chick only can walk/run backwards

[yallapilko]

Help! Why is this happening? My chicks are 11 days old and just now, two of them only have reverse gear. The two chicks are walking and running only in backwards gear and seem unable to walk forwards. They seem a bit distressed. Can anyone tell me why this is happening? I took them out of their brooder and they seemed to recover a bit. Then I spotted another doing the same. What is going on? They are just started jumping and flying and I can only think they have knocked their heads on the brooder box lid, which is plastic. Has anyone any experience of this. I've never seen this before.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

hmmm......weired??

 

[DK newbie]

I have read about it on here, but there doesn't seem to be one conclusive answer as to why it happens. Apart from hitting their heads, malnutrition is also a common suspect. What are you feeding them?

 

[yallapilko]

I'm feeding them a standard chick crumb, and also some loose millet seed, and they have access to some millet spray, but the majority of their food is the chick crumb.

 

[lazy gardener]

Vitamin E encephalitis or crazy chick disease. Treatment: Vitamin E and selenium. B vitamins also helpful. If you get the vitamins into the chicks right away, you may be able to reverse this neurological problem. If the vitamins don't help, it's a deeper rooted neuro issue, and you would be wise to cull the chicks. What breed? IMO, vaulted skull chicks are more prone.

 

[DK newbie]

Is this chick crumb made for chicken chicks? Check the protein content of it. Usually feed for chicken chicks is 16-19% protein. Quail chicks should have around 23+ % protein, which is why they are usually fed game bird or turkey feed. I'd also leave out the millet for now, it usually has a protein content around 11% and the quail should also have access to grit to digest it properly.
There are of cause other options, but correcting the feed is a good place to start.

 

[yallapilko]

Thanks for all your replies. Currently, the chick crumb is

• Protein 19%
• Oil 4.0%
• Fibre 4.0%
• Ash 6.0%,
• Copper 25mg/kg
• Methionine 0.4%
• Vitamin A 12,000IU/kg
• Vitamin D3 4,000IU/kg
• Vitamin E 60IU/kg

I've never fed grit to chicks until around 4 weeks old.....

 

[Diamond Dan]

Try adding so chick saver or any of the chick electrolytes to their water it could be a vitamin/mineral deficiency

 

[yallapilko]

I'm not sure what 'chick saver' is... or 'chick electrolytes'..... how do I make those. If they are brands, I'm in the UK. Could be different if you're in USA. Thanks.

 

[007Sean]

Is this chick crumb made for chicken chicks? Check the protein content of it. Usually feed for chicken chicks is 16-19% protein. Quail chicks should have around 23+ % protein, which is why they are usually fed game bird or turkey feed. I'd also leave out the millet for now, it usually has a protein content around 11% and the quail should also have access to grit to digest it properly.
There are of cause other options, but correcting the feed is a good place to start.

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