Mo Chick

How do you treat a baby chick that seems sick and not walking?

The baby chick is about 5 weeks old. I do not have the chick, my daughter is raising it separate from the batch at her apartment indoors. Is it normal for a baby chick at this age to have like a pouch at his chin? Is this the gizzard? Should she put so much effort into one little chick? The chick seems to be eating and drinking. Thanks.

Public Comments

1. If the chick isn't walking and seems ill then it may be deffiecient with a certain nutrient and supplements may be needed, but you will need to contact a vet for sure!!! **Best of luck!
2. Contact a vet ASAP!!!!
3. It wasn't stated what species the chick was. Most birds have something called a crop which is a large sac at the base of the food pipe. It adds digestive juices to the food to help break down food before it continues on to the stomach and gizzard (Birds have a two sectioned stomach). Raising a bird by hand takes a LOT of work, including possible emergency trips to the vet if the crop is burned. The chicks' crop should be nice and round but not too tight. If the crop is staying empty or always full and never empting, the chick should see a vet. Raising birds takes a whole lot of work - when they're 1-5 days old you're up every 2 hours feeding them day and night! If the chick isn't walking and is completely bald, that's normal, especially if it can't lift its head up. Birds are hatched into two baby types - Those that can walk at birth and those that can't. The second group requires heat, food and fluids to be provides by their parents. But you probably knew that ^.^ . If the chick is completely feathered but can't walk, that should be a cause for concern and the bird brought to the vet. It's possible that the chick has an infection. Most importantly, keep the baby bird warm. A quick and dirty brooder is a hamster cage with a 60 watt bulb shining into one corner and a towel covering 3/4 of the cage. Good luck! I hope the bird does well!