Chicken with head injury

[43x114]

I'm hoping that some one can help me. I have a chicken that had its head stepped on by a adult male. This happened 2 days ago It was dazed but then got up and started walking around wobbly.
We picked it up and brought him(?) into the house were it calmed down and slept in my arms. For the past 2 days I have had him in a box with food and water. I don't know if he's been eating or drinking on his own bu will drink water from a syringe. It's one eye is swollen shut but when opened it it was clear and reacted normal. It's wing (same side) and leg seem weak. He is able to stand, and will occasionally sleep that way. So here is the issue....It doesn't appear to be able to walk forward ONLY backward. Could this be a paralysis issue or just acting scared. What should I do. Is he suffering? Hes seems content and alert when I check on him. He's only about 8 weeks old. He was the dominate rooster in the coop.

How can I tell if hes eating? I tried putting a small amount of water in the waterier to see if I could judge to consumption but it was knocked over. I'm at a loss on what to do next. Someone please help me and my little guy.

 

[azygous]

A chick can suffer neurological damage very easily. Any trauma to the head or neck can cripple, if not worse. Your chick is likely suffering both from pain and shock.

Give Poultry Nutri-drench, B-complex to maybe help repair neurological damage and electrolytes for shock and keep him warm. Tell your clodhopper friend to watch where he's stepping next time.

 

[43x114]

So hes eating and drinking acting fine out of the box. The only thing is he can only move backwards now. What is going on. It's been a few days....Is it time to cull him? I dont want to make him suffer

 

[azygous]

Are you giving the B vitamins? Walking backward is definitely a sign of neurological damage. But the chick is still alive, so there's hope.

When the brain is affected, vitamin E oil is what is recommended, along with a sliver of selenium. Poultry Nutri-drench, one undiluted drop per day along with the vitamin E 400iu once a day. B-complex dissolved in a little water and syringed into the beak will help strengthen the legs and repair nerve damage.

However, it's possible it won't work if there's permanent neurological damage rather than temporary shock and trauma.

 

[Anansi]

Give him time to heal. He may need to relearn how to walk forward, but it doesn't hurt to give him a chance as long as he's eating and drinking. He may never be like he was, but if he survives and can manage in the flock, there's no reason to cull him.

 

[43x114]

Thank you to all that replied I did do all the above Vitamins however when I got home last night from work he took a turn for the worse so we made the decision to put him out of his misery.

 

[azygous]

Part of treating a sick chicken is knowing when to end their suffering. It's not always an easy decision or task. I'm sorry he couldn't get better.