HELP one of my silkies isn't right..

[Lacrystol]

All my silkie chickens hatched out last night, tonight is the ducks turn. But I noticed one of the silkies is acting odd. First he doesn't seem to be able to walk right, one of his longer toes is curling. Second, everytime he's on his feet he pulls his head up really high and falls over on his back, when he's on his back, he can't get over again. It's like he is stuck.. I also noticed his doing a sneezy type coughing. He puts his head up really high almost like he just got done drinking water ONLY he hasnt been by the water.. What do you think is going on with him? The other three are acting completely fine, he was the last one to hatch too..

 

[Elite Silkies]

Could have food hung in his throat. I almost lost a baby like that. Luckily I got the airway unblocked so he could get some water down. Open his beak and see if you can see food. Some of the food is too large for them to swallow. That is why I usually grind up my chick food.

 

[emvickrey]

I agree, open it's beak and look in there to see if you can get what ever it is out. I lost a chick that way. By the time I figured it out it died.

 

[Lacrystol]

I don't think it's food because I haven't seen any of them eat yet. Any the food that's in there is grounded up. I always grind the food.

 

[Lacrystol]

I will take a look but I don't think that's what his problem is...

 

[Lacrystol]

Nope couldn't see anything there, gave him a drink of water and he drank just fine, he's still flipping on his back..

 

[BrattishTaz]

That sounds like wry neck to me. Kind of early for that though. The treatment won't hurt though. Get some polyvisol (human) infant vitamins without iron. Try to get it in him ASAP as babies can go downhill fast. I believe the dosage is 2 drops twice a day. You can search "wryneck" for more information and to verify dosage.

 

[Lacrystol]

I have polyvisol and I have giving him a shot already, I'm not sure if it's wry neck though, What should I do about him falling backwards all the time and not being able to get back up. Is it safe for him to be on his back for a long time?

 

[BrattishTaz]

Quote:
Is his neck going backwards causing him to flip or does it look like a leg issue?

 

[CapricornFarm]

Sometimes chicks do that for the first day or so. I just keep turning them back over and by the second day they usually have the idea.