5 Week Old Chick having fits??

[aoxa]

NO. I left her and her baby buddies in with a new rooster and I think he traumatized her. She doesn't mind me, just something, like the wind or a sudden movement, causes her to go into spastic fits and she tries to find a place to hide her head. I say spastic, because it's not the normal scrambling to get away from something, it's a very disoriented try to get away. I feel she must have been picked on by this roo and he might have hit her on the head too hard? I'm giving her "sav-a-chick" and vitamin e water and I have her placed in a small box so she can't hurt herself. As long as it's not a disease, I can baby her until she gets over the trauma. I tried to find any diseases that cause this hysteria and couldn't. No runny nose or breathing problems. Just panic attacks....I hope.

Whatever it is, it is neurological. I am stumped... I'll look into it more.

 

[Overoberyl]

Yeah I do think it is neurological, but I don't get the impression that it is a communicable disease because otherwise the bird is perfectly healthy. I'm thinking maybe it is some kind of seizure or something...I didn't observe him doing it any more yesterday but I will try to get a video if I can...

 

[Lorilyn Farms]

I ended up putting my pullet down, She didn't seem to be getting better after two days of R&R. She was battering herself into oblivion.

 

[delisha]

I ended up putting my pullet down, She didn't seem to be getting better after two days of R&R. She was battering herself into oblivion.

Good choice, even if it was hard. You saved her some pain and additional problems.

 

[aoxa]

Good choice, even if it was hard. You saved her some pain and additional problems.

I agree. Very good decision.

This is not something you want to pass on. It seems very strange and sad. I couldn't find anything that fit when researching. Most neurological diseases did not involve a lot of activity like running around crashing into things.

 

[Overoberyl]

Just wanted to post an update in case anyone is interested...I hadn't had any problems with my little chick after I posted this. He seemed to get over whatever it was so I assumed it must have been a bee sting, ant bite or some kind of irritant in the environment. He's been living in a chicken tractor with a couple of other birds and seemed perfectly happy and healthy. Then yesterday the same thing I observed at 5 weeks happened all over again, flapping around, squawking, banging into the sides of the pen, and then he would spend several minutes hopping backwards in a circle. I'm sure he must have a neurological disorder or perhaps a brain tumor. I of course removed him from the pen and am planning to cull & process him this weekend. Unfortunately he was the nicest, typiest of the cockerels and was going to be my keeper.

I only wonder if I should be concerned about processing him for meat? Maybe I should simply cull and bury him, rather than eating...though I am almost certain he's got something congenital or genetic so theoretically there shouldn't be any reason I couldn't eat the meat...does anyone have a strong feeling about this?

Thanks

 

[Suzie]

Personally I would not eat one of mine unless I was positive that whatever it died of would be of no risk to the human food chain, I have always had doubts as to what mine have died of... all are burned and i could not consider eating any one of mine that died for unknown reasons.

Just my thoughts

Suzie

 

[delisha]

I see no reason not to eat the bird. If it was a disease your whole flock would be infected. He is just a little brain damaged. He will taste thee same as the rest of them.

As a suggestion..butcher out a few of your other birds first and take pictures. Than butcher him out. Take pictures. These pictures will serve for future use also. I am pretty sure the meat will look identical, however the intestines might be different. Perhaps the bird has swollen intestines, or a mass. Will be interesting to find out your results.

 

[Overoberyl]

I see no reason not to eat the bird. If it was a disease your whole flock would be infected. He is just a little brain damaged. He will taste thee same as the rest of them.

As a suggestion..butcher out a few of your other birds first and take pictures. Than butcher him out. Take pictures. These pictures will serve for future use also. I am pretty sure the meat will look identical, however the intestines might be different. Perhaps the bird has swollen intestines, or a mass. Will be interesting to find out your results.

Yeah I think I will process him and will probably go ahead and eat the meat, unless anything looks seriously amiss...I have about 14 others to do so will have plenty for comparison, lol. I do appreciate the input on both sides!

 

[delisha]

Quote: If you do take pictures..I would be very interested in seeing them. I am always curious about why chickens do the things they do and if it has anything to do with birth defects or intestinal issues. Please keep us updated