job on the rescue, Tracey.

So when are we going to see some photos of these new babies, Mama Hen?

My daughter borrowed my camera today - my grandson's kindergarten class is going to our state capital today, so as soon as I get my camera back I'll post pictures on a new thread. :) Thanks for the sugar water info, hart! Yeah, it's too late for this brood but there will be more in the future and I'll remember to give it to the next bunch! ;) .....Sure appreciate the help everyone!

Glenda, what I was told to do when they arrived was to give them nothing but water for the first hour, dip their beaks in it so they could find it. (Boy did they ever enjoy being tipped upside down to put their beaks in water. LOL) After water for an hour, offer them chick feed.

I put a half cup of sugar and a teaspoon of terramycin in a gallon of water for the first day. You can get the antibiotic at your local farm store if you want to use that. It's not expensive and will be handy to have on hand.

There's some good info here. It says 3 tablespoons of sugar per quart for the first two days.
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/chickcare.html

Thanks a bunch hart! Will do...

I've seen baby chicks act that way after eating a bunch of feed and not drinking water with it. Almost like it gets stuck in their crop or something. There is a condition that chickens get, something like an impacted crop.......... someone else may know more about it. I think I heard that it happens with older chickens if they don't eat enough grit also. This is just what I've heard....... never researched it. Maybe someone who knows more will chime in.