Days old pullet with head hanging.

[willy3486]

I have a few days old pullet with its head hanging low. I just picked up about 30 baby chics from a breeder this afternoon. The chicks are a few days old but not more than a week. All but one are extremely active and seem to be fine. It was an hour long drive to my house and I did not have the air conditiong on. It was about 75 to 80 coming home with them. I tried not to bounce or shake them.

I don't know how much food they had if any. The fellow did tell me they had their first medicine. The one that is acting up is not too active and has its head hanging low. I did dip its beak in the water and it took it. It seemed to be better but after a few minutes it got tired and its head went down again. I have the probiotics and other medicine they recomended at the tractor supply.

Could this just be from the ride or could it be a sign of trouble. The others seem to be extremely active and happy. Any suggestions?

 

[MROO]

Is her head hanging straight down and droopy or is it twisted, like she's looking up at the sky (called stargazing or wry-neck)? A pic would help.

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you have electrolytes? Probiotics won’t help, it needs SaveAChick electrolytes with vitamins, or Poultry NutriDrench to give orally a couple of drops at a time.

For now if you do not have electrolytes, mix 1 tsp of sugar and a small pinch of salt into a liter or quart of water. Pour into a small cup and dip it’s beak for a second, let it swallow,and repeat. Do this every minute of two to get water into the chick. I would make sure they all are taking water, and sprinkle some chick crumbles on some paper towel around their feet so they will start eating.

Are you using some typ of heat for them?

 

[Cayuga momma]

Could be the stress from the trip. The problem with stress is it can being out disease and sickness that otherwise might not have affected them. For example most chickens have coccidiosis or Mareks in small amounts in their system, but when they get stressed it can allow the coccidiosis or Mareks to overtake their systems.
https://timbercreekfarmer.com/mareks-disease-symptoms-to-watch-for/?print=print

 

[Ducksandchickens]

A pic would Help. Also how do you know she is well a she when she’s only a day old?

 

[willy3486]

Yes, electrolytes was the other packet I added to the water along with the Probiotics. As far as the head it is layed over and seems like twisted to one side. I have a heat lamp on them, I have been trying to get it in a good position so they won't be too cold or hot. I have them in my workshop that is insulated and free of drafts for the most part. They are also away from the door a good bit so they shouldn't feel a draft. I will try to get a picture here in a little bit. I have been trying to go out there and check on them every hour or so since its their first day from the trip. I am thinking of going out with a eyedropper and mixing some of the chic feed with this water. I am trying not to disturb them too much. But I think this one needs some attention.

 

[willy3486]

A pic would Help. Also how do you know she is well a she when she’s only a day old?

I don't know if she is well. When I got them I didn't notice this but that doesn't mean it wasn't doing it. From what he said they are probably less than a week. From what I remember from raising others I think that is probably right. The one thing I did notice after dipping its beak in the water a couple of times it did keep it raised for a minute or so.

 

[MROO]

Do a quick search on wry-neck and star-gazing to see if it looks like your chick's issue. I had to deal with that last year in a hatchery order. My vet said that, in chicks that young, it's generally caused by a selenium deficiency in the parent stock. She recommended selenium (sold in liquid gel caps) and generic vitamin E dissolved in Pedialyte. I got everything at our local WalMart for under $10, total.
We dissolved a half tablet (gel) of each in about an ounce of Pedialyte and gave it like water. Two chicks got their beaks dipped. The third was too weak to drink, so we set a droplet of the liquid along the side-crease of her beak. When she opened her mouth, it went right in where it belonged.
It was a lot of running and a lot of stress on everyone - chicks and people - but it worked wonders in just a few hours!
Good Luck!

 

[Eggcessive]

If the head is twisted to the side, up, or down, and it is staying that way, the chick might have wry neck. Wry neck is a neurological symptom, and can be due to heredity, vitamin deficiency, head injury, or in older birds, certain diseases. I would make sure the vitamins have vitamin E, thiamine, and you can feed a small amount of cooked egg for selenium.

 

[willy3486]

This is the best picture I got. What it is doing is its head is dropped, like its neck is broke and its still standing. It does seem to have some energy as it will stand somewhat. I went out there and made it drink some more of the water.It will hold its head up and drinks the water good. But it seems to get tired and drops it head again. All the other chicks are hyper and seem fine. Next time I go out there I will take a eye dropper and see if I can feed it some water fixed with its food.