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

[Kedreeva]

If it can move below the injury site, it hasn't broken the spinal cord connections- so while it may have a 'broken neck' it doesn't actually have a broken *spine*.

If it helps any, we had a chick break its neck when it was little and we didn't notice till much later. The bones got messed up (and healed messed up) and it walked around with a funny, permanent "z" in its neck, but it ate and drank and sat around with the other chickens just fine.

If you find you have to cull it, you can also put it to sleep in the freezer.

 

[tstoikes]

I'm sorry about your chick, but it was an accident and they happen, don't beat yourself up over it.
I had a hen get her feet caught in a cage top and ended up flipped over and hung upside down. I found her, got her free and set her on the ground. All she could do was flop about so I brought her inside and made her comfortable. I could find no evidence of a break. Within an hour she had a little bit of use in one leg. So I thought very hard about culling, lucky I waited. It took about 3 days till she demanded to go out with the other chickens and for about a week after she limped just a bit. But now a month later there is no evidence off any injury. My advice is to wait a bit and see if there is an improvement. She may have wrenched some muscles and they are inflamed.
Good luck.

 

[momofspoiledchicks]

UPDATE:
Well, I went back & forth last night - to cull or not to cull. This morning, he is the about same. If I touch him, he still moves & chirps a little. He has started moving his legs & feet a LITTLE better than he was last night & he can now open both eyes. He has pooped in his basket a few times, don't really know if that is a good sign or not, but atleast that part is working. I had a friend take a look at him last night. She used to work at a vet office & she has chickens along with lots of other animals. She thinks he may have broken his back. She felt a little bump on his spine, I tried to feel it, but I did not feel anything. She pinched the skin under his wing & he did not even flinch, so she said she does not think he is feeling any pain. I keep thinking there is no hope & I should cull, but then in the back of my mind I hear "What if....?"

 

[momofspoiledchicks]

NEW UPDATE: (in case anyone is still reading this post)
I have him here in the office with me & he is chirping much more! I offered him some wet cat food with a drop of Metacam on it & he ate about 1/4 teaspoon!! He also drank a little sugar water!! He is moving his head on his own, but it is still a wierd rolling back & to the side motion. But, like when he was done with his water, he moved his head away from the spoon. So, I have a little more hope than I did before!

 

[mmaddie's mom]

yes, still reading.

please continue updates.

 

[mgw]

still following progress keep posting!

 

[momofspoiledchicks]

UPDATE:
He is still doing well. He just ate some more wet cat food with a little chick starter sprinkled on top & he drank a little water. The Metacap seemed to help him sleep well for a few hours.
Thanks for reading!

 

[chickenzoo]

AWWWWWWWWWW..... hope he/she continues to improve. If you have any vitamin E gel caps you can pinch a hole in one and give him/her a drop. Vitamin E helps alot with spine, nerve damage. Once had a Roo that hurt his back and could not stand, thought he was paralized, I continued to give him vitamin E and vitamins and after a moth he got up and walked..... fine ever since.

hopes for your baby

 

[WriterofWords]

When Tux was a chick he got his head stuck in the fence and broke his neck, hung there for hours until I got home. I made a splint out of curved cardboard from a toilet paper roll tube and taped it around his neck. He healed,, his neck was twisted and he his head was almost backwards at times but he lived a good long life until being stolen a few months ago. Don't sell your chick short and end it's life for nothing.

 

[momofspoiledchicks]

Chickenzoo: Oh my goodness! Thank you for the advice & thank you even more for the hope you just gave me!! I will go the the store in a few minutes & get some Vitamin E!!
Thanks again!