Chicks flipping upside down... Whats going on??

Chicks are very clumsy when they hatch. I have watched mine fall over on their backs and squeal something terrible about it.The first few days they spend building up their strenght and as they get stronger their balance improves.

 

Oh I just caught that it was 2 days later that he is having the balance issue.
I don't think the pine litter would cause it , is he showing any other unusual signs?
You could give him a few drops of Poly Visol baby vitamins without iron to see if that helps him. Sometimes vitamin/nutriant deficiencies can affect them at the early chick age.

 

Careful with slippery paper - could cause splay legs

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Actually from what I've read here on byc, using shavings during the first few days can cause splay legs. Mainly because they can't get their footing yet as their legs are week an wobbly. Best to use paper towel since it's not slippery but not a difficult surface to learn to walk around on.

I'd say try paper towel for a few days and once your chick regains balance and footing then switch back to shavings..

 

Yes I understand, but it could be that they haven't had a chance to learn how to gain footing. I'd still try laying paper towel down instead of shavings and seeing if the behavior continues

 

Thiamine deficiency can cause flipping over. It also may not present in the newly hatched for 24- 48 hours after hatching. I have had a few hatch last year ( ducklings ) - and again another one last week that have been " flippy". Vitamins in the drinking water should help. I have also made a more concentrated solution up and given it to the effected ones with an eye dropper to make sure they are getting a good dose of the vitamins.

 

I only had one batch where one of mine kept flipping over on to his back and nearly died because it was directly underneath the heat lamp - which had just gotten hotter yet too. I managed to rescue him and he did flip over quite a few times after that, but he did survive. In fact, I kept him as my second roo