chick cant hold its head up

happi752

Songster
10 Years
Sep 12, 2009
251
2
119
Casa Grande
what could be wrong? this was the 5th chick to hatch and it is a real fighter. legs kick strong, wings flap but it cannot hold its head up. it just lays on its side and chirps and kicks. anyone have any idea what to do for this chick?
 
I would give it a little bit of warm sugar water--just a couple drops--be careful not to aspirate it. I would also offer it some poly-visol drops(without iron)--you can buy this in the medicine section at walmart or just about any drug store--they're vitamins for infants. Give just a drop or two every 6 hours. Also, I would prop it up with an old sock or something and try to keep it upright or if you can hold it uprightin your hand and keep him nice and warm. Sometimes when chicks are born they are just pure exhausted. It takes a good 6-12 hours for them to even really want to move around. Make sure though he can't be trampled by the other chicks--that can weaken/kill him quickly! Good luck!
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It hatched out yesterday at 3 30 p m. All the others are up and running around the brooder eating and drinking. This little one, I think something is seriously wrong with it. I massaged its neck, gave it some sugar water. Half its yolk was still inside the egg when it hatched. It bled alot while it was hatching. I tried to get it to stand by holding its head up but the legs just stiffened straight out in front of it and it couldnt hold its weight on the legs either. I think we may have to cul it. What a shame, its such a cute chick with a strong chrip too. I think it hatched too early even though it was put in the bator at the same time as the others and was the last one to hatch out.
 
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Has it absorbed the yolk yet? Blood loss can weaken a chick, but I had one that lost so much blood and after polyvisol drops and warm sugar water, it came back around and is a GORGEOUS grown pullet now!
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I underand how frustrating that can be having to cull as well! Good luck!!!
 
when it hatched out it was laying on part of the shell with its cord still attached to the shell and the yolk was in the shell as well. I left it in there for 6 hours and then noticed the cord had dried and thinned, so I reached in there and clipped the cord and removed the shell. So I just dont know if it is just a weak chick that will need a couple days of nurturing or if I should just cull it. Watching it this morning, it keep chirping and kicking real strong, and it did try to raise its head and the neck is starting to straighten out somewhat, so I think I might just wait another day.
 
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Yeah, I would do the same. Just make sure he can't get trampled on. I also hand feed weak chicks a medicated mash, which is simply wet medicated chick feed. Gently open the beak and place in mouth--sometimes you have to gently stroke the neck in a downward stroke to encourage swallowing. Good luck!!!
 
I still have him in the bator at this point. All the others that hatched are in the brooder happily bouncing around and eating and drinking and socializing with each other. Isn't nature awesome!!!!
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