Help with newborn chick - doing something wierd!! PLEASE!

[KellyHM]

One of my new chicks that hatched overnight last nught was laying on its back this morning. I picked it up as soos as I saw it, but every time I try to put it down it just starts kicking with its right leg out to the side and flips itself back onto its back. Any help? Please! I don't know what to do with her b/c I can't put her down or she just flips over. Of course it's 1 of the BC Marans chicks too.

 

[Shared Acres]

Weird!

Hope someone helps!

 

[skand]

We've had a few of those hatch out in the last few weeks. It's always one of our game birds. They just have peferred to sleep on thier back for a couple of days. They've done alright so far, Is it an all the time, but otherwise they are okay? Has it drank yet?

 

[KellyHM]

I just put her down in the brooder and she flipped herself over, so I put her back on her belly, so now she's laying like that. She doesn't seem to be able to get around very well. She hasn't drank anything yet, but I just took her out of the incubator a little while ago.

 

[skand]

go ahead and help her get a drink. Maybe she's just really weak from all that hard work getting here.

 

[KellyHM]

Ok, I stuck her beak in the water a couple times and she drank. She is also pecking at food a little bit. It almost seems like her left leg is weaker and that's why her right leg flips her over. Maybe she was laying on that side too long in the egg or something. I'll keep a close eye on her and make sure she's drinking. She doesn't seeem to be flipping herself over as much now, although I still have to right her about every 15 minutes. Good thing I don't have to work today!

 

[swtangel321]

A lot of chicks do that when the first hatch, most correct themself in time (some longer than others) Do you have any idea how long ago she/he hatched ??

 

[ChooksinIowa]

I can't find the link right now but I know I have read that Vitamin E with selenium can help some baby chicks who are somersaulting. I had one and I'm sorry to say it died quite soon after hatching, maybe 3 days. I know that I found another link when I was searching about it that said it can be a neurological disorder and I think that's what mine had. It would only stop somersaulting backwards if I put my finger on it, or if it got tired. It was very sad.

 

[KellyHM]

This one doesn't really somersault (thank goodness). She will stay on her belly for a while and eat, but when she starts trying to move around she eventually ends up flipping herself onto her back. She tries to right herself but can't seem to.

 

[s6bee]

Just watch to see if the other chicks trample her if she's always on her back and unable to move as quick as the others. She may need to be seperated for a day or two. One other chick could go with to keep company...