Ok, y'all, I have another sick chick. This one is a broiler. All the others are doing fine but I noticed a lethargic one that is a bit smaller than the rest. Last night I noticed it and took it out. I held it in my hand on its back and it couldn't even hold its head up. I moved it to its own box with a heat lamp and water and food source. I go in and dip its beak several times a day for it to drink and I have tried to get it to eat the chick crumbles but I don't think it is. It seems to be doing a little better and it is still alive but barely. I am not sure what to do. It doesn't have any outward signs of illness. I was wondering if there was something that I could put in its water that might give it some calories. I considered making a slurry of baby rice cereal really thin that I could stick its beak in. Any ideas?
Laura
Another ailing chick
I don't know what's wrong with your chick (many chicken problems can present themselves similarly, especially in young birds), but you could try something I try with my chickens whenever they seem weak or "off their feed." You could dissolve a little honey in water (but don't make this in large amounts, you'd want to give it fresh each day); watch for ants, though! That provides some extra energy and some beneficial nutrients. Also, cornmeal mixed with fresh [raw] egg is great for protein. The rice cereal you mentioned would probably be good also.
Oh, and if you have any electrolytes (available at most feed stores, to dissolve in water to give chicks a boost), they would be great.
Best wishes for your chick's recovery!
~JoAnna
you could also try some cooked egg yolks... hope he make sit.
Laura, you checked for pasty butt, right?
Thanks for all the ideas. No pasty butt. It seems like it is getting a little stronger. It is still alive anyway. I disolved some honey in water along with some oat flour and a pinch of kelp powder. I have been spoon feeding it this mixture.
I will try some egg yolk. I thought of that. It is what nourished it in the egg right? So it seems it would be good for it now. Like chicky breastmilk ;)
Laura
yep, just like momma gave him!
i tried giving it raw and found it made such a mess, better to cook it! and crumble it up...
This message was edited Mar 2, 2008 11:46 AM
Well, I have been giving the egg yolk and it did stand up on its own a bit and peeped at me several times. It doesn't seem to like being force fed! I really shouldn't be putting this much energy and nursing into a bird that is going to be butchered. It seems kind of strange. I tell you what though, I will never do Jumbo X broilers again. They are so freaky. They are like frankenchickens. It isn't there fault they were bred to be freaks. Next time I will just get regular meat or dual purpose birds.
Laura
yeah, theya ren't too smart wither. i think at some point you have to take their feed from them 12 hours a day or they keel over from a heart attack.
Holy cow, I didn't know that. Yikes. They have really been eating a lot. I was surprised to find that after filling the feeders before bed they were empty in the morning. That is a lot of feed!
The ailing chick was looking better but isn't looking so hot again. It seems to be gasping ever so often while it lays listless and sleeping. At what point do I figure it has had enough? I wonder if it is uncomfortable? And how do you euthanize a chick? It might sound cold but I just can't spend $25 to take a $2 broiler that we planned on eating to the vet to be put to sleep.
Laura
i would just let nature take its course. contact the hatchery tomorrow for their feeding recommendations, i don't want to steer you wrong...
Well my sick little chick is gone. I did help it along. It was gasping and its tongue was hanging out and breathing seemed to be very difficult. It was just so weak. I will contact the hatchery. It was two weeks old though. Not sure they will consider it their liability. As far as feeding goes I think I have the feeding sheet around here somewhere. I will check on feeding broilers.
Thanks all!
Laura
;-(
sorry, but glad its over...