Help...I dont know what's wrong???

[sonjab314]

I have a Gold Laced Polish that hatched on 05-17-10. It has never acted "right". It lays down a lot but can walk. It eats and drink just fine. But this morning I noticed it with it's head curled up under its body as if preening its belly but its not. It is still standing and all the other chicks that are in the brooder with it are fine. I moved it into a box all of its own and put in some food and water. I picked it up a few times to straighten out the head but as soon as I put it back down it curls its head under its body again. What in the world is it? I looked up Marek's but I cant seem to find the symptoms. Does this sound like Marek's? If not anyone have any ideas? My polish are my favorite chicks, I dont want to lose one.

 

[sonjab314]

Now it's laying down with its neck all crooked like chicks sleep sometimes (mine anyways...makes me think someone has wrung their neck). I've checked it for pasty butt and thats not it. It still has some energy because when I picked it up, it stried to get away from me. I forgot to add in the original post that all the other chicks have ALWAYS picked on this one. The try to pick its feathers and trample on it. Could it just possibly be failing to thrive?

 

[MotherJean]

You could try vitamin therapy. 1 drop of Polyvisol without iron directly in the mouth daily. If this chick is not eating/drinking because of these contortions you'll have to feed/water by hand until you see if the vitamins will help. If you do that, substitute Pedialyte for the plain water. Personally, based upon the fact that this chick hasn't been right since hatching, condition is obviously declining, and it's become a victim of the other chicks, I'd put it out of it's misery.

 

[sonjab314]

What is polyvisol and where do you get it?

 

[r00stercogburn]

poly-vy-sol is a liquid over the counter baby vitamin. Any drugstore should have it.

 

[bigstack]

Do a search for wry neck or rye not sure of spelling. Search the forums! Sounds like thats what it is to me. I wish I had more info. Sorry!

Good Luck and God Bless!

 

[sonjab314]

Poor baby has now stopped eating and drinking. I just dipped its beak in water and shortly after it had diarrhea. I am boiling an egg hopefully to tempt it to eat something. I'm sending DH out for the polyvisol. Should I maybe start it on Sulmet? I have some but I don't know if it would hurt the chick since its not showing any signs of coccidiosis or anything like that. Poor baby is just really lethargic. I dont have what it takes to cull it. That's why I don't have meat chickens. I'm gonna give it the egg and vitamins and pray for the best. Any other ideals will be greatly welcomed.

 

[sonjab314]

Update: The chick is up walking around and eating crumbles. I gave it vitamins last night and this morning both and I am seeing a great improvement in it today. This morning I was about ready to take him to be culled but when I got back home from my errands...it was up and eating!!

I am going to keep up the vitamins for about a week and hopeful it will be ok. Keep it in your

.

 

[smfildes]

I have a silkie that has had the same symptoms. The best answer I found for this condition is wry neck. Some people say it's from getting pecked in the head and some say a vitamin deficiency. All of my chicks get vitamins so I thought maybe a hard peck to the head. It was recommended giving him/her vitamin E. I started giving high doses of vit E. After I decided to have someone cull him, cause I couldn't stand to watch the poor thing. it decided to put it's head up like nothing was wrong. After a week

I put it back with the rest of the chicks. Two weeks latter it happened again. It is now in my tack room and getting high doses of Vit E and is starting to put it's head up again. He's looking great. This time he/she is staying in my tack room! I hope I helped some. This is my first time on BYC. Good luck, it's a good chance that it will survive.

 

[sonjab314]

The poor little thing hasnt stopped eating. It definately got its appetite back. And yes I do believe its wry neck. He also flew out of my make shift hopital box into the bathroom floor. So now I'm gonna have to cover it up i guess. But I'm so happy. My golden laced polish are my favorite birds (along with my Black Copper Marans

)