Help! Think CHick dying-- .... siezures?..UPDATED Sunday

[Momma_Cluck]

Help Please-- this is our 1st batch of Banties-- and My daughter is beside herself that we are losing this one!!

All of our chicks are about 6 weeks old, feathering out and happy/healthy---
They are living in Daughters room in large box with pine shaving litter and newspaper that gets changed reguarly-
They all eat/drink well...and are active/social etc..
We changed their feed about 5 days ago to a "medicated" feed... smells funny but they like it.
They get grit and oatmeal with their feed, and a small daily "treat" like fresh corn or crickets... last night it was corn and small bits of dry bread (very small amounts!)

This a.m around 5:00 Daughter woke me crying that she woke-up by thumping in the box-- and looked to find a white Silkie "Flopping around" under the waterer...

When he saw her he struggled to come out--but the others started pecking him (they never have before!)

He keeps tucking his head between his legs and violently thrashing his head-- then falls over and rolls around. I did notice that the silkies tend to tuck their heads down and thrash their heads (almost like preening) when aggrivated.... but this is WAY different.

There has been no coughing/sneezing or nasal dischare whatsoever .... His eyes seem clear, not cloudy.
Thought MAYBE epilepsy or hit his head trying to fly out of the box????

Want to be sure this isn't something that will spread to the others!!!!!!!!
We Have him separated and quiet/comfortable-- has been picking up his head and chirping-- but then does the whole thing over again!
HELP-- don't want to lose him/her!!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

It does sound like seizures. I would immediately put electrolytes in his water and begin him on Poly-Vi-Sol, 1 drop 3 times a day. I don't think it has anything to do with the medicated feed, but I really don't know...unless it was some sort of allergy. Perhaps go back to the old feed for that one chick and see how he does.

 

[Momma_Cluck]

For the electrolytes, can I use Diluted Gatoraid?
We live in an area where there are NO places that carry anything for Chickens other than feed!!!

Thanks for the help!

 

[Momma_Cluck]

UPDATE:
He just had a LOUD and large poo- verry liquid, yellow and white.
Also-- what I THINK is his crop is verry full/hard-- BUT it is down low on his chest- not in his neck...???
Gave him a bit of oil and have some electrolytes in his water....

ANY other help is GREATLY appreciated!!!

 

[dlhunicorn]

If I understood your post correctly > you did not have them on medicated starter till here recently? (cocci then may indeed be part of the problem and if you can get a poo sample to the vet for a faecal >this is /should not be expensive at all< and check for this then that would be expediant to solving the riddle of your problem. I also feel he has been pecked... (are all your birds silkies btw?) silkies have a "hole" in their skull ...here is an article on the neurological symptoms you are describing... and the treatment (sometimes just the B vitamins and the vitE/selenium combo work but prednisone is quite often needed to ensure no permanent brain damage)>you can get the combo vit E/selenium at a pharmacy and many agways and Walmart carry it just be SURE the selenium content does not exceed 50 MICROgrams
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=casestudiesemergencies&action=display&num=1160927052

 

[Momma_Cluck]

We started them on "New Chick" starter feed for hatchlings thru 6-8 weeks from Tractor Supply (Farm & Fleet) the only place for feed in the area---
Then we found a Farm Co-op an hour or so from here where I got our DE and bought the medicated feed from them (It's all they carry)
Started them on 50/50 then worked up to eating just the new feed...

there are 7 Silkies out of the 13 Banties---
and his Crop is WAY distended-- but is also far down on his chest-- not in his neck (???)
I checked all the others- no one else has this or seems ill... just need baths! LOL!

We figured out that what he is doing is pushing on his crop due to the pain, then falling over...
earlier- once he fell over he just kept rolling and pushing on his crop... now he pushes on it a pit, then stops if he loses his balance... hes up and walking around now instead of just laying/flopping...
seems better since I massaged the crop and gave him a little canola oil.

I read about the surgeries-- there is no way I could do that, and nothing says anything about anesthesia????

We checked around before getting the chicks (ijust in case!) and we have NO vets that deal with Chickens (or rabbits/small pets) in the area-- only Dogs, cats, Horses, pigs and cattle.... go figure!

 

[Momma_Cluck]

dlhunicorn -- Thank you for the link to the "Crookneck" article-- I'd be willing to bet thats the main issue-- since she thought he hit his head under the waterer!!

Am getting some liquid vitamins-- tho not sure where to get prednisone---
He's doin better- but still exibitin that behavior-- maybe the full-crop is coincidental?????

 

[d.k]

*Hopefully, he is trying to preen and the weight of his crop is overbalancing him. I would remove his feed for a little while, keep him on water and yogurt, and a few drops of oil until evening. See if that crop goes down. Have they had any grit yet??

 

[Momma_Cluck]

Yes-- we allways "salt" their food with grit--
But this Banty (Named Chubbs for a reason!) is a PIG! He goes out of his way to gobble-down as much as he can as fast as he can!

FINALLY found a Vet 4 hours from here that DOES know Silkies-- Said to take away all food and get some oil in him (did that!) and to force water into him a few times today if he won't drink--

And we found some prednisone- Vet gave the ok to use what we have, so wish us luck!!!!

Thanx everyone!
I think we just may be able to save this guy!

 

[d.k]

* You may have to institute a little 'portion control' for that one!!!