Crusty Eyes, possible nuerological signs? URGENT please

spoonie

In the Brooder
11 Years
Jun 16, 2008
37
0
22
Juda, WI
I got 11 Buff Orp chicks on Thursday. They've been doing great, eating well and having regular poop. Everyone is eating and drinking normally. This morning I had one chick with some crusty poop on her backside, which I cleaned off no problem. Immediately afterward, I dried her and kept her under the heat lamp until she started getting very squirmy and looking very warm and alert.

I just went to check on my chicks again (I've been checking every two hours like clockwork) and one of them had its head between her legs and was stumbling slightly. It's eyes were crusted completely shut, so with warm distilled water, I loosened the crust around its eyes. It's now trying to eat and drink, buts its head is still way down and it is stumbling backward.

I'm very concerned, for obvious reasons. Is this possibly a neurological case, or is it possible the eye crusty thing could have effected motor functions as well? I've got her still in the same brooder, because she was getting very stressed during the away portions and I only have the one heat lamp to use for them.

All the other chicks look fine. I am not even sure this is the same one that had the pasty butt.

What should I do?? What should I look for? When do I know she's too far gone to save?

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Updating with a really badly focused picture of the position of her head. She's doing somersaults now as well.
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I separated her out but they are still having to share the heat lamp. I have a different box right up next to the brooder and have it aimed over both. I have been holding her most of the night because she's calmer when she can't flop all over, and she's been napping in my hand. It seems like (but this may be wishful thinking) that she's raising her head a bit more and is a little more stable. I have to go to bed before I start turning my own somersaults though. Hopefully there will be some signs of improvement (at least no signs of worsening) in the morning.

Any replies would be greatly appreciated, even after the fact. I'm really concerned about the other chicks, since this was so sudden of an onslaught with her.
 
She is still alive this morning, and seeming to be no worse off than last night, and possibly a bit better. The eye crusties have not returned at all, she can see very well now.

She dunked herself in her water (doing somersaults) while I was standing there and I helped her dry off. While we were doing that, I noticed she could lift her head and move freely to clean her down. She even seemed fairly stable while doing so.

However, after she was all dry and back in her box, she fell again and just left her head on the ground while she stumbled/walked around. Her forward motion seems to be getting better, and she doesn't tumble backward at all anymore.

The other 10 chicks are doing just fine still.

Still looking for any information or help in this situation!
 
We put the chick down this afternoon. It seems there was some sort of birth defect. One shoulder was growing large and lumpy and causing the chick to be weighted abnormally. I think that was what was causing the balance problems.

I just thought I would let anyone who might have read the topic know what was going on.
 
I am so sorry you had such troubles and no one was able to help. It sounds like it could have been any number of things and there was probably no help for the little guy. I think you did the right thing for it. Again so sorry you lost the little one. Best of luck with the rest.
 
I'm sorry you didn't get any answers to this post prior to putting her down. I didn't even see it. I am sorry you had to do this.

I had a baby chick act like that last summer upon arrival and it soon passed on it's own.

Mary
 

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