# Need Help with hatch assistance please



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Hey tothether,

Is there anybody familiar with hatch assistance who would help me. The egg was layed 20 days ago. 2 chicks already hatched on the 19th day after laying. I don't have time to write the whole story but I already opened the egg. The beak already breakthrough the membrane. As I tried to remove the membrane gently, it bleeded a little bit. This was 3 hours ago. The chick is still vocalizing. I took the pictures some Minutes ago. Is it save now to move on removing the shell to see if the yolk is absorbed, or should I wait?

These are the pictures. 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/28453111/Vogsis/Cockatiel2.jpeg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/28453111/Vogsis/Cockatiel1.JPG

It would be sooo great if anybody could help me

Thank you
Monika


----------



## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

I don't know anything personally, but srtiels a very experienced breeder recently posted this. Hope it helps. http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=39573&highlight=assist+hatch


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

The chick is out of the egg! It has red eyes - a Lutino. I tried to set it to the mother and the other chicks (5 and 7 days old) but it didn't work. Tomorrow morning I will try again (it's already midnight). Meanwhile I'm going to feed it every 2 hours.


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Please read the article on assist hatches so you'll be able to tell whether the yolk was fully absorbed before the baby hatched, and what to do if it wasn't fully absorbed.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Hey Thanks, I already read several articles about hatch assist. But I was not able to see if the blood was drawn in and it was safe to move on. The Yolk was absorbed. It is still alive.


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

That's great that it's still alive, good luck!


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Yes it's still alive, but i have to hand feed it.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Have the parents not accepted it back into the nest?


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Yesterday the parents startet to go out of the nestbos for about half an hour several times a day. The other 2 chicks are big enough. But the small one startet to shiver. So i took it out of the nestbox. It seems also that they didn't feed it. The corp was empty when I took it out. So I decided to hand feed it. Its now in an old fish tank. My husband is going to make a breeding box with air circulation and thermostat so that the warming conditions should be ok.
Yesterday morning it had 4 grams, today 5 grams.

The problem I'm facing actually is the humidity in the breeding box. In the fish tank its very low (30 %) in spite of very big water containers in it. I hope in the breeding box we can handle that better. Has anybody tipps for that??

thanks Monika


----------



## parrotparadise (May 5, 2013)

you should just.be able to.put a shallow but wide dish of water in the brooder to.get the humidity up or you can spray the walls of the brooder with water, im so glad you took bub in  hope all goes well


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Place a piece of cardboard in the brooder and spray that with water. The other chicks should've helped to keep the baby warm, but it is hard for the parents to feed the smaller ones when there is such a huge gap in age.


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Humidity is important for eggs and hatching, but is it important for babies? Rain forest birds might need it but cockatiels are desert birds. I live in the desert myself and never think twice about humidity after the eggs hatch. I've never used a brooder though and maybe that makes a difference. The chicks would lose moisture from the body faster in a dry climate but you're also putting a lot of moisture into them. 30% humidity is pretty high by desert standards, it's usually more like 5-10% at my house.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Thank you for your answers. In the new brooder the humidity is fine. Yesterday evening the baby had 7 grams, today morning 6 grams. :-( I hope it goes up again today. 


Here is a picture I took yesterday


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I can't see a picture...how much formula are you feeding? And what's the temp of it? We had a member have a stunted baby recently because the temp of the formula wasn't quite right.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Thank you for the answer. Perhaps this link works: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/28453111/Vogsis/IMG_2699.jpg

I feed 10 % of the body weight. I boil water and mix it with the formula and let it cool down to 102 degree to 104 degree. The formula cools down very fast and i suppose in the syringe it cools down as well a little bit. When i put the first drop on my hand it feels a little bit cool. On the one hand I'm anxious that its too cold and on the other hand I'm anxious to burn the baby when its warmer than that. I check the temperature of the formula with a clinical thermometer. It has a red spot at the throat, as you can see here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/28453111/Vogsis/DSC_8983.JPG and here
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/28453111/Vogsis/DSC_8976.JPG

I already read so much about hand feeding but the more I read the more anxious I am to do something wrong... Too hot food, too cold food... too hot, cold box-temperature, too less hygiene. (I wash my hands with antibacterial soap from the drug store before touching the chick)
It's crazy... no matter what the chick does, I always think perhaps something is wrong. When its sleeping, when it makes noises (begging for food) when i'ts moving and when its not moving.... soooo crazy. I just wand to do everything right... :-(

thanks - the anxious Monika


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

The red is normal looking to me. After you fill the syringe, take a cup and fill it with the hot water and place the syringe in that. It will keep the formula warm til you're ready to feed the baby. Its a good idea for when the baby gets bigger and needs more food. The baby looks good, it is a little red, for the first couple days the formula needs to be more liquid than formula. As it gets older, it should be the consistency of apple sauce.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Thank you for the advice with the syringe. I use the formula like in the instruction. 1:6 formula:water on the first day to 1:2 on the 5th day. 

Sorry that i ask again. I have found another picture (Thursday - the day after hatching) https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/28453111/Vogsis/IMG_2690.jpg
There you see this red stroke down the throat. and on the picture https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...s/DSC_8983.JPG you can see that the food goes down the throat on the left side but not on the right side. (do you know what I mean? - its a little bit hard for me to explain in english  

Thank you sooo much for your help


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

In the first picture the baby is very dehyrdrated, which would explain the red. That's why I suggested more liquid, especially since its not gaining weight.

As to what side the food goes down on, remember the respiratory system is there as well, so it can probably only go down one side (I'm not totally sure about that.)


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

You are such a huge help! So I hope I did not burn it and everything goes well


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> As to what side the food goes down on, remember the respiratory system is there as well, so it can probably only go down one side (I'm not totally sure about that.)


When I handfeed babies that haven't feathered out yet, I can see a big glob of food slide down one side of the throat (my left, their right) when they swallow. It's a fun thing to watch.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

The baby is growing. Weight was 11 grams today morning with empty corp. A little bit to less I think but the weight goes up continuously. Thursday until today (4, 5, 6, 9 and 11 grams)


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Hey everybody, hey roxy!

Last two nights the chick (her name is Lilly) had problem digesting the food. The corp did not empty for 4,5 hours. So i gave her some fennel tea. Now I prepare the formula a little bit thinner. That works pretty fine. Lilly has 16 grams today (It's the 7th day).
In some books I read, that from the 6th day I can feed every 3 hours and from 10th day every 4 hours with 6 hours break at night. In Internet I read until 20 days old, I should feed every two hours day and night. What do you think about that?

Next problem - the father is picking the other 2 chicks feathers (on head an cheeks). I tried to not let him into the nest box, but he is really stressed and due to that the mother gets nervous too. So I let him into the box to feed the babies and try to get him out as soon as possible. He goes in and wants to feed the chick. When the chick does not immediately raise the head and open the beak, he touches his cheek with his beak and tongue. I think thereby the picks some feathers. I never saw him aggressive. But the picked feathers on the head looked a little bit bloody. There are some red dots where the feathers were.

Perhaps you could give me some more advices? That would be so kind


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I've never handfed more than a couple days before my hen took over. I do not agree with the every two hours day and night til 20, that's too much. I would go with the every three hours and from the 10th day ever four hours with the break at night. That should work out fine. You really shouldn't have to thicken the food til about two weeks of age. 

As to the plucking, what are the parent's diet like? If you're seeing blood, there could be a sodium deficiency going on. The dad could also just be overzealous with preening. The babies should be fine. Are you gonna pull them for handfeeding when they get older?


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Thank you for your answer. 

The parents get their normal food, cooked food like seeds, rice, potatoes and a special breeding food with eggs you can buy here in Pet shop. I stopped to give them the egg-food. Perhaps they want to get the chicks out of the nestbox to start a new breeding. I read that this could happen.
Additional they also get vitamin cocktail for birds.

My idea was not to get the others out to handfeed them, but put the smallest one in to let the parents feed when it is old enough and IF the parents accept it. Now the parents are very often outside the nestbox and I think its too cold for the little one, even if the other ones can warm it a little bit. 
I considered to pull them out when the father started plucking. But as long as it is not to excessive I would like to let them with the parents.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

The baby should be fine with its siblings. They will all keep each other warm. By the time its a week old it should be fine for a bit without the parents at all.


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

If you give them food with extra sodium it might help stop the plucking. Red chard is an excellent source of sodium if your birds will eat vegetables. Celery is good too. You could try offering them a small piece of whole-grain bread with a little bit of salted butter on it. Providing one of those salt wheels made for rodents can also be helpful.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

tielfan said:


> If you give them food with extra sodium it might help stop the plucking. Red chard is an excellent source of sodium if your birds will eat vegetables. Celery is good too. You could try offering them a small piece of whole-grain bread with a little bit of salted butter on it. Providing one of those salt wheels made for rodents can also be helpful.



They really loooove to eat whole-grain bread but i avoidet to give it to them because i thought salt would not be good for the babies. Billy (the father) does nearly EVERYTHING to get a piece of bread. So I will fulfill his wish for breakfast now 

Thank you for your advice


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Whole grain bread is an excellent baby food, although they need other things too to have a balanced diet. Breeding birds need more sodium than non-breeding birds, and might start plucking the babies to get sodium from their blood if they can't get it any other way. You wouldn't want them to eat a huge amount of salt and then regurgitate it to the babies, but a small amount of salt mixed into a lot of other nutritious stuff is fine.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Hey, here are some pictures of the small one from yesterday (I hope it works)


































A little bit thin, but full of life!


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Well look at that gorgeous little one!! 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

(S)he is SOO beautiful








The 2nd to last made me laugh


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

We have troubles again. Tonight she took 12 hours to empty her crop. Today morning i gave her a really thin formula with fennel. This was 3 hours ago. Now it's nearly empty. Next i will give her pure tea to be sure no more formula is in the corp and then will go on with feeding a thin formula. 

I hope this initiates the digestion again.
Keep your fingers crossed for her.


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

She's getting big! She's so gorgeous. I have my fingers crossed for her.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Try an alkaseltzer mix instead of the tea. That should get her digestive tract moving again.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

14 days old and still 34 gram (the 3rd day now) The digestion is better now. 4 hours for 2 ml. But it should go faster. I'm going to find some alka seltzer today. I already talked to the vet. He said medication is not ideal for such a little bird. I should try fennel-tea and thin formula. 

This is a picture of the crop. Its a little bit blurred. But I think the crop looks OK.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I don't see any prominant red veins, so right now its just slow crop. Rinse with the alkaseltzer mix, then feed one mL of it to the baby. Let the baby full empty the crop of that, then try formula again. Keep doing it til the crop movement picks back up.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Yesterday I did not get any alka seltzer. But today I found some. I will try that as soon as the crop is empty. I have no tools here to empty the crop (such as a tube or so) and I'm anxious to hurt her, when I go into the crop with a tube. 
Yesterday I went to the Vet. He made a tapping and a rinse with sodium chloride.
Digestion was better this night (3 hours for 2 ml). She did a lot of droppings. And she has 2 grams more today.

And here is a short video I took the day before yesterday:
http://youtu.be/U46WFoudrAU


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Hey roxy,

I just saw that the alka seltzer is with lemon taste.
The ingredients are for one fizzy tablet: 324 mg acetic acid, 965 mg citric acid, 1743 mg sodium bicarbonate, 1,95 mg Lemon flavor, 1,95 mg Lime flavor and 2 mg saccharin sodium. 

Is that OK? I also got pure Sodium bicarbonate. Perhaps its better to give her a solution of that. 1/2 tsp. to 1/4 cup of warm water, right? This solution seems a little bit strong to me...Also the alka seltzer solution 1/2 Tablet on 4 oz water seems a little strong. Its about the same mixing proportion as for humans, right? 

thank you monika


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

If the vet already did something and her digestion has picked up you don't need the alka rinse. I would go with the normal, nonflavored one though, I don't know how the lemon would affect her. I would keep an eye on her digestion for now, but it sounds like she may be fine.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

I think the vet did not get the rest of the food out of the crop. She is digesting for 2 hours and there is a small amount of food left. This leftover is not digestet even 3 or 4 hours later. I gave her tea and a crop massage to dissolve the leftover, but it didn't word. I alwas can see something yellow at the bottom of the crop, while the tea is at the top and transparent. But the leftover does not feel hard or doughy. It feels liquid oder almost like air. 

This is a picture of the leftover (its a little bit less than on the picture - the last feeding was 1,5 hours ago on the pic)








Could it be that the crop is empty and the yellow color is a deposit (hope thats the right term) in the crop??? The crop is not close fitting. 

I really don't know what to do. Waiting until really empty? Feeding every 2 hours when everything but the leftover is digested? Try to get the leftover out by myself and hope not to kill the baby by trying this...??? I'm a little bit desperate.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

You're gonna have to try to get it out, it could be yeast. Use an alkaseltzer mix and massage the crop when its in there to break it up and then you're going to have to turn her upside down and massage it out of her crop. Its gonna be scary but it has to be done. Then feed one mL of the alkaseltzer mix and let her fully digest that. THEN you can feed her food. Do not attempt to feed food on top of what's already in there.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

I called the vet today. He said he got all the food out of her and that was very liquid. Then the flushed with Sodium Cloride and got that also out. So she was empty. But when I took her home she was still yellow at the bottom of the crop??? What the ****???

I have fed her every 2 hours now. Just right now. As I think its not a good idea to put more liquid in the crop I wait another 2 hours and try what you told me. Can I try also with Sodiumbicarbonate (=baking soda)? Or better the Lemon-Alka-Seltzer?

I don't know if you see this message in the next two hours so in doubt I take the baking soda. I will tell how it worked.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

No succeess. Try to turn her upside down did not work at all. And also dissolving the yellow something in the crop with baking soda and 15 minutes massage. So I drove to the vet and got a tube. I was more anxious that she dies from suffocation by turning her upside down than by putting a tube into the crop. I sucked the solution mixed with a little bit of food out of the crop. But there is still a leftover. If the vet was not able to get it out and I am not able... no idea what to do. :-(

The vet told me to feed her when nothing is left but the "leftover" (this is every two hours) The results of the Pap smear (think this is the right term)should be there next week. Then we know if there is yeast or something else dangerous in the crop.

*Thank you for your help*
I fear there is nothing more I can do for her by myself. This brought me on my limits. I hope the vet knows what to do in case of yeast or whatelse... I have my doubts about this. :-(

Monika


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Can you get apple cider vinegar? Mixing a bit of that with her formula may help. Good luck!

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Each answer leads to new questions  
I'm sure I get apple vinegar. I have to look after Apple Cider Vinegar. Apple Cider is a apple wine, right? Is there a big difference? Is Apple Vinegar also OK or does it have to be Apple Cider Vinegar 

AND another question
You told me to rinse with the alka seltzer or bakind soda. What happens when I feed her a bit (1 ml) of the Alka Seltzer or baking soda solution without flushing the crop before? 

thank you 
Monika


----------



## cknauf (Aug 27, 2012)

Apple cider can be apple wine, but not necessarily. Apple cider can be both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, and I'm not sure which is used to make vinegar.

I've never heard of apple vinegar, but I would imagine its properties are similar to ACV. EDIT: Some googling suggests these might be different names for the same thing. Where are you located? The difference might be a regional difference or translation error.

White vinegar is another option. It isn't as palatable as ACV and is missing some benefits that ACV has, but the main purpose you're using it for here it to kill any yeast in her crop. White vinegar and ACV will both do equally well for killing yeast.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

I am from Austria. 
I googled and I think that its almost the same. Here in Austria the most common vinegar made of apples is called "apple vinegar". But there are also "apple-wine-vinegar" and "apple-must-vinegar". 

I will get some "apple vinegar" tomorrow. 
Roxy, would you mind to answer my question about feeding Alka Seltzer / baking soda anyway? 

I go to bed now. In what time-zone do you live?


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

The "health food" community talks about apple cider vinegar like it's some kind of miracle product, but in reality there's very little difference between ACV and any other vinegar. It has tiny traces of nutrients that aren't found in distilled vinegar, but you'd have to drink gallons of the stuff to get any benefit from the nutrients. If you can't get ACV then use whatever vinegar is available to you.


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

The National Cockatiel Society just published the Jan/Feb/March issue of their journal (they're way behind schedule, obviously). There is a good article about crop disorders in it, and I was able to find the article online at http://www.scottemcdonald.com/pdfs/Crop Disorders.pdf

They talk about treating crop stasis starting on page 3 of the pdf document. There are a couple of things in it that might be relevant to your case: (1) They talk about rinsing the crop several times, so maybe your chick's crop needed more flushing. (2) They talk about giving just fluids at first and gradually adding formula over the course of several days. Even though your chick's crop was cleaned, it might not have been ready to resume digestion yet. 

BTW they recommend using a crop needle/tube for emptying the crop and not holding the bird upside down. I think the crop needle technique is also what srtiels prefers, and the "hold it upside down" technique is basically a last-resort measure for people who don't have any other way of dealing with the problem. All of the people here who've tried holding the bird upside down have reported problems getting the crop to empty. I think there's at least one person here who had to learn to use a crop needle to administer medicine (or something) and said that it was easier than they expected. If your vet can teach you how to use a crop tube, that might be the best way to save the baby. The article in the link also says "it is often best to instruct the client in home treatment" because most pet clinics don't have enough staff to provide the level of time-consuming care that's needed.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I'd definitely try the needle or tube. And you gotta get it all out of her before letting her digest any of that stuff, otherwise its just gonna go into her digestive tract. That's why you have to rinse her out first. I'm in Pacific Standard time.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

I tried to get it out of her again. But i don't get out anything but the solution thats a little bit turbid. No indication for yeast (no white flakes in it). Perhaps the vet was right, and she is really empty and it looks just lika a leftover to me. Could it be just a skin-bag thats colored yellow by the hand feeding-formula? Perhaps from feeding her too much in the beginning? 
The vinegar in the formula made her digesting faster. As you both recommended I will flush again.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

I got the results from the vet. No yeast, no bacteria, everything OK 
I'm really glad about that. 
So I think I can stop with flushing and trying to get something out thats probably not there.


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Yep its sounds like it was just a false alarm. If her crop has gone back to normal digestion, she should be fine.


----------



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

Great! I hope she continues to do well


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Sorry - It's me again :-(
Lilly was fine until today. Now she does not want to eat. She is warding off the syringe. I can give her the formula drop by drop and she is swallowing but usually she was eating her meal much much faster and avidly. 
Her beak is always opened a little bit. And yesterday she was sneezing (but only one time)
She seems tired. Yesterday she practiced to fly and ran arround. Today she is coming to me, cuddling close to me and sleeping...
The formula I feedet 3.5 hours ago is not half digested. The last week she needet 2 hours for digestion. Yesterday and thte day before 2.5 - 3 hours. 
I go to the vet today. I'm so sad. She MUST NOT have problems now in the final spurt...


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Have you been monitoring her weight? If she's close to weaning, she's going to eat less and less of the formula and more and more of her own food. So what you may think is formula in her crop very well could be food that she's been eating on her own. Don't force her to eat, that can accidentally aspirate her. Feed her what she'll take and when she stops, she's done.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

She increased weight until 3 days ago. 6 grams per day. Now she has 80 Grams. She is eating millet seed - but I not that much. Today she did not eat anything. I was monitoring her all the time. I offered her some millet, but she did not want it. She is sitting in her box (without heating), with eyes closed and beak a little bit open. Normally she cries after food every 2 hours or so.
Yesterday when I put her in the cage of the parents she tried to fly and get up the grate. She tried to get out of the cage and come to me and was crying after me. Today she hides in the corner, closing eyes and sleeping. She does not make any noise...


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

It sounds like she might be sick, and it's best to take her to an avian vet ASAP.

When my chicks reach fledging age they don't want to eat from the syringe any more because they don't like being restrained, and I have to switch to feeding them with a spoon. But they don't behave the way that Lilly is behaving, and stay very active.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Hmm the vet said it could be a cold or she is weak from the heat we have right now here in Austira. Its unusually hot right now.
He gave me Antibiotika - just for the case she gets worse tomorrow (sunday)


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Oh dear, I think its an inflammation of the crop. I gave her the antibiotic.


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I can see that her skin looks very red but it looks like that is her neck or shoulder, not her crop. Red skin can be a sign of dehydration, and extra fluids will be helpful if she can digest them. Pedialyte, Gatorade, or a homemade rehydration drink (recipes available online) would be better than plain water because they will help restore her energy.

The antibiotics might be helpful if she has a bacterial infection, but if it's a yeast infection the antibiotics won't help and might actually make the problem worse. Our sticky thread at http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27514 has links to some excellent articles by srtiels that might help you figure out what the problem is. I don't think that it was wise for the vet to prescribe medicine without knowing what is wrong.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

The red skin on the picture is the "top" of the crop. Here i often see, if air is swallowed and i normallly see formula on this spot when the crop is full.
I'm thankful for your advice, but I already gave her the antibiotics. So its too late. 

I know all the articles you showed me about yeast and sour crops and slow crop and whatever... As the leftover in the crop is a indication of yeast, yesterday I made some crop flushings.I did it with tea. So I was putting in the tea and when I tried to suck it out. But every time the opening of the cannula was kind of blocked. I don't know why. Wehen I put it out it made a kind of "Pflopp"Sound??? I don't know what I did wrong. 
Last time when there was this leftover it was not yeast. I don't know what it was but after 3-4 times giving her one drop of vinegar in the food the crop emptied completely...until yesterday... now there is this little leftover again. And there is no chance that I get it out. 
I know I better should make it with Alka Seltzer but I'm anxious that I don't get out the Alka Seltzer solution as well and that it will harm her more than the tea :-(

It's so sad that the VET does not know what to do and nobody really knows what to do to save her and I am so clumsy. After the flushing she was oooo weak!!... I can not think of that she dies, its so heartbreaking for me. I love her so much :-(


----------



## dshiro2012 (Feb 4, 2013)

Watch the chick closely. I remember when I was feeding Baby and her brothers at some point they wanted less and less. I always fed on demand, meaning that if I heard them start calling for food, I would mix some up and feed it to them. But I stated putting the formula on a small plate for them to eat from, at fist I would use my finger and let them taste it then they would walk around a little and eventually they found it. Next (after a couple of days) I started this and mixed some seed in. They started learning to eat the seed. I started adding small pieces (as in approximately a mm piece, or a thin strip that you could almost see through) and let them eat some vegetables. This of course was over the period of weeks. I only moved on after they had mastered the last portion. I also continued to provide the formula for the added nutrition. Gradually as they became older I started reducing the amount I gave them of the formula and they started eating more of the other stuff until eventually they just didn't want the formula any more and were on a seed, pellet and vegetable diet. 

But if your chick is sick, just remember to continue antibiotics, keeping it warm and keeping a close eye on it. After a while it should get better.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Today I put garlic in warm water and gave her some of that water. Garlic helps against bacteria and also funguses as yeast. I went out for 3 hours and when I came home she was extremely HUNGRY 
She looked good and was active again. Tomorrow I will ask the vet if I have to contiunue giving her the antibiotic (as I understood, he told me that one single medication is enough, but I'm not sure)
If I do not have to give her any more antibiotics I will start giving her the prebiotics to build up her intestinal flora again. 

My hope that she can survive is back...


----------



## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Just a note when you give the alkaseltzer mix you want them to digest a bit of it to help with the digestion process. Its Ok for them to get a bit of it.

Another note, with antibiotics, you need to do a full course to fully get rid of whatever it is that's causing the issue. Otherwise it can come back and be worse because it has built up a tolerance to the original antibiotic.


----------



## dshiro2012 (Feb 4, 2013)

monika1980 said:


> Today I put garlic in warm water and gave her some of that water. Garlic helps against bacteria and also funguses as yeast. I went out for 3 hours and when I came home she was extremely HUNGRY
> She looked good and was active again.


That's good! I hope it will survive. If it shows signs of being hungry, that's always a good sign. Keep up the good work, and as Roxy said, make sure you do the full cycle to ensure it's better and doesn't accidentally get worse again!

 Keep us updated on its well-being!


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

She is still fine  Today she did her first flight  I'm so proud of her!
She is still hungry and the crop empties one time a day - no leftovers.
My hope is definitively back. And I hope there will be no more complications.


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

That's great news! I hope she continues to stay strong and healthy.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

This is my little princess today! She is fine! But the feathers are a little scrubby. The cover around the feathers (don't know how it's called) are still there under the wings and on the back. She has problems to get her head on her back and under wings to clean herself.


----------



## monika1980 (Jun 23, 2012)

Hey together,

My little princess is still fine. She learns new things every day. I took a new video a view days ago when I was feeding her 

http://youtu.be/IgcpMZS4R-8


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

She is beautiful. I'm so glad for you and her.


----------

