Emergency! Baby chicks dying...possible botulism?

[PokeyMomma]

Oh I hope yours recovers!! Our little girl is doing so great!! I mean she's still smaller but getting faster and stronger daily! She was even perching on the highest roosting perch ( which I'd assume shed have to have leg and balance strength to do that!!) we also added garlic powder and cinnamon to her food as my aunt said that is a natural antiviral, anti parasite, and molasses in the water, which is a detox (and energy booster) and get her feet massages at least twice a day to help regain sensitivity and circulation. Keep me posted. Bindi was paralyzed like for almost 2 weeks but she was able to sometimes curl her toes so I know she didn't have a spinal injury with true irreversible paralysis.

 

[FandangoRanch]

I agree with your thoughts that it is not really paralysis. That is the same with Milo. She struggles hard and kicks her legs. It seems like she is able to hold just a little bit of her weight now and she has some resistance in her legs, not much in her toes though but it sometimes seems a little better. At one time she could not hold herself up at all so seeing her flap around and get herself into a sitting position more or less is a huge improvement even though it often ends in a face plant. What was the recovery like with Bindi, very gradual? And how did it start? I work with Milo quite often to keep some tone. After two weeks anyone who was in top shape would have trouble walking. I broke my back last October so I know how quickly you lose muscle tone.

 

[PokeyMomma]

Bindi slooooowly gained strength. Fir the first 3-4 days she got worse, but never as bad as Shakira (our Columbian Wyandotte we had to put down - she was on her side panting horribly fast, wouldn't eat or drink, had a huge enforced crop, and was shedding feathers. Bindi (our black australorp) couldn't stand, then got so weak she just laid on her side, and we thought we were going to lose her next. But she started flapping and flopping around, would peck at food, and did this for about 10 days, then shed try to stand and stumble and fall, rearrange herself into a sitting position, but her legs were often crossed or twisted under her like they were lame, then right around 2 weeks from onset of "paralysis" she would take 3 steps. The next day she walked slow but surely all day, now, almost 3 weeks later, she's like 90 % better. Her humped back posture is more normal, she can hold up her head high and stretch her neck, she flies and perches. I think just hang in there and give her time and supplements to help return strength. Sorry about your back, that sounds awful!

 

[FandangoRanch]

Thank you, PokeyMomma. I am so glad I found your post. It gives me a lot of hope. This chick is my 3 year old grandson's chosen bird who he named himself so it's extra frightening. He lives 3 hours from me so he has not yet seen Milo since she got sick. He will be here next week and I am really hoping for some improvement by then. The symptoms you describe are exactly what I have experienced with Milo. First weakness but still eating, then not eating and lying on her side for a couple of days (at this point I rolled up a towel and propped her into sitting position), then gaining enough strength to keep herself in sitting position without to much help but still not eating (I literally had to put a spoon up to her mouth for her to eat or she would not), and now she flaps around a lot and will eat out of a small dish when I put it in front of her. Her legs will cross when I prop her up on my lap and sometimes end up out to the side when she is in her crate but at least she will still be sternal (on her chest) with her head upright. She has never had an issue with her neck except when she gets excited/overwhelmed, she will lurch her neck forward. I have no idea whether that is normal for a chick as this is my first experience and got my baby chicks in May. I lost my Coronation Sussex who got sick the first day and lasted 4 days and then I lost my Buff Orpington on Monday after treating him for 11 days. I have 9 healthy birds and Milo. This has been quite a learning experience. Please let me know any suggestions as to feeding/physio you might have. I really appreciate your support.

 

[PokeyMomma]

I really hope your grandchild chick Milo makes it! I think she will one other thing I do is give either scrambled egg or a hard boiled egg (1 egg per 23 chicks..maybe that's too little but I'm always afraid of giving too much of any supplement outside of their feed, but I'd give a few crumbles of egg to the chick. It isn't as cannabilistic as you might fear! The chick isn't the actual yolk as I had always thought, the chick actually eats the yolk right before it hatches...it is natures first perfectly balanced meal to offer protein, fat, good cholesterol, calories, moisture, etc. I figure if Mother Nature knows best ill copy her so a little egg every day too for extra nourishment and I think milo should recover!

 

[LibertyChick]

Oh I hope yours recovers!! Our little girl is doing so great!! I mean she's still smaller but getting faster and stronger daily! She was even perching on the highest roosting perch ( which I'd assume shed have to have leg and balance strength to do that!!) we also added garlic powder and cinnamon to her food as my aunt said that is a natural antiviral, anti parasite, and molasses in the water, which is a detox (and energy booster) and get her feet massages at least twice a day to help regain sensitivity and circulation. Keep me posted. Bindi was paralyzed like for almost 2 weeks but she was able to sometimes curl her toes so I know she didn't have a spinal injury with true irreversible paralysis.

Cool, love the supplements!!!

LibertyChick

 

[FandangoRanch]

Well we just made it through day 18. Milo loves egg yolk. She just devours it. No real change in her. I strung her up yesterday in a kind of hammock with her feet on a twig. They would slide off sometimes but I thought it would be a nice change for her. She seems to enjoy it. I will try that off and on. I wish I knew when to expect improvement.

My grandson will be here tomorrow night. At least he will get to see her. Meanwhile I got a little orange kitten for him so now he has 'Milo Chicken' and 'Milo Kitten'.

 

[PokeyMomma]

Aww! I'll pray for some strength and a quick recovery! What feed is she on?

 

[FandangoRanch]

I have her mainly on medicated chick starter which I mix with water and vitamin supplements and apple cider vinegar. I give her bits of spinach or chard and some sand with tiny pebbles. I also give her yoghurt and of course the egg yolk.

 

[FandangoRanch]

Update on 'Milo'. It is day 24 and she is just over 10 weeks old now. She still cannot stand but I have been putting her in the chicken yard with the other 9 healthy chicks for short periods during the day with access to her mushy food. The other chicks are not picking on her but her best buddy 'Brugge', a D'Uccle, is very curious as are several others. Milo was the biggest of the birds before she got sick and she was fairly dominant. When she gets agitated, she flaps her wings furiously in an effort to get up and move. The other chicks see that as dominance and they back off in respect. At night, I am keeping her in a nesting box inside the coop with a wire grid to keep her from falling out or other chicks from accessing her. She still doesn't do much eating on her own. I have to keep pushing her head into the food dish so she will get a good meal in her. I am really hoping that giving her more space to move more often and being with her buddies will motivate her to get better. If anyone has any ideas on what else I can do for her or whether she is likely to improve, I would appreciate your opinion.