Deformed Chick

[booboochickens]

Hi, I'm new to the whole chicken-raising thing. I have 5 adult hens and very recently 4 baby chicks! 3 are healthy, one died, one egg never hatched and one is deformed. Her head is bent to one side and her neck seems to have the inability to straighten up. At best her head is upright but cocked to one side. At worst it's nowhere to be seen and she is running backwards. However, she has survived 48hrs to my surprise. I thought nature would take its course but no....

I think this chick shouldn't survive as I doubt there's anything I can do for it. What is the best way to go about this if not taking her to the vet? I can't kill it myself it's traumatic enough looking at it!!! All advice welcome. Thanks.

 

[chicken8]

It could be wry neck.

 

[Stewarts]

I'd take it to a vet because you need professional help and you might find out a surprising way to help the chick. It could turn out to be a pulled muscle rather than a deformity of the neck bones. Only a vet can tell you for sure.

Outside of that your only option would be to research the Internet for the deformity, if that is what it is, that the chick has and see what you can find, but trying to do something on your own could make it a lot worse for the poor little thing. Whatever you decide, I'd do it quickly. Good luck.

 

[booboochickens]

It looks like nature has taken it's course

The chick got out and an hour later I can't find it anywhere.... can't believe a predator would have been that quick but perhaps she got out of the coop entirely and got lost?

 

[BantamFan4Life]

It looks like nature has taken it's course

The chick got out and an hour later I can't find it anywhere.... can't believe a predator would have been that quick but perhaps she got out of the coop entirely and got lost?

Yeah, I hope you can find her!

 

[booboochickens]

No quite sure she has gone

 

[chickengeorgeto]

It looks like nature has taken it's course

Do all chickens a favor by giving mother nature a coffee break, don't set any more eggs laid by that chick's mother.

 

[booboochickens]

Do all chickens a favor by giving mother nature a coffee break, don't set any more eggs laid by that chick's mother.

These eggs were pinched from another mother for my broody hen. It seems the last three eggs didn't successfully hatch well whereas the others have been fine.

 

[booboochickens]

UPDATE: Chick found and returned to her mum!!! So any advice again welcome! Wry neck sounds right- what can be done?

 

[Farmer Viola]

UPDATE: Chick found and returned to her mum!!! So any advice again welcome! Wry neck sounds right- what can be done?

I had success treating a chick with wry neck using concentrated vitamins from the feed store. Poly vi sol or nutri-drench will both work. I gave it by mouth 4-5x day at full strength and separated the chick from the rest. I gave it a 1 day fast (just water and nutri-drench, no food) and then put it back on food with lots of garlic. he was better by about 3 days and returned to the flock at 4.

here is more detailed information about what wry neck is and various treatment options:
http://oureggbasket.blogspot.com/2013/04/wry-neck-or-crook-neck-understanding-it.html