Chick crouching with head between legs and tipping forwards

[GroovyFarmer]

I have a black copper maran chick that is only a few days old. When I went to visit the chicks an hour ago, I noticed that the chick had its head bent down between its legs while in a semi-standing position. When trying to walk, it would often tip forwards and end up doing a frontflip. Its legs look a little weak, but I did see it eating with its head in a normal position and standing up. After that, it went back to what it was doing before. This is the only chick acting this way and I have only just noticed it doing this (and I do visit the chicks several times a day). I have not yet administered treatment as I have no idea what to treat for, or if this strange behavior will continue. Was this chick just tired or does it have an injury or even a disease?

 

[Kiki]

I think you should give her some poultry vitamins asap.
Nutri Drench is great because it can go straight into their mouth, and it is absorbed.

 

[GroovyFarmer]

The only thing I have right now is electrolytes, so I gave that to her. She seems to be normal-ish when eating and drinking (just with her head bent a tiny bit and on weaker legs than the other chicks), but as soon as she's done, she goes back to standing with her head between her legs and flipping over.

 

[Kiki]

Could she have wry neck?

 

[GroovyFarmer]

I checked on the chick today and it appears as if everything is normal. She's walking fine without any front flips, and she doesn't have her head between her legs anymore. I wonder what happened.

 

[Kiki]

I'm glad she is better!
Did you "treat" her with anything?

 

[lazy gardener]

What breed is she? In spite of the fact that she is acting normal today, I would still get some PND and give it to her for a week. Often, what you describe is Vitamin E encephalopathy, or sometimes called Wry neck, or Crazy chick disease. It is most often caused by malapsorption of Vit E, or lack of Vit E. Selenium and B vitamin deficiency or malabsorption are also implicated. This issue often shows up in Silkies, Polish, or any other breed with vaulted skull, but is not limited to those breeds.

 

[GroovyFarmer]

Did you "treat" her with anything?

I gave her electrolytes as that is the only thing the store carries.

What breed is she? In spite of the fact that she is acting normal today, I would still get some PND and give it to her for a week. Often, what you describe is Vitamin E encephalopathy, or sometimes called Wry neck, or Crazy chick disease. It is most often caused by malapsorption of Vit E, or lack of Vit E. Selenium and B vitamin deficiency or malabsorption are also implicated. This issue often shows up in Silkies, Polish, or any other breed with vaulted skull, but is not limited to those breeds.

She is a black copper maran. I was considering it being crazy chick disease, but I ruled it out because I heard that it occurs in chicks two to four weeks old, and this one is only a few days old. I might be wrong though, so that is something for me to keep in mind.