Chick got lost in torrential rain, found about 6-7 hours later

[Jadavis73]

This past Wednesday here in SW Michigan we had some periodic torrential rains. As the clouds started to approach my daughters, in a panic, went out to herd the chickens to their coop. In the apparent panic a chick got separated and they couldn't find it in the tall grass. Fast forward about 6-7 hours, I find the chick when I get home from work. It was on its back, soaked neck tilted to the left and back. At first I thought it was dead but as I went to pick it up, its wing shook. My wife put it back under the hen. Well the next day, she went out to check on it and found the the hen had abandoned it. As this is getting long winded, I'll cut to the chase. The chick is now alert and lively, BUT now it can't walk and seems to lack some control of its head. It flaps its wings without any issues and will stretch out its legs. We are trying to rehab it but truthfully we are not sure if it can be rehabbed. It chirps until someone picks it up and then quiets right down. It's appetite is good, except that with head control issues as it misses the food half the time. Any ideas on what is wrong? Culling is the very last resort, as we have way too much emotionally invested in this chick. (We had to help it hatch as the shell came separated from the membrane so we had to work the membrane for two days.) We are thinking either brain damage or stroke. The chick hatched 6/6.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi!

,
Only thing I can think of is to supplement it with extra nutrition and hope that its symptoms are a nutritional deficiency. I don't know anything about physical therapy for chicks. Here's what I do when birds are stressed for any reason. The post happens to deal with travel stress, but stress is stress.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/746509/how-to-deal-with-travel-stress-in-baby-chicks
Poultry Nutri-Drench and Pet Nutri-Drops can be used interchangeably with the same usage ad dosage instructions per a conversation I had with the science techs at Bovidr Labs who make both formulas. One drop only by mouth and as needed every 8-10 hours. Put 2cc's per gallon in their water for the first 2 weeks to get them off to a strong start. I found Tractor Supply had the best prices at 7.-10 for the small bottle (4-6 oz. ) which is plenty for your needs.
Best Regards,
Karen in western PA, USA