Hello everyone and thank you to those that can add some insight.
Background: silkie chick 5 weeks old, orginally was purchased from a feed store with another to supplement my silkie broody whose eggs didn't hatch. Both chicks did not look good at the feed store, very small even for bantams and not lively, but I wanted to try and give them a better life with a mom. One chick died within 5 hours after purchase.
Fast forward 4 weeks, survivor buff chick had a death scare within the first week. Was revived and has always been a chirper. Thought having a real mom would help, no. Finally merged another broody silkie that had only one egg hatch together with this mom and baby to coparent (they've done it before) so both baby silkies could be together and would stop chirping. It didn't. But the babies were happy and the moms too, and I resigned myself to this buff baby just being a crybaby.
In the last 3 days tho she has begun rolling and bobbing her neck. ACV is in the water and I started back up on poly vi sol no iron. Thought it was maybe sour crop, and have been dedicated as a full time masseus of tiny crop massages. Crop was emptying at night, pooping normally and still eating heavily and drinking water. Still head was rolling.
Her tiny gait has not been affected as I wondered if it was beginning of marecks, wry neck? Or being pecked at by an older hen? I do have a mixed flock and caught one hen peck her when she was in her moms wing because she would not stop chirping, all day long...and I will say the hen that did it is usually very gentle and careful around all chicks. Maybe she just was annoyed at the nonstop crying.
I've read about adding vitamin E and B12 with selenium. And that silkie chicks are somewhat prone to this, not sure if I want to go down a prednisone route but would consider it. Any advice or other ideas or similar situations?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions and guidance.
Background: silkie chick 5 weeks old, orginally was purchased from a feed store with another to supplement my silkie broody whose eggs didn't hatch. Both chicks did not look good at the feed store, very small even for bantams and not lively, but I wanted to try and give them a better life with a mom. One chick died within 5 hours after purchase.
Fast forward 4 weeks, survivor buff chick had a death scare within the first week. Was revived and has always been a chirper. Thought having a real mom would help, no. Finally merged another broody silkie that had only one egg hatch together with this mom and baby to coparent (they've done it before) so both baby silkies could be together and would stop chirping. It didn't. But the babies were happy and the moms too, and I resigned myself to this buff baby just being a crybaby.
In the last 3 days tho she has begun rolling and bobbing her neck. ACV is in the water and I started back up on poly vi sol no iron. Thought it was maybe sour crop, and have been dedicated as a full time masseus of tiny crop massages. Crop was emptying at night, pooping normally and still eating heavily and drinking water. Still head was rolling.
Her tiny gait has not been affected as I wondered if it was beginning of marecks, wry neck? Or being pecked at by an older hen? I do have a mixed flock and caught one hen peck her when she was in her moms wing because she would not stop chirping, all day long...and I will say the hen that did it is usually very gentle and careful around all chicks. Maybe she just was annoyed at the nonstop crying.
I've read about adding vitamin E and B12 with selenium. And that silkie chicks are somewhat prone to this, not sure if I want to go down a prednisone route but would consider it. Any advice or other ideas or similar situations?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions and guidance.
