Advice please - Crooked neck hatchling. What would you do? *pic*

[TerriLaChicks]

I have one with a crooked neck hatched Monday. I have it on Poly-vi-sol vitamins; you can find them in the pharmacy baby vitamins at Walmart or any drugstore.

I tried a couple of different things for a brace but it only upset the chick more so I left that off.

Every time I walk past the brooder, I pick it up & massage its' neck a few times.

I read somewhere that it can take up to two weeks until you see results, so I'm hanging in there. My chick can eat & drink just fine & also walk straight--it only backs up when it gets scared or upset.

It appears to have improved a bit--it gets worse when it's tired.

It does not appear to be in pain & I can not kill something that was just born without giving it the best chance that I possibly can.

I wish you luck with yours.

 

[TerriLaChicks]

If you can't find the Poly vi sol drops, perhaps you can try your local petstore & ask for drops for stress in birds--they have vitamins & electrolytes in them.

 

[I'vegotchickenfever]

Is he sitting up on his own now, or does he spend most of his time on his side/back? I was thinking (course, maybe this would make matters worse - I don't know) that if he needed help sitting up, you could coil a cloth into a doughnut and let him sit upright in there, at least when he's trying to rest. Just a thought.

 

[MichiganWoods]

He's rolled back over on his side and his feet are trembling.

I think it's some sort of neurological issue on top of the crooked neck. I may just cull him. I don't want to potentially run into this problem in the future with offspring.

 

[skeeter9]

Sorry, but if it's also trembling, you are probably right that it has a neurological defect. It would be best to go ahead and cull it. You definitely don't want to pass those genes on.

 

[MichiganWoods]

Man I hate doing that.

Deed is done. RIP little guy.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

It doesn't make it any easier, but I think you did the right thing!

 

[daisychick]

Sorry.

That sucks.

Now you need to go spoil the one that made it. Does he have any buddies?

 

[MichiganWoods]

Thanks ThreeBoysChicks.

No, no buddies for him yet, daisychick. But I think I'm going to put a little stuffed animal in there and then in a few days after he's got his strength up, I'll move my lone Silkie in there. Then the two Dark Brahmas will have each other, and the Silkie and this Porcelain D'Uccle will be able to hang out.

 

[daisychick]

That sounds like a good idea. I bet they will be great buddies.