4 week old dizzy, wobbly chick

[njcasavant]

I have nine 4 week old chicks and ten 2 week chicks. This is my first time raising chickens although I grew up with both my grandmothers raising chickens, so it's not all new to me. Yesterday one of my 4 week old chicks started walking funny. She was kind of dragging herself on the ground and then she would run around with the others and seem to be normal again. At first we thought that she had an injured foot or leg, but I checked her out and all seems to be well with her legs and feet. I have separated her from the others for now as she can't seem to walk or stand without wobbling and falling. She seems as if she might also be dizzy. If there were such a thing as a drunk chicken, she looks like that's what she would be. I have tried dropper feeding her a solution of chick feed, water and children's tylenol to see if that might help, but she doesn't take much and doesn't seem interested at all. She is eating and drinking and pooping. She's also the smallest of the 4 week old chicks. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[CMV]

Stop giving her Tylenol RIGHT NOW! It is not appropriate to use on poultry.

 

[njcasavant]

Ok. Thanks for responding. I only gave her a tiny, tiny bit this morning and nothing more since. She keeps falling when she's standing and trying to clean herself. She's very shaky and has a lot of trouble walking without falling. I don't know what else to do for her. Does anyone have any ideas of what it could be?

 

[rose29]

Sorry I am totally new to the chicken raising. Currently having problems with one of mine. Is your chick curling her neck or shaking her head from side to side? Mine is and was just wondering if we might have the same problem. I just tired some olive oil. I read yogurt is good, so might try a little of that. Is your chick eating and drinking? wish I could be of more help.

 

[njcasavant]

Hi! She is shaking her neck from side to side and she curls her neck under when she stands up. She even shakes her head when she's sleeping and wakes herself up. She is still eating and drinking. Hope yours does well! Let me know how the yogurt goes, and is it plain or fruit yogurt?

 

[rose29]

Mine is a 12 week old Silkie, I have isolated ours, and she hasn't ate or drank since about 5pm (five hours ago). Just use an eye dropper and gave her some water with electolytes (spelling??). she not holding her head up at all now. Not sure if that is due to illness or night time. If you get any answers please post. I will do the same. I am trying to go through the post and find anything that will help.

 

[njcasavant]

Mine is still shaky and wobbly. I gave her some yogurt in her chick feed and she ate it. She looks good right now while she is sleeping, not as shaky as she was this afternoon while she was sleeping. She kept waking herself up with a jolt every time she started to fall asleep today, and now seems to be sleeping soundly. I woke her up (accidentally) while checking on her and she started panting and went for a drink of water, and is now asleep again. I didn't think that she would make it this long by the looks of her earlier this afternoon. She's such a sweet girl! I tried the olive oil and rubbing her neck downward. I also tried the yogurt. I really wish that someone had the answers for me. I really don't want her to pass!

 

[CMV]

Look up the signs of wry neck. Is that what you both are dealing with?

 

[rose29]

Thank you so much for posting. I have look up wry neck and found this post very informative. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/662850/a-happy-ending-to-a-wry-neck-chick-story This sounds like what I am dealing with. One questiion is where do I get Selenium? Will do more research, just thought I would quickly post this link.

 

[rose29]

Once again, I can not thank "CMV" enough for posting about wry neck. I have added some information under my original post "sick silkie...wry neck or crocked neck" is you like to check it out. I gave mine some Poly-Vi-Sol vitamins and she is doing so much better. I have read that wry neck can be due to a vitamin defenciy or head injury. I know there has been no head injury with mine. so now I wonder if I should add vitamin E to my other chick to prevent this from happen? any ideas on this? Do I add to water or feed? And how much? I have six other silkies that 12 weeks olds, and we have barrock and Long Island Reds in a seperate coop that are 16 weeks old.