Can a chick live with a broken neck??? UPDATED!!

[momofspoiledchicks]

Hi everyone! I need some help with my little chick! He (or she) is about 1 month old. The mother hen taught all 3 of her chicks to stick their heads outside of the coop along the bottom of the door frame to peck at bugs & stuff. They do this as soon as I open the door, everytime!! So, I have learned to always check before I shut the door. Well today something went wrong & one of the chicks got its head caught in the door a little & it panicked & started flopping & turning & fighting to get unstuck. This only lasted for a second or two because I immediately opened the door as soon as I saw it! I picked it up & its little head just flopped backwards! I figured it had broken its neck & would die in a few minutes.....well that was 6 hours & 30 minutes ago and he is still alive! I have taken him in the house & he is just laying there. He chirps a little every once in a while & he keeps one eye open. He can move just a little if I touch him or pick him up. If I set him down & mess with him a little & he tries to walk, but he just he moves backwards. He can move his head a little, kind of rolls is foward a little & then it flops back again. Also, he won't really stand up & he is leaning to one side. I really do not want him to suffer, but I do not think I can bring myself to put him out of his misery. I don't know if I should or if there is any hope for him at all.
Does it sound like he has a broken neck, or could it be some other injury? Could a chick even live this long with a broken neck?
Any help would be very much appreciated!!! Thanks!

By the way, this chick was completely normal before this accident. Eating chick starter, drinking water, playing with its siblings & just being a cute normal chick! Also, I do not see any wounds or anything else on the chick.

 

[geepy]

It sounds pretty bad. I don't think it will live very long in the way that you said. It was an accident, don't feel bad, it happens. I think culling is the best thing. You can see how long he makes it but the quality of life really doesn't sound good. It really sucks when you have to cull a chick but it is in the best intrest of the chick.

 

[momofspoiledchicks]

I am starting to realize that I may have to cull, but I just don't know how to do it (well, I know how, but I don't know if I can). My chickens are my pets, I love every one of them. I just don't know.....

I just checked on him & he is the same. He is breathing & moving around just a tiny bit, but that is about it.

 

[SpringChickens]

I hate to say it, but it doesn't sound like the kind of injury he's going to recover from. Just tell yourself its more humane to end his suffering quickly - don't prolong his pain.

Good luck!

 

[MysticScorpio82]

All I could think of when reading this is Coyote Magick's old chicken, Tessa. This is the link to her story: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9835

 

[bigchicken2]

Poor wittle chickie!

I think you should cull it. If you don't (s)he'll suffer. It won't live anyway.

 

[geepy]

Search culling methods on byc and you can come up with a method. I use the snipper method, just snip off the head. "I hope I'am not being to graffic". Best of wishes.

 

[usschicago1]

i would cull (i throw them in cold water) it happens almost immediately that they drown. Every-time i say this everyone says thats cruel, and just to respond in advance, whats humane about culling?
So sorry about your chick

 

[SpringChickens]

Quote:
There are two ways to do anything - an easy way and a hard way. Culling a chick like this is, IMO, very humane - much more humane than letting it suffer and die in a few days. BUT - if you're going to have to do it, regardless of the reason, I would do it the most humane way possible. For chicks, I would prefer to use a sharp pair of scissors or shears and decapitate it as quickly as possible.

 

[chickenzoo]

I am wondering if perhaps it pinched a nerve during all that flopping around, since it is still alive and can move it's legs etc..... I once had a Polish Pullet that got steped on and I was sure she broke her neck, would not hold up her head, just stood their with it on the ground. I put her in a kennel and placed her head on a towel. She would move just slightly, but not much. I kept her comfortable, and decided to wait and see till the morning. By morning she was moving better and backing up, and had some lift in her neck, by the end of the day she was almost back to normal..... I continued with vitamins and she was fine. If you think your chick is beyond hope and in pain, then please do cull, but I would also think a severed neck would also prevent much body movement... not always, but mostly I would think....... ?