Sick, wobbly chick

[LaNeely]

Can someone tell me what they think this 4 week old chick is sick with?

She is one of 13 and the only one currently doing this. She is isolated and has been doing this for about 18 or so hours. As soon as we noticed something was off, we started giving her Save-A-Chick Probiotic and Electrolyte. She drank a bunch right at first, but has tapered off and will only drink when I gently put her beak in the water. Her poop is solid - normal like the other chicks, so far.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can someone tell me what they think this 4 week old chick is sick with?

She is one of 13 and the only one currently doing this. She is isolated and has been doing this for about 18 or so hours. As soon as we noticed something was off, we started giving her Save-A-Chick Probiotic and Electrolyte. She drank a bunch right at first, but has tapered off and will only drink when I gently put her beak in the water. Her poop is solid - normal like the other chicks, so far.

She may have Wry Neck. Offer her some poultry vitamins containing Vitamin E and Selinium. Encourage her to drink and offer her some wet chick starter. Add some hard boiled egg or tuna to give her Selenium. See that she has chick grit to process her food.

 

[LaNeely]

I first thought it was wry neck, then was worried about Marek's. Thanks for your input. I'll hook her up.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I first thought it was wry neck, then was worried about Marek's. Thanks for your input. I'll hook her up.

Wry Neck is a symptom of various things, Vitamin E and Selenium deficiency, head injury or a disease like Marek's. With her age (4wks), I would suspect Vitamin deficiency or injury first. While it's not unheard of for symptoms to develop that young, usually the common age for Marek's symptoms to be see is 12-25wks.

Keep us posted on her progress.

 

[LaNeely]

She didn't make it.

I gave her Vit E and Selenium 3x day. In addition, I gave her water about every 2-3 awake hours and mushed food 3-4 times a day.

The very next day she wasn't active AT ALL. I had to force feed her and give her water - hoping she just needed the help to gain enough strength to battle through. Every time (which was often, at least for water) I went to tend to her she hadn't moved. The following days she wouldn't even fuss when I picked her up like she did the first day; nor would she run around when I put her back. She would barely even open her eyes when I was opening her beak, other than that they stayed closed. She died in the night last night.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She didn't make it.

I gave her Vit E and Selenium 3x day. In addition, I gave her water about every 2-3 awake hours and mushed food 3-4 times a day.

The very next day she wasn't active AT ALL. I had to force feed her and give her water - hoping she just needed the help to gain enough strength to battle through. Every time (which was often, at least for water) I went to tend to her she hadn't moved. The following days she wouldn't even fuss when I picked her up like she did the first day; nor would she run around when I put her back. She would barely even open her eyes when I was opening her beak, other than that they stayed closed. She died in the night last night.

I'm so sorry

Wry Neck can be hard to overcome even with the best care. I know you did everything you could.