Sick chick eyes closed

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by Erica
(Alma, Ga, USA)

Question

Sick chick eyes closed: My sick chick is just a few days shy of 1 month. I woke up this morning and found one hen with her eyes closed and she is just limp, to the point of when i sit her down she falls over!!

I'm new to raising chicks and I have no idea on what to do first!! please help.

Answer
I'm not sure if we are talking about an adult hen and a chick, also. Anytime a chicken is weak, there is the possibility of hyper or hypothermia (too hot or too cold), dehydration, malnutrition and disease.

With so little to go on, I couldn't tell you what is wrong, but offering fluids is important, if the chicken isn't too weak to swallow.

A chick that becomes too hot or too cold will shut down once its body temperature reaches a certain high or low. Determining which one, too hot or too cold, is important.

Most often a chick will be come too cold and warming it up will revive it. Warm fluids help a cold chick and cool fluids will help one that is too hot.

Starting at about 100 degrees F, a chick can usually tolerate having the brooder heat reduced 5 - 10 degrees per week of age. The more chicks you have the more they are able to keep each other warm.

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