HELP ~ Something wrong with chick ~ What do I do?? Fast Advice Needed

[Chicks_N_Horses]

One of my CBMarans chicks this morning is hurt or sick...don't know.


He seems alert and not like near death but he can't walk and his head & neck keep bending back over his back. He seems like he may be kind of paralyzed. He is peeping and he kind of flops a little but he doesn't seem to be fixing to die, just can't move...

What would do this? Is he sick? Did something bite him? Does he have a 'crick' in his neck (like when you sleep wrong), or what???

What do I do to save him? I have never seen this before....I took him out of the brooder and put him in isolation. How can I get him to eat or drink?

He is over 3 wks old.

Help please

 

[emilyweck]

Give him Vitamin E out of a softgel capsule. Squeeze it on his beak. Also, not at the same time, but give him polyvisol. It's a baby vitamin supplement that you administer with the dropper it comes with. He probably has Wry Neck. It's a vitamin E deficiency. He can recover, but it takes a little bit. I would keep him isolated as other chicks will notice it and perhaps peck at him. Just my opinion. Let me now how it goes. Good luck.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

Where do I get this baby vitamin supplement from?

 

[emilyweck]

Any drug store should have it. I was also just reading a post where people put it in the chick's water. Make sure he has access to his own, vitamin laced water dish if you do it this way. You may have to help him drink it, too, if his head isn't stable and flopping.

Good luck!

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

Also, why would he have a vitamin e definciency? I have them on chick starter, they get a little free range during the day, and I throw in some scraps like cornbred crumbs, tomatoes, grits, stuff like that all along. Fresh water daily.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

Thanks too btw ~ I am going to have my husband pick up that stuff on his way home for me today.

I am relieved to know he can make it

 

[emilyweck]

I'm not quite sure why, but one of mine just had the same thing and I think some are just better eaters than others.....like people. He may not have such an appetite, or not finding what he wants while outside.

Also, sometimes they just grow too fast for their nervous system to keep up and need some supplements. Just like kids need vitamins....

Your very welcome. Anything to help a concerned mama and her chick. I just hope he makes a speedy recovery. Mine has been getting really spoiled because I've been babying her so much. I'll put her down in her cage and she yells and screams at me to pick her up. I was talking with another poster yesterday and hers does the same thing. We created little monsters.....although it's pretty cute.

They do get better and just need a little TLC.

Keep us posted!

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

He is still alive. I have been using the snot sucker syringe to feed and water him. He is eating and drinking but I haven't seen him try to do it on his own.

Can I take the chick starter and mix it with warm water to make a cereal and feed that to him? I have been having to pry open his mouth, drop in some crumbles and rub his throat to help him get it down.

eta: I have some vitamins for our parrots as well. The kind that you drop in the water or mix in the seed. Would that be ok to mix in with the food too?

 

[chickenannie]

When I had a sick hen who wouldn't eat, I used a dropper to feed her liquid yogurt. It was the only thing that worked and she seemed to do ok on it. If others thing it's a good idea, perhaps you could try this with your chick?

 

[emilyweck]

Yeah, I would lace his water with vitamins. I agree about the yogurt, too. They usually always love that. You just have to stay persistent and feed and water the buggers until they can do it on their own. How old is he? I never asked that.