Floppy chick

[Swbertrand1]

I had a two-day-old chick take an adult peck to the head this year and it didnt make it. I assume a vitamin deficiency is much more likely to have a positive outcome.

Sometimes, a peck to the head is not fatal. From what I've read on these forums, some have had chicks recover from what seemed to be fatal head blows and thrive. Vitamin B-12 helps with neurological development as well as repair. Some birds that have had a hit to the head do recover, but others don't. We've never had one take a blow to the head that we know about, so my experience there is essentially nil.

To your question though, I do believe a vitamin deficiency is more likely to have a positive outcome than a head injury...

 

[Pippin quail]

Do you have ANY of those things on hand? That was my question above. The B-4 is not necessary, but we choose to give it because we do all we can for our birds.

The rest of the items except Nutri-Drench should ALL be readily available at any place that sells vitamins and prescription drugs, though there is nothing in there that requires a prescription.

Primarily, you need Vitamin-E and Selenium, both readily available and not expensive. What do you have on hand?

EDIT: What sorts of "little things" do you mean?

I mean I've been giving her drops of electrolytes as she'll take them. Trying to stretch her legs and get them in the right position. See if she'll eat/drink periodically and keeping her safe, warm and separate from the other chicks who were pecking her..I don't currently have any of the vitamin B, selenium or other things you mentioned. Not even yogurt.. though I do have children's probiotics I could crush and put in the electrolyte solution I made of you think that would help at all?

 

[Pippin quail]

Do you have ANY of those things on hand? That was my question above. The B-4 is not necessary, but we choose to give it because we do all we can for our birds.

The rest of the items except Nutri-Drench should ALL be readily available at any place that sells vitamins and prescription drugs, though there is nothing in there that requires a prescription.

Primarily, you need Vitamin-E and Selenium, both readily available and not expensive. What do you have on hand?

EDIT: What sorts of "little things" do you mean?

Also I live on acreage out of town and have company coming over today so I can't be driving an hour + to go get vitamins for a chick, as much as I want to help her. Just trying the quick things I can do that I have on hand..I do have vitamin C, D, or A... But if those won't be what she needs then unfortunately not much I can do at this point.

 

[Swbertrand1]

I mean I've been giving her drops of electrolytes as she'll take them. Trying to stretch her legs and get them in the right position. See if she'll eat/drink periodically and keeping her safe, warm and separate from the other chicks who were pecking her..I don't currently have any of the vitamin B, selenium or other things you mentioned. Not even yogurt.. though I do have children's probiotics I could crush and put in the electrolyte solution I made of you think that would help at all?

Probiotics won't do anything for her if she's starved of the vitamins she needs to develop properly. There are many instances of vitamin deficiencies in chicks, and they often perk right up once they get what they need.

Your chick certainly looks and acts like it needs nutrients, namely the B-Complex and Vitamin E. Read through these two links from Poulty DVM and see if what your chick is experiencing doesn't line up pretty closely with deficiencies in these basic building blocks:

Vitamin E information for chicks:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition... white muscle disease or nutritional... More

Vitamin B-12 information for chicks:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/vitamin-B12-deficiency

PS: If you get the Vitamin-E, Selenium, B-12 and a little Yogurt, I'll help you make a mix that I believe will help your chick recover quickly.

 

[Swbertrand1]

Also I live on acreage out of town and have company coming over today so I can't be driving an hour + to go get vitamins for a chick, as much as I want to help her. Just trying the quick things I can do that I have on hand..I do have vitamin C, D, or A... But if those won't be what she needs then unfortunately not much I can do at this point.

That makes me sad... :-(

Good luck.

 

[Pippin quail]

Probiotics won't do anything for her if she's starved of the vitamins she needs to develop properly. There are many instances of vitamin deficiencies in chicks, and they often perk right up once they get what they need.

Your chick certainly looks and acts like it needs nutrients, namely the B-Complex and Vitamin E. Read through these two links from Poulty DVM and see if what your chick is experiencing doesn't line up pretty closely with deficiencies in these basic building blocks:

Vitamin E information for chicks:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/vitamin-e-deficiency-in-chickens#:~:text= Vitamin E Deficiency 1 Encephalomalacia: Encephalomalacia,as white muscle disease or nutritional... More

Vitamin B-12 information for chicks:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/vitamin-B12-deficiency

PS: If you get the Vitamin-E, Selenium, B-12 and a little Yogurt, I'll help you make a mix that I believe will help your chick recover quickly.

I'm curious how a chick would possibly have such a deficiency just out of the egg when it's still absorbing the yolk? You would think it wouldn't happen so fast... Especially since my other 3 barred rock chicks from the same person all seem totally healthy. I'm sure it's possible, just don't think it would be likely. But then again this is only my second hatching so I don't have a ton of experience. I'm currently waiting on 4 more eggs that were on day 21 yesterday... Not sure how long I should wait, I see no signs of pipping or movement..

 

[2000096904]

So you mean to have the legs stretched out behind it?

Yeah this is worked before with chicks and ducks that are a little as you say floppy I would recommend trying it out

 

[Swbertrand1]

I'm curious how a chick would possibly have such a deficiency just out of the egg when it's still absorbing the yolk? You would think it wouldn't happen so fast... Especially since my other 3 barred rock chicks from the same person all seem totally healthy. I'm sure it's possible, just don't think it would be likely. But then again this is only my second hatching so I don't have a ton of experience. I'm currently waiting on 4 more eggs that were on day 21 yesterday... Not sure how long I should wait, I see no signs of pipping or movement..

It's often passed from a deficient hen based on her diet. Chicks, once hatched, have already absorbed all of the yolk that they are going to absorb, so that process is over.

Not all chickens come out of the shell with everything they need, even if they've absorbed all the yolk sac, any more than every child has everything it needs when born. Things go wrong for a slew of different reasons. Some just need a little help and they're fine. It's FAR MORE LIKELY than you know.

We have raised Silkies each spring from one father and two mothers over the last several years. Out of 20-30 chicks each spring, it's not uncommon for one or two to have a little trouble that the others didn't, even under normal hatching conditions. What do we do first? Treat them with NUTRIENTS. Some just need that extra boost of Vitamins for a day or two, and all is usually fine.

Why usually? We did lose one chick a couple years back that just did not respond to treatment, but that was the ONLY one we've lost.

As for your other eggs, I can't say how long to wait, maybe to day 23. It depends on too many variables that I'm not privy to: quality of the eggs, how they've been handled, the temperatures of your incubator(s), humidity, and on and on and on. We usually give eggs put into lockdown on the 18th day about 4-1/2 days to hatch. During that time, we monitor the eggs for activity inside the shell ahead of the first egg pipping, but once that pip happens the lid really needs to stay closed so you don't dry out the membranes of the hatching chick(s).

 

[Colberon]

I recently had a chick hatch 5 weeks ago (golden laced Wyandotte/EE) that was very weak after hatching and just seemed behind. He would scoot on his but and couldn't stand and his feet looked underdeveloped, they had a fleshy look and the toes on one foot were all crossed and seemed to have no control. I have him some electrolytes and within a couple of days he was walking and running with the others. Oh, I should also mention that he was 1/2 the size of the other chicks and we name "her" Minnie...we now know that she is a "he" and is now Mickey.

 

[Colberon]

I recently had a chick hatch 5 weeks ago (golden laced Wyandotte/EE) that was very weak after hatching and just seemed behind. He would scoot on his but and couldn't stand and his feet looked underdeveloped, they had a fleshy look and the toes on one foot were all crossed and seemed to have no control. I have him some electrolytes and within a couple of days he was walking and running with the others. Oh, I should also mention that he was 1/2 the size of the other chicks and we name "her" Minnie...we now know that she is a "he" and is now Mickey.

I recently had a chick hatch 5 weeks ago (golden laced Wyandotte/EE) that was very weak after hatching and just seemed behind. He would scoot on his but and couldn't stand and his feet looked underdeveloped, they had a fleshy look and the toes on one foot were all crossed and seemed to have no control. I have him some electrolytes and within a couple of days he was walking and running with the others. Oh, I should also mention that he was 1/2 the size of the other chicks and we name "her" Minnie...we now know that she is a "he" and is now Mickey.