chick with swollen head? update she's eating!

[klf73]

I just assisted a chick that was stuck. I wasn't sure at first, but now I think it's head is swollen. When it opens it's eyes it looks like someone gave it a facelift, eyes being pulled back. Is there anything I can do for this chick or is it a lost cause?
thanks
Krista

 

[BJ]

Did it just hatch? I have no experience with this...except to say that I would definitely keep watch for a day or two before making any radical decisions on what to do.

 

[swtangel321]

I think you should post a pic before you make a decision !!!

 

[klf73]

k, will do, if my 9 mo ever decides to o to sleep

 

[luvmychicknkids]

I had a chick hatch a few months ago that I determined was hydrocephalic. Head swollen, eyes looked strange like you are describing, and she had parkinsons like shaking. Somewhere on here there is a thread with the suggstions I was given. I know just a bunch of vitamins and such. Anyway, within a few days she was fine. Now, you would never have a clue.

 

[klf73]

well I took a pic and then the camera died

and it's dh's camera and I have no idea where he keeps his cord. It seems a little better, not great. It was laying on it's back then side and couldn't right itself, so it went to sleep on it's side. It eventually righted itself and seems to be getting a little better at not flipping onto it's back. The neck seems stiff, I tried to drip a little bit of a electrolyte/vitamin water but it had a hard time tilting it's head back so I will try tomorrow, don't want to drown it. I am going to hope it's just from being stuck in the egg so long.

Krista

 

[pbjmaker]

I had a chick a few weeks ago that had a stiff neck like that, it died a week later from other complications - but I gave it neck massages along with the vitamins and that part worked itself out. Unfortunately he was also blind, had a club foot and couln't swallow correctly.

He really liked the neck massages though.

 

[klf73]

I'm not holding much hope. If it does manage to right itself it goes in circles, counter clockwise, it never walks straight. Also it spends a lot of time on it's side when it can't right itself........you guessed it.....doing circles. Right now it looks like it is sun tanning

Should I put water on it's beak? The last one I hatched that had issues only stayed alive cuz I force hydrated it, and started pulling away at day 3 and wouldn't eat so instead of having him starve, dh culled. I just feel like I'm prolonging the inevitable

suggestions?
Krista

 

[swtangel321]

This is just what I would do, I would give him/her another day or 2, and then if the chick still isen't getting better or gets worse the have the hubby cull. I would rather know that I tried and gave it a chance than to cull it to early (that would bother me for days)..... Somtimes things get better.

 

[klf73]

Dh and I agree to give them their best shot, so we don't cull anything(exception was open skull) until day 3. If they are not eating and drinking by then, then there really is no hope

Krista