2 day old struggling Coturnix chicks

[cariberry77]

Hi everyone. I have a chick struggling and am wondering if someone more experienced might identify the problem? This chick hatched himself easily and quickly about 36 hours ago on day 20, and crawled all over the incubator until he dried. I moved him to the brooder after about 6 hours because he was knocking over all the other eggs. There is one other chick in the brooder with him (born the day before) who is doing well in spite of a rough start. But this newer hatchling couldn't seem to really walk right or stand up, kept throwing his head back then falling over and doing somersaults. It got worse and worse until he just mostly laid on his back twisting his head and thrashing his legs. I did have problems with temp consistency in my incubator. Weather was crazy from sunny 70s some days to snowy 30s other days, plus thunderstorms that led to a couple power outages., so the thermometer in incy was reading in the high 80s for few hours a couple of times and up to 106 one afternoon!! Humidity fluctuated between 40-50% but I couldn't get it higher than that at hatching unfortunately. I feared our chicks might have problems because of these issues.

I have read a ton of posts on BYC and suspect this chick has wry neck, so I've followed the advice for wry neck in previous posts on this site (Gave two drops poly-vi-sol and electrolyte solution 3 times a day. Dipped his beak in water few times. Tried syringe feeding watery boiled mashed egg yolk. I fear he may have aspirated the vitamins or electrolyte fluid from the syringe at one point) he hasn't made much improvement. There was a few hour period today when he took a turn for the worse and became really really lethargic and I thought it was over. But now he's very active again scooting himself around the brooder on his back. His chirp is very weak and faint though. He can't stand up to feed or water himself either. I have game bird starter crumbles ground to fine particles and have added water to some to make a mash but he won't eat it. He doesn't really want to eat or drink much from my hand, but If I don't try to give him fluids from a syringe I fear he will dehydrate and die because he can't drink from the waterer himself. There are so many success stories on BYC of chicks who fully recovered from wry neck so I hate to give up on him but it's hard to watch him struggle and it's a full time commitment caring for him right now!

My brooder is 95 degrees under the lamp and 85 degrees at the other end. Both chicks choose to lay at the lighted end but aren't huddled together. They are spaced apart but stretched out looking like dead things and giving me a panic attack but I think they are just basking in the heat and resting because when I cool it down they start acting cold. They do wake up and move around the brooder sometimes, but sleep a LOT.

I'm going to get vitamin e tomorrow and Corid (sp.?) in case he did aspirate and it's turning to pneumonia. Is it worth all this effort though if he can't even stand up? Is there even a chance he'll recover with all this TLC?

Here is a pic of him, plus one of my brooder. Thanks for any help you can offer!

 

[Fat Daddy]

Good Morning Cari, It could be "wry neck" or a "Star gazer"..... But those will generally want to flop their head over on their back when the bird is up right. I have had a few of these over the years. I too have read of it possibly being cured. This has never worked out for me.... I feel its a genetic birth defect and not much you can do to help it. I was able to raise two Italians like this, maybe not as bad as yours, they could stand, to about 8 weeks and they never got over it. They were from the same breeder, in the same hatch, and like this from hatch. If the chick was like this from hatch, any deficiency would have been from the egg, making the root problem genetic, or at best poor nutrition in the parent stock...... Its hard to think about I know, but I feel it would be best to end this chick's suffering. If you were able to save it, I would'nt want it in my gene pool anyway..... Good luck with what ever you decide. Bill

EDIT TO ADD: Your brooder looks fine. Being that far above the brooder. I assume that is a high wattage heat type bulb you are using. Please take care to tie the reflector to something and not depend on the clamp that comes with the fixture. They tend to pop off allowing the lamp to fall. This has burnt more houses down than lightning!

 

[TwoCrows]

I agree with everything Bill says here.

You might try a couple of drops of vitamin E on the tongues of these birds. If you have any Poly Vi Sol you might give some of this orally as well. Chicks like this are deficient in Vitamins E, D and Selenium. If they can't stand to eat or drink they won't make it long.

 

[cariberry77]

Thank you for your replies. I'll reinforce the heat lamp right now. I have been giving vitamin drops and fluids but the chick worsened overnight, and wouldn't really take the fluids or vitamins this morning. He feels so skinny now I think he's starving so it's best to put him out of his misery. I don't want him to suffer any longer, poor guy. The kids are heartbroken

 

[TwoCrows]

Unfortunately not all babies make it to adulthood. You are doing the right thing putting chicks down like this.

I am so sorry.

 

[cariberry77]

Thank you

 

[Asianbites]

Hi,

I know what you're going through. Yesterday I had our FIRST ever hatch of a Button Quail. And now I see the baby quail chick in the same condition as yours. After reading your notes and others comments, I know what I have to do. I am dreading for the day I have to tell my grand-daughter what you had to tell your kids. I will keep the baby quail chick a couple more days to observe if there will be any improvement of the condition. Have a good day.