Chick won't stand, eat, drink or lift it's head. Help!

[dot n'dave]

That's the other confusing thing. We have been giving them "Quick Chick" in their water since we got them. I probably should have mentioned that earlier. Sorry. But I keep checking on her, and she is responsive, but it's more than likely too early to expect any results, I'm sure. She just seems very tired. And She has pooped a few times. Seems somewhat liquidy and yellowish with some green, if that's any indication.

I guess it's a good thing I'm (Dave) unemployed at the moment, and that I'm home to keep an eye on her.

 

[bigstack]

You can also add some electrolytes to the water to help with energy. maybe a lil bit of sugar to the water aswell. If she in't eating she really needs the electrolytes. You can get some at TSC. or most feed stores.

Good Luck and God Bless!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

This is just my personal opinion, but it comes from "me the nurse".

Plain water with nothing in it is the best for chicks after the first 1-2 days after shipping. If you hatch them, they don't need any sugar or electrolyte water. I would only offer plain water along with the poly-vi-sol. Sugar can cause diarrhea or make it worse.

It wouldn't hurt to begin her on an antibiotic...and I usually don't rush to give antibiotics...but the diarrhea sounds like it could be coccidiosis. I would use Sulmet (get at feed store) and mix up a small batch according to the directions. You will have to give it to her with an eyedropper and dribble it alongside her beak. Getting enough into her is going to be a challenge.

Hope she turns the corner soon! Your doing a great job. Will check back with you...

 

[rancher hicks]

This is in the Back yard Poultry magaizne I keep touting. It may or may not help.

Question: My chicks neck stays bent backwards and it walks backwards now. Whenit eats and drinks it hold it's neck normallyh other than that it's a healthy chick.

Answer: There are several things that can cause twisted necks in chickens. Thiamin (vitamin B1) deficiency is one. It can occur in chicks or adult and can ussually be corrected pretty easily. A human vitamin containing B vitamins will usually treat them. If this works then yuou'll want to get a different feed so it doesn't recur. Some mycotozins can also destry thiaminin a feed so that can cuase the same symptoms.
Newcastle disease, caused by a virus can somtimes cuase twisted neck. Sicne this is a virus there's not really a treatment. There are vaccines available if this continure to be a problem. Tere are several different tyupes of Newcastle disease, reangin from some that cause very few problem up to exotic Newcastle, which is a very seruoius disease. The expotick form is not currently present n the US,, and wil be a major problem if it does show up here.
There is a gene, calle dstargazer or congenital loco, that cause es the bird to twist it's head back. It was first reported in 1929, and occurs occasionally in many differnet breeds. It's thought to be an autosomal recessive gene, but not much more is known aobut it. It usually show up immedieantely at hatch, so most chicks with this would be destryed at the hathcery.
Finally twisted neck can be cuased by an injury. The bird may fly into the pen and cause damage, or it might hnave some toehr nerve damage. These will sometimes go away, or they may be permanent. I'd try the B-vitamin and see if it helps. If ti doesn, there's probalmy not alot you can do. . If the bird can eat and drink and you want to wait and see, it maight get better with time. Chances are the chicks quality of life will slowly deteriorate.

Sorry for the typing.

All the best

Rancher

 

[dot n'dave]

Thanks for all the replies. At the moment there has been no improvement. Not that I was really expecting a whole lot. And we're trying to foresee her future quality of life, and it doesn't look like it would be all that good.
Now for the touchy subject, and I may have to move this to another topic, my wife and I are seriously considering culling her. Now I've never done it before, but my father-in-law has in the past just broken the neck. But I don't know exactly how. The other though I had was a sharp hatchet to the neck, but I don't know about the mess. No matter what the technique, we obviously want it quick and painless as possible. I'm not sure about the use of chemicals, it just seems quite harsh.