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2 1/2 week old appears drunk

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eggdd

eggdd

Songster
8 Years
Jul 12, 2011
506
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good morning:

i have a 2 1/2 week chick. s/he was fine this morning - running/being a general maniac per usual. then, i fed them some yogurt (plain, organic). now, s/he acts drunk - - tipping over to either side, and even to the front. s/he ate the yogurt fine and i've not noticed any "strange" behavior up until now.

any ideas, suggestions, things i should do or look out for going forward?
 
update:

the chick is eating, but still acting drunk. i'm concerned, and unsure of what to do. should i separate it from the others?
 
update 2:

i just checked the chick. crop fine. wings fine (however, they certainly made a mess with the yogurt and has some on down/feathers). feet fine. generally, physical body is fine.

is this cocci? i see no bloody poo. s/he, again, is eating - - and isn't by him/her self in a corner.
 
update 3:

i suspect there is a second chick who's displaying this behavior (not as badly - - so by comparison i'm unsure). both have been separated from the remaining six. i have given them more yogurt and acv in their water. they are eating the heck out of the food. i will give them carrots in a few (as soon as i get them chopped) in-case there is a vitamin deficiency (specifically E) - - which is unlikely as they're on a seed-based diet - - but just in-case.

separating them proved to be a bit of a challenge. this is my first "batch" of baby chicks. i did not have the equipment to have chicks spread out in multiple groups. a trip to the store was needed.

my other six got a clean brooder (completely cleaned from bottom-up). they get a refresh twice a day as is - - but i suspect this is like having fresh clean sheets after a week of sleeping. or maybe not. they're chickens.
 
Two possibilities come to mind.

One is a toxin of some sort. Botulism will show these signs as well as other toxins. With this you need to remove anything NEW you are giving them or they have been exposed too. Each one with symptoms would need to be flushed out to remove the toxins from their digestive tract. I use Epson salt in water when/if this happens.

The other is a vitamin deficiency. For that I would recommend a balanced chick crumble as well as putting some Vits/Nutrients in their water.

Matt
 
Quote:
thank you, matt. botulism makes sense as it happened after yogurt. do you think acv in water will suffice for cleansing?
 
update 4:

yogurt removed. carrots chopped, given, and proven to be unpopular by all chicks. there should not be a vit. e issue - - again, they are on a seed-based diet largely (four parts) made-up of whole grain wheat (vit e and protein).

two drunk chicks are resting under their light. i'm trying to not stress them - - but be attentive. fine line.

i'm off to make some fresh carrot juice (for me!).

anyone with ideas, suggestions, helpful tips?

i'm trying to document what's happening for people in the future (and looking for any reassuring ideas, etc). i'm having a hard time finding detailed information about this - which is ok. i do not suspect it's cocci (which is a staple in most online community-based treatment programs - no ruffled feathers, no bloody poo, no loss of eating/drinking, plenty active (albeit, drunkenly so). i do not suspect it's maereks - another staple. i am leaning towards matt's suggestion of botulism. but unsure.
 
Quote:
thank you, matt. botulism makes sense as it happened after yogurt. do you think acv in water will suffice for cleansing?

I agree with Matt A NC. Stop feeding them anything but starter/grower feed. Ensure the starter/grower feed is fresh and not moldy. If you see clumps in the bag, it means it somehow got wet and clumped together when it dried. I would return it for a fresh sack of feed if that's the case. ACV in water helps in calcium absorption and helps with PH balance for bacterial issues. I would stop putting ACV in their water til they start laying and/or are switched over to layer feed at 18-20 weeks old. Here's a link to flushes, scroll down to "Laxative Solutions."
http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/solutions.html
 
Quote:
thank you, matt. botulism makes sense as it happened after yogurt. do you think acv in water will suffice for cleansing?

I agree with Matt A NC. Stop feeding them anything but starter/grower feed. Ensure the starter/grower feed is fresh and not moldy. If you see clumps in the bag, it means it somehow got wet and clumped together when it dried. I would return it for a fresh sack of feed if that's the case. ACV in water helps in calcium absorption and helps with PH balance for bacterial issues. I would stop putting ACV in their water til they start laying and/or are switched over to layer feed at 18-20 weeks old. Here's a link to flushes, scroll down to "Laxative Solutions."
http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/solutions.html

thanks for the link. useful information on flushing.

i do not feed commercial starter/grower feed. they're on a seed-based diet - - with some probotics thrown in (hence the yogurt). the chicks are a part of an organic program.
 
You can purchase organic chick starter...sounds like your chicks have a deficiency. With the seeds, are they getting grit? I don't see where you mention that. Good luck with your problem and I hope they get better soon.
 

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