Deformed Chick?

[Davros]

Hi

One of our 2 day old chicks. We noticed he had an odd shaped head.

We're wondering if people have seen anything like this before, if you have did they survive?

Any idea what the cause could be?

Davros

 

[chuckachucka]

What breed are the chicks? Is the head rounded from a front on view? It looks like a vaulted skull. Which some pure crested breeds have (like silkies or polish). If this is the case it is nothing to worry about at all.

 

[chuckachucka]

This is one of my chicks at a couple of days old with a large vaulted skull...and five months later with a big crest...

 

[Davros]

It' a Coturnix Quail. The pic is from the side.

 

[chuckachucka]

Oh yes should have checked the thread category! Sorry I don't know much about quail.

 

[DasChookunMan]

From the pic I can't see any prominent deformities, and for fresh hatchlings deformities without symptoms aren't your biggest of worries, those can be sorted, or, worst case scenario, culled later.
The only thing to worry about in the first couple days to weeks of a chick hatching is primarily how active the chick is. If it's droopy, lethargic, and heavy constantly, then you might have some bigger problems. It's okay for a chick to get all snuggly and instantly fall asleep under its mother or a heatlamp, but if it's always like that, not eating or drinking, then you've got bigger issues, and may need to feed it the same way you'd rear a bird of flight.
If you tell me a bit more of what's up I can help, but if the bird is acting normal and not showing signs of pain then you shouldn't worry too much.

 

[Davros]

He's quite lethargic. We originally isolated him as he had splayed legs so have used bent wire to try and enable him to move without doing the splits all the time. We've been trying to help him feed and drink every few hours during the day to keep him going.

He might also have trouble opening his eyes fully.