HELP! three day old button quail: balance issues, getting stuck on his back

[AlyssaJane22]

I have a chick who keeps rolling onto his left side, then flailing himself tired--he cant get up off his back. when he does sit still, he sits--fairly upright with his legs straight out in front of him. he can run a few inches at a time, but then he stands up too tall, and rolls onto his left back side.
Right now, I'm holding him to keep him warm and keep him from flailing himself to death, but I'm afraid he will likely do just that (wear himself out) if I put him back in the brooder.
He was totally fine yesterday! He walked a little more upright than our other two (yes, a very small number--we've already had a pretty tragic hatch). but he was zippy!
Any idea what might be wrong with him? Anything I can do to save him?

 

[Kesko8]

This is normal for new chicks to tumble and fall over, they will usually stand straight after a couple days, i love watching them trying to get to me but they just tumble towards me But if this continues that the chick can't stand straight after a week contact your local vet.

 

[Binki]

He may need some TLC for a few more days until he's strong enough to balance for whatever reason, hopefully it's not neurological and he's just starting life a bit derpy

How is he a day later?

 

[AlyssaJane22]

He's looking great today! Running with the other two and eating like a little jackhammer. Whatever balance issues he was having seem to be resolved, thank goodness.
We did a lot of coddling of him for the first day after his tumbles--he was flailing himself limp, so my husband and I took turns cuddling him in a cupped hand on the couch.
I think that maybe he got stuck on his back for too long over night the first night, and wore out his little muscles and used up whatever yolk he had left. I fed him sugar water out of a dropper the day I posted this to help him get his strength up, but he still wasn't eating--by the end of the day, his siblings were noticeably bigger and fatter, and we were pretty sure he wouldn't make it through the night.

And then--surprise! Yesterday morning, we woke up to him zooming around the cage again and eating. I was still nervous when I left for work, as I wasn't sure he had actually digested anything yet, and was holding my breath in case more issues arose. But he seems to only be getting faster and fatter--after a day and a half of actually eating, he no longer looks so runty next to the other two. He still walks more upright (I think his legs are longer?) and likes to sleep sitting on his butt with his legs out in front of him sometimes, but these don't seem to be problems for him, and we're feeling pretty optimistic that he's going to make it.

 

[Binki]

He's looking great today! Running with the other two and eating like a little jackhammer. Whatever balance issues he was having seem to be resolved, thank goodness.

We did a lot of coddling of him for the first day after his tumbles--he was flailing himself limp, so my husband and I took turns cuddling him in a cupped hand on the couch. 

I think that maybe he got stuck on his back for too long over night the first night, and wore out his little muscles and used up whatever yolk he had left. I fed him sugar water out of a dropper the day I posted this to help him get his strength up, but he still wasn't eating--by the end of the day, his siblings were noticeably bigger and fatter, and we were pretty sure he wouldn't make it through the night.


And then--surprise! Yesterday morning, we woke up to him zooming around the cage again and eating. I was still nervous when I left for work, as I wasn't sure he had actually digested anything yet, and was holding my breath in case more issues arose. But he seems to only be getting faster and fatter--after a day and a half of actually eating, he no longer looks so runty next to the other two. He still walks more upright (I think his legs are longer?) and likes to sleep sitting on his butt with his legs out in front of him sometimes, but these don't seem to be problems for him, and we're feeling pretty optimistic that he's going to make it.

Awwwww what a champ ^^!!