Chick acting like it has a broken back - huh??? Please help!

[BlueMoon]

Poor Wyandotte has had a slew of eggs gone bad. Her healthiest chick, an Amerucana, looks like it got smushed between eggs and died. Her other live chick, and this is day 24, is doing something bizarre. I think this chick hatched two days ago.

Its wings are as far back as one could imagine (truthfully, further than I could have ever imagined) and flap around madly. Its poor little back is arched so much that I don't think it could ever walk. I think the only reason it is still alive is that the yolk sac hasn't been fully absorbed yet. It moves its head in circles. Clearly, something is not right.

We've been dribbling Polyvisol onto its beak and it takes that eagerly. Since I think this is the only survivor of its brood, I just hate putting it down or watching it die a slow death.

Any thoughts either what went wrong or how to help it? Can a chick recover from this?
And if no chicks make it from this hen, what can I do to help her if she's depressed?

 

[augiedranch]

that sounds so sad.. im sorry i really cant help but i wanted to tell you that i hope its okay... i hope someone can help....

 

[DuckLady]

I would separate the chick and put it in a brooder with a heat lamp asap. The chick will want to follow it's mom around and it really needs help as well as quiet time to heal.

The poly-vi-sol is good, but don't give too much. no more then a couple of drops a day. You can overdose vitamins and cause other problems.

Keep us posted!

 

[dlhunicorn]

preferably a video or even a photo reportage would help immensely
Giving the polyvisol will often help and cannot hurt at the dosage advised
Here is an article you might have a look thru:
http://www.pjbs.org/ijps/fin714.pdf

 

[BlueMoon]

I'm out of town - my DH says she's still alive! She walked around this evening and then the head swirls and flops started again. I did take a few shots before I left and will try to post them tomorrow.

I gave the vitamin deficiencies a quick review and simply don't know what is wrong. Maybe B6?

Thanks so much for your help and suggestions. With no other chicks around, sadly, I'd think staying with the hen may be better for her than removing her under a heat lamp. The hen is still sitting, hoping the eggs that were scheduled to hatch Sunday or Monday eventually do so.

 

[BlueMoon]

Voila!

These shots were taken in less than five second increments. Sorry they're not great shots - she just moves so quickly!

ps - brownish stuff around her face is polyvisol.

 

[Justino]

omg that is so sad....hope someone can help!

 

[ibpboo]

Poor little chickie, thats so sad, I hope that it can pull through with all your love and tender care. I do not know what is wrong with it, hopefully just a rough start.

 

[BlueMoon]

Thanks everyone - i just don't have a clue what type of Love and Care to give it other than Poly Visol! Since it was walking around, hopefully it can move its head down to drink - otherwise, maybe we'll try a rodent bottle on the cage. And it that doesn't work, it just can't survive if it can't drink without someone dribbling water into its beak.

 

[dlhunicorn]

That is most helpful (the photos)
Give POLYCISOL ENFAMIL >this polyvisol formulation (there are different ones) has the Thiamine (B1) änd other B vitamins assoc with neurological problems ... give three drops in beak once a day for a week then taper off the next.
AviaChatge 2000 is also helpful in that it is a complete nutritional/vit/micronutrient supplement formulated for daily supplementation and will help ensure against other deficiencies (give them both > you can order aviacharge thru McMurry or Strombergs) Vit E deficiency is also assoc with neurological problems and hopefully the two above will have enough... Often vitamins will help turn this around so good luck!