# Lethargic chick / won’t eat or drink



## Courtney Kenworthy (Jun 27, 2020)

We have a 2-3 day old bantam chick who came out of the mail unable to stand yesterday. We’ve been feeding her egg yolk mixed with electrolyte supplements but she won’t eat any solid food. Yesterday she stood up and walked around for a while but now she’s back to being unable to stand and can barely hold her head up.

She did have pasty bottom when she came out of the box but her vent is cleared out now and has pooped a couple times. We now have her in a separate brooder alone and we are feeding her with a dropper. When we give her water she shakes her head back and forth quickly and then tilts her head back like she’s swallowing it. She can’t get up when she falls over.

Her brooder is at 100F and we are using pine shavings. Does anyone have any experience with a chick like this or know anything we can do to help her?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You've done all you can for one so young. That head back after trying to give it water is an indication that things are not going well for peep. 

I wish I could give you better news but unfortunately that's one of the things we have to deal with when we have them in our lives.


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## Courtney Kenworthy (Jun 27, 2020)

Thank you. Will continue doing what we are doing and see what happens.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

yeah I don't see much to work with here other than, turn down the heat, 100 is way too hot, 90 to 95 is max and most of the time, even at 2 days old, they don't want it that hot. I've never had chicks that wanted that kind of heat. take it down to 90 and see if that will do anything, I doubt it but it's something to try.


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