Chicks head suddenly drooping to one side, chick walking in circles

[Blueeyez]

I have 6 chicks in a brooder, they are about a week old. This morning they were all totally normal and then maybe an hour later when I checked on them one of them had suddenly began to hang its head to the left and just walks in cicles to the left. It keeps moving its head around weird as if it can't hold its head straight. The weirdest part is that it does seem to have enough control of its head to eat and it even holds its head just fine when it drinks but then the second its done eating or drinking it goes right back to the strange head position and circles. Its been going on for several hours now so I'm starting to worry that something really is wrong even though it is still eating and drinking. I've never seen anything like it.... Anyone know what could be wrong or what I might be able to do to help it?

 

[Blueeyez]

Anybody?

 

[silkiemother]

are theiy vaccinated?

 

[silkiemother]

1 https://townsendfarmer.com/blog/47606/common-chick-diseases-to-look-out-for

2 https://www.mypetchicken.com/backyard-chickens/chicken-help/Encephalomalacia-
Overview-H376.aspxhttps://morningchores.com/chicken-diseases/
number 2 sounds like your best bet for help.

 

[50-45-1]

Sounds like it could be wry neck which is a vitamin deficency from its parrents.
It needs vitamin E, and selenium to absorb the vitamin E.
Do a search here and on the internet and see if the symptoms fit.
Hope she recovers!

 

[silkiemother]

https://www.mypetchicken.com/backya...Chick-illnesses-and-issues-overview-H399.aspx
this is the third one has has lots of info on chick diseases and problems.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have 6 chicks in a brooder, they are about a week old. This morning they were all totally normal and then maybe an hour later when I checked on them one of them had suddenly began to hang its head to the left and just walks in cicles to the left. It keeps moving its head around weird as if it can't hold its head straight. The weirdest part is that it does seem to have enough control of its head to eat and it even holds its head just fine when it drinks but then the second its done eating or drinking it goes right back to the strange head position and circles. Its been going on for several hours now so I'm starting to worry that something really is wrong even though it is still eating and drinking. I've never seen anything like it.... Anyone know what could be wrong or what I might be able to do to help it?

This sounds like wry neck. In new chicks it can be from a thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, or a vitamin E deficiency. If you can get some Poultry NutriDrench or Poultry Cell vitamins and give 1 ml daily. Or get PolyVisol baby vitamins without iron, and give 2-3 drops daily. Make sure the chick is getting enough to eat and drink, and that it is not getting picked on by the others.

 

[christwodog]

Sounds like wry neck - they can fully recover from it. Try giving her some hard boiled egg and polyvisol (without iron) which is infant vitamin liquid. It took about 2-3 weeks for mine to recover, but she's been perfectly fine since and she's now 7 months old. There are some more in depth articles about wry neck on BYC, but based on your description that would be my first guess. It's weird how it suddenly starts from one moment to the next, but if she can eat and drink on her own, that's half the battle. Nutri-Drench will also help, full strength in an eyedropper for her, or you can dilute it and put in the water for everyone.

 

[PattyNH]

Wish I could help! Maybe @KikisGirls @Wyorp Rock or @Eggcessive can offer advice?

 

[Kiki]

Sounds like wry neck to me too.
Do you have any poultry vitamins on hand?