unlively chicks

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Hi I ordered some chicks form Ideal Poultry ,they just come in yesterday but two did not look so good when they got here .then they looked better by a few hours .Today the 2 don't look so good again .there kind of lislis there not eating ether .They are on non meditcated chick starter .and they are bantams Vince

-- V.R. (Usjersey@hotmail.com), April 06, 2002

Answers

Hi, Vince -- I always add sugar (about 1 tablespoon to a half gallon) to the water to help as an energy booster, particularly with bantams, since they don't handle the stress of shipping as well as the larger breeds (at least in my experience). I also add a little apple cider vinegar (about a tablespoon) and Bach's Rescue Remedy (a calming flower essence -- I swear by this stuff, for peoples and critters). I add only about 4 drops of the Rescue Remedy. If they still appear listless the mornign after I've received them, I separate them from the rest of the group to keep them from getting trampled (I keep a 10 gal aquarium in my mud with a heat lamp permanently attached for just such an emergency, since we get broiler chicks in every 3 weeks).

Good luck! What kind of banties, byt the way -- I love bantams!

-- Andrea Gauland, Big Flats NY (andreagee@aol.com), April 06, 2002.


Hi Vince

You might want to consider going to your feed store and getting some Electrolytes with vitamins. Cost under $3.00 I believe. The electrolytes will help them deal with the stress and the itamines will help keep them up until their appetite kicks in. It is a powder that is water soluable, and all you do is measure it out and pour it into the correct measurement of water.

I didn't know about it when we got our first 25 chicks. Sure wish I had!!! When we got our next batch of chicks, 50+, I had it already for them when we picked them up. Hey!!!! We got our 50+ chicks from Ideal too!! :-)

The directions on the package are for large quanities. Bummer for a person with a home flock. Doing the math - this is how it breaks down for small quanities:

1/2 tsp per gallon. 1/4 tsp per 1/2 gallon, 1/8 tsp per quart.

You want to mix it fresh every day. And when the chicks are this young you want to use warm water.

With these two little ones, you might try dripping some water off you finger tip (remember to wash you hands first!) onto the very edge of their beak. Being VERY carefull not to get any in their nostrils!!! Good luck with your new chicks!! :-)

-- dottie - in E Shore MD (mother-ducker@webtv.net), April 06, 2002.


Are they warm enough? Cold chicks will not eat. They should be at 95 degrees for the first week and some folks nudge it a bit higher than that when the chicks aren't doing well. I always watch the chicks to see how they are doing, but I also put a small thermometer in the brooder to double check the temps.

Normally the hen would teach them to eat, so you may need to teach them to eat. For the first 3 days after the chicks arrive, I cover their regular bedding with white paper towels (ridged, not smooth) and sprinkle some feed onto the towel. The paper towels keeps the chicks from eating their bedding by mistake and makes it easier to for them to see their feed. If they don't start pecking at it, then I "peck" at it with my finger to get them interested. One of my friends puts red finger nail polish on her "pecking" finger; she swears the chicks catch on better since they love the color red! If they don't start eating soon, then I would try tempting them with the mashed yolk from a boiled egg. Give them small amounts and don't leave it out for long.

Sugar water or unflavored, unsweetened pedialyte are fine for chicks. I personally change it at least twice a day. It is easy for things to start breeding bacteria since the brooder is so warm.

-- Margarete (forpippin@earthlink.net), April 06, 2002.


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