# I think she is sick



## brian (Sep 25, 2013)

We just day old baby chicks today. One of the ones that we got has been sleeping all day and not opening her eyes hardly at all, now tonight she is just kinda lifeless, she was breathing hard but now that has slowed down. We have tried to give her sugar water. Any other suggestions?


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Unfortunately, there really isn't anything you can do when they are that young. Most of the time its a problem that can not be seen and can not be fixed.


----------



## brian (Sep 25, 2013)

Ok thanks for the reply


----------



## brian (Sep 25, 2013)

brian said:


> Ok thanks for the reply


She tilts her head back so that the back of her head touches her back the open her mouth like she is trying to drink. What could she be doing


----------



## Itsacutefuzzball (Mar 16, 2013)

Star-Gazing? A wild guess here.


----------



## brian (Sep 25, 2013)

Itsacutefuzzball said:


> Star-Gazing? A wild guess here.


She has her eyes closed, so I'm guessing NO


----------



## Itsacutefuzzball (Mar 16, 2013)

Like I said, just a wild, kind of educated, guess.


----------



## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

brian said:


> She has her eyes closed, so I'm guessing NO


Star gazing doesn't require an open eye...it's a neurological condition that causes the chick to point the beak towards the sky and lay the head backwards onto their backs. In most cases it's a vitamin/nutrient deficiency in chicks, one of which is thiamine.

If you are feeding medicated chick starter and they are already thiamine deficient, you might think about getting different feed for them.


----------



## brian (Sep 25, 2013)

Bee said:


> Star gazing doesn't require an open eye...it's a neurological condition that causes the chick to point the beak towards the sky and lay the head backwards onto their backs. In most cases it's a vitamin/nutrient deficiency in chicks, one of which is thiamine.
> 
> If you are feeding medicated chick starter and they are already thiamine deficient, you might think about getting different feed for them.


No we are not feeding medicated chick starter it is dumor starter/grower. Is there anything that we can do?


----------



## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Some people give PolyVisol, I think it's called...it's just liquid vitamins. It will likely die before you can arrange an intervention...once they are breathing like that, most often they are about done.


----------



## Elisabeth (Sep 25, 2013)

She ended up passing this morning. Brian had gone to get some vitamins to try but by the time he got home it was too late :-(


----------



## RickaRae (Aug 12, 2013)

We just hatched a stargazing chick. It was tough. I'm so sorry you lost her. :-(


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If this happens its usually an indicator there is something going on with the breeding flock. It might be genetic or it might be nutritional.


----------



## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

I agree. I would inform the source of the difficulties you are having with these chicks and then I'd find a more reliable source for chicks. It shouldn't ever be this hard to raise chicks.


----------

