Many people like to raise baby chicks because they are very cute.
Unfortunately, a lot can go wrong with raising baby chicks as they are very fragile, so, even the smallest issue can be fatal for the bird, like a chick not eating.
This article explores why your 5 day old chick is not eating
Table of Contents
5 Day old chick is not eating:
Chicks don’t hatch out of the shell ready to eat, many start eating 24 hours after hatching or even 48 hours after hatching, but a bird not eating 5 days after hatching is quite concerning
Here is why your 5 day old chick is not eating:
Incorrect temperature:
If the temperature of the bird’s environment starts to change then the bird may stop eating.
Cold weather not only makes your bird uncomfortable, it also causes the bird’s organs to not work as well and this causes the bird to not want to eat.
Not only this, cold temperatures can cause chicks to die so dealing with this is a must.
What to do:
Getting the bird’s body temperature up will get the bird to start eating again. You can do this by giving the birds a heat lamp to use as they see fit.
It is being bullied:
If your bird isn’t eating then it may not be eating because the other birds in the brooder are not letting the bird eat.
Birds naturally have the instinct to survive, if there isn’t enough food to go around then the stronger birds may be bullying the weaker birds away from food sources and keeping them from being able to eat.
Your bullied bird may eventually choose to not go near food out of fear of being bullied
What to do:
If this is what is happening with your baby bird then you may want to consider giving the flock more food so there is more than enough food to go around.
This should get the bully birds to relax and let everyone eat
Installing multiple feed stations is also recommended as this will allow many birds to have access to feed at one time.
Stress:
Even if your bird isn’t being bullied the bird may be under some stress and may not be eating as a result.
A bird who is 5 days old may still be getting used to its environment. Being in a new environment is stressful to chicks.
What to do:
If this is what’s happening with your bird then keeping it isolated and allowing it to deal with its stress on its own will be best for the bird.
Make sure that the bird has its own food and water while isolated, you can also give the bird treats to put it in a good mood during this time.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Baby Chickens Vibrating, Baby Chick Cries When Pooping, Quail Chick Not Growing, Quail Chick Leg Problems, Quail Chick Feet Problems, Day Old Chick Not Eating, 2 Week Old Chick Not Eating, Lethargic Quail Chick, Baby Chick Not Moving Much