I'm not sure what's going on with one of my chicks. She's 3 weeks old, has always been a little smaller, louder, and wobblier than the others. On Thursday, she sounded distressed, so I went in to check on her and found her with her head flat on her back. She can straighten her neck out, but it snaps back all the time as if she's having a seizure or something, especially when she's trying to drink or eat. She'll even sleep that way. If I wrap her in a small towel and hold her, she'll relax and let her neck elongate. I tried to find info about it on BYC and found info on wry neck, but it doesn't seem exactly like other people's descriptions of wry neck.
I've added infant vitamins and a small sprinkling of gatorade powder to her water and I've been giving her water out of a dropper to make sure she doesn't dehydrate. I've also pulled her out of the brooder to feed her so I can help keep her neck straight for her to eat.
Has anyone experienced this with a chick and what ended up happening?
Here's a pic. It's a little dark and blurry because I had other chicks chasing my phone, lol!
The pic stinks, so I took a video:
**UPDATE**
I went ahead and set up a separate brooder for her so she wouldn't get stepped on anymore and could finally get some rest. The other girls are so rambunctious and were being really rough with her...not on purpose, of course. I also stopped by the feed store and got some non-medicated feed and some poultry vitamins for her water. Crazy thing though, the vitamins come in a 4 oz. packet that you are supposed to mix with 128 gallons of water!!
I stink at math, so I just put a small pinch in her quart waterer.
She's having an easier time eating now, but still struggles with drinking bc she has to tilt her head back to swallow and that just makes the neck snap all the way back. Hoping she continues to improve!
I've added infant vitamins and a small sprinkling of gatorade powder to her water and I've been giving her water out of a dropper to make sure she doesn't dehydrate. I've also pulled her out of the brooder to feed her so I can help keep her neck straight for her to eat.
Has anyone experienced this with a chick and what ended up happening?
Here's a pic. It's a little dark and blurry because I had other chicks chasing my phone, lol!
The pic stinks, so I took a video:
**UPDATE**
I went ahead and set up a separate brooder for her so she wouldn't get stepped on anymore and could finally get some rest. The other girls are so rambunctious and were being really rough with her...not on purpose, of course. I also stopped by the feed store and got some non-medicated feed and some poultry vitamins for her water. Crazy thing though, the vitamins come in a 4 oz. packet that you are supposed to mix with 128 gallons of water!!
She's having an easier time eating now, but still struggles with drinking bc she has to tilt her head back to swallow and that just makes the neck snap all the way back. Hoping she continues to improve!
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