spinning chick

[005587]

I've raised chickens for about 15 years now which has included starting from baby chicks from both Tractor Supply and Agland (Heritage) about every 2-3 years. I've never had any issue with the chicks dying or being ill. This batch of 8 we got last Thurs so I'm assuming they are about 7-10 days old now. This morning, one chick looked sprawled out and I thought dead. When I picked her up she seemed to "wake up" chirp and open her eyes, so I looked her over and put her back down. She immediately spun in circles twisted her neck 180 and fell down on her side. I've seen wry neck in older hens but this was more than just the neck twisting. I tried to get her to take some water from my finger but she won't. She just keeps spinning and falling like she was on a merry go round. None of the other chicks seem ill, but this one was also fine last night only 6 hours ago.

I looked up possible causes: Marek's, New Castle. avian encephalomyelitis, vitamin E deficiency, etc. Is there any way to tell if this is viral vs. nutritional? They were all fed Dumor chick starter feed and nothing else. I read that Tractor Supply is supposed to vaccinate against AE but I'm sure that in a mass breeding situation they can't be 100%. I'd hate to loose all 8 chicks to this but I guess the next 3 days will tell.

Any suggestions/advice?


See more at: http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/avian-encephalomyelitis

 

[Wyorp Rock]

TSC sources their chicks from various large hatcheries and very unlikely they have been vaccinated for Marek's. You'd have to ask TSC which hatchery the chicks came, then call the hatchery to see what vaccines (if any) have been administered.

Treat as Wry Neck, which is the name of a set of neurological symptoms. Give 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily along with a little egg for the uptake of E.

Check your feed to make sure it's not moldy. Keep her hydrated and try offering wet soupy food.