HELP!

[Pip Logan]

Ok I have 12 chicks, 7 rhode Island Reds and 5 Americanos (SP?) one of my reds is displaying some odd behavior. His head doesn't lift up and he kind of flops, He will walk backward sort of dragging his head. there is no injury it just looks like his motor skills left him over night. Please help!

 

[llandry]

Oh gosh! I don't know what this means but i'm sure someone will. It sounds neurologic. How old are the chicks?

 

[Pip Logan]

They are aprox 1.5 months old!

 

[amnich]

That same exact thing happened to my silkie! One day, after being the healthiest, most active chick we had, his head just sort of flopped over limp. I walked in, and it looked like he had no head because he was sort of leaning on it. We named him Ichabod, after the headless horseman. I really thought the chick had broken his neck or had a brain problem, but randomly he would just lift his head up and be totally fine, eat and drink and such. Then his neck would go all limp again, and he would be really clumsy, walking backwards or in circles. I started holding him in a position that situated his head up and straight, which may not have done anything, but it made me feel a little better. Soon afterwards he got pasty butt, so we had to clean him up often (I think because he wasn't doing much with his head, he had stopped cleaning himself). It lasted about a month or so, but eventually he got over the pasty butt, and started walking around with his head right again. I still don't know to this day what the problem was, and now month or two after he started with the limp neck thing he is completely fine! Also the friendliest chicken we have, because I was holding him all the time checking on him and trying to figure out what was going on.

Keep in mind what was wrong with my chicken (maybe he was just confused, or not too bright) may not be what is wrong with yours. If he really starts to get worse and shows sings of other sicknesses or stops eating and drinking, you may have to look into other explanations. I really hope he is just acting silly and gets back to normal!

 

[pepsiokay]

Wryneck my silkie chick had it at 14 days. Crush one multivitamin in 100mls water. Feed with a dropper to affected chick three times daily about ten drops at a time.
Use multivitamin that does not contain iron!
Mine was better in two days. I kept up the vita for two weeks, no problems since. She's just started laying!!!!!

 

[lazy gardener]

That same exact thing happened to my silkie! One day, after being the healthiest, most active chick we had, his head just sort of flopped over limp. I walked in, and it looked like he had no head because he was sort of leaning on it. We named him Ichabod, after the headless horseman. I really thought the chick had broken his neck or had a brain problem, but randomly he would just lift his head up and be totally fine, eat and drink and such. Then his neck would go all limp again, and he would be really clumsy, walking backwards or in circles. I started holding him in a position that situated his head up and straight, which may not have done anything, but it made me feel a little better. Soon afterwards he got pasty butt, so we had to clean him up often (I think because he wasn't doing much with his head, he had stopped cleaning himself). It lasted about a month or so, but eventually he got over the pasty butt, and started walking around with his head right again. I still don't know to this day what the problem was, and now month or two after he started with the limp neck thing he is completely fine! Also the friendliest chicken we have, because I was holding him all the time checking on him and trying to figure out what was going on.

Keep in mind what was wrong with my chicken (maybe he was just confused, or not too bright) may not be what is wrong with yours. If he really starts to get worse and shows sings of other sicknesses or stops eating and drinking, you may have to look into other explanations. I really hope he is just acting silly and gets back to normal!

OK folks, I'm in the middle of dealing with the same thing. Check out the thread labeled "crazy chick disease". From my research, it's due to vitamin E deficiency. (vitamin E encephalopathy) My chick was unconsious Sunday night. I started Vit E and multi-vit suppliments along with KayTee exact hand feeding formula for baby birds. The chick slowly improved until today, at last feeding it insisted on standing on my hand to be fed from the spoon, the day before, it couldn't stand up without help while I was feeding it. I will continue to hand feed and supplement for at least 1 week after all disappearance of symptoms, then will be extra dilligent with chicks diet. You will want to supplement all of your birds as this syndrome is diet related. I mixed up extra formula, and after feeding the sick chick, I added extra vitamins, sprinkled some chick crumble on top and fed it to all the rest of them. Of course, I'm not an expert, only telling you the experience and good turn out I had.

 

[pepsiokay]

Seriously my solution cost less than £1 and worked a miracle!
It's funny how all these things seem to be vitamin related! I posted videos of mine on here and that's how people diagnosed it for me!

 

[mickey662]

We had a cat do the same thing and we brought it to the vet they said it was a virus it lasted a couple weeks and he was fine after that

 

[Pip Logan]

Thank you all so much! I will get some multi Vit tomorow and mix it in all their water!! Thank you all for the quick replyes!