Hi Nadia,
Handfeeding chicks is a lot more complicated than people realize. Sadly many sellers will not hesitate to sell an unweaned chick to a novice, often with little or no instructions. I’m not sure how you came to be handfeeding a chick, but you are finding out it isn’t that simple.
You should definitely never hand feed a healthy chick unless it is begging. However, you should never feed a healthy chick only because it is begging. Everything is based on the bird’s digestion and the crop emptying. A chick will beg even with a full crop, and if you feed it when the crop is full or partially full, this can cause problems. If the crop is full, the chick can aspirate the formula – inhale it into the lungs – because there is no place for the food to go. If you keep feeding a chick until it stops begging, you can overfeed it and cause aspiration. If the crop is partly full, and you feed the chick, the older food in the crop can sour, which prevents it from digesting, and if not treated the chick will die. If the chick is not warm enough, or if the formula is too hot or too cold, the food may not digest, or you can burn the crop which often results in death a few days later. If the formula is too thick, the chick may not be able to digest it. If the formula is too thin, the chick can aspirate. All of these complications are very common, and can even happen to experienced hand feeders, which is why a novice should not be sold or given a chick to hand feed.
The chick and formula both need to be the correct temperature – your Vet can advise you on this. And the formula needs to be the right consistency. The crop should be almost completely empty before you feed, and you should only feed enough to mostly fill the crop without the crop being tight. Yes, the parents will feed a chick a lot more, but they are not feeding the chick a liquid formula. A chick should never be force fed – this will almost always result in aspiration.
Unfortunately your chick is not well. And a sick bird will often stop eating. Your best option is to consult with your Vet. The chick should probably be admitted to the clinic, so that the Vet can tube feed it until it is healthy. There is no guarantee that he will survive. This is not meant to scare you, but this is a serious situation and it is alarming to hear that the chick is not begging. I hope that you and your Vet can work together to help this little guy. I’m sorry this has happened to you, but you were not given good instructions or training for handfeeding. Keep the chick warm and check on his crop. If it is empty and he is still not begging, then you have to rush him to the Vet. He can’t go for very long at all without being fed, but again, do not force feed him or it can make things worse. Hopefully the medication will start to work and your chick will perk back up.
Take care,
Brenda
