I feel horrible is there anything I can do?

[NNYchick]

Yesterday morning when I went to move my heat plate for cleaning I tipped it up and I think I set it on My silkie chick. It immediately cheeped loudly. It’s legs and wings seem fine but it just stands there until I place it under the heat. It doesn’t run over to the others it doesn’t come out and eat with the others. Today after watching and holding it I think it’s blind. It doesn’t back away when I put my hand up in front of it. I know it was fine till yesterday morning, it always ran out when I but food out and was eat drinking running all over the brooder.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you think it suffered a head injury?

The only thing I can think of doing would be to hand feed and water. You can also try vitamin E and B1 to see if that helps too. Do you have any poultry nutri-drench?

 

[NNYchick]

Yes I’ve been dipping beak in water and gave nutridrench. It was walking around a bit a while ago. Won’t eat

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes I’ve been dipping beak in water and gave nutridrench. It was walking around a bit a while ago. Won’t eat

Try a bit of wet feed, but she needs to be hydrated first.
Do her eyes look o.k. - nothing odd? No fluff blocking her view? (I'm just thinking...)

You have Silkies in your avatar, so are familiar with them...a bump on the head definitely can affect them. I would keep her hydrated and try to get some food into her, see how it goes.

 

[NNYchick]

Yes I fear it is neurological because of the vaulted skull. Only 7 days old so it’s not because the crest is too big. No other symptoms except won’t come out. Vent clear and eyes clear. I did try finger feeding a little Egg yolk then later moistened crumble. It’s a no go. I’ll keep trying but I have to go back to work tomorrow hopefully things will improve. I feel horrible I’ve never lost a chick.

 

[Hens Solo]

Yes I fear it is neurological because of the vaulted skull. Only 7 days old so it’s not because the crest is too big. No other symptoms except won’t come out. Vent clear and eyes clear. I did try finger feeding a little Egg yolk then later moistened crumble. It’s a no go. I’ll keep trying but I have to go back to work tomorrow hopefully things will improve. I feel horrible I’ve never lost a chick.

I accidentally set a wooden box on a baby quail. Paralyzed it and had to cull it. Life goes on but it is neat you care so much for one of God's creatures!

 

[NNYchick]

Thank you all for your help, I’ll just have to see how it plays out. I wanted to see if I was missing anything. I did just get it to eat when I set it on the dish with the food and drank when I dipped it’s beak. It can see as it followed the spoon when tapped it on the plate. maybe it was in shock? So tonight it has water and food in its crop. I’m going to watch one more day, if not improving I will have to cull it. I won’t let it suffer if it can’t eat and drink on its own. It doesn’t act like it’s in pain, no high pitch chirping otherwise I’d do it right away.
The other hard issue is the rest of the hatch mates went to their new home today. It was pre arranged as it was the little boy’s birthday present and he has been wanting and researching silkies for a year. I couldn’t ruin his birthday nor could I let this chick go. I put a stuffed animal in with it. If it’s stronger Tomorrow I’ll give him to my broody silkie that has chicks, she’s good I’ve done it before and no issues but only if I know it’s strong enough. My daughter is home because the schools closed so I’ll send her up to spend time with him and encourage him to eat.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hopefully she will improve in a couple of days. I would still give her 3-4 drops of Nutri-Drench twice a day for several days.

 

[NNYchick]

Update-Little one didn’t make it through the night. I went in this morning to give it nutradrench and got it to eat and drink before work and it had passed. I will now be very careful when cleaning brooder and moving heat plate.

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

Just try not to blame yourself ok? I just rescued 36 chicks from TSC (pasty butt) and was cutting the harden poop off as carefully as I could but I still cut the chick. Nothing awful but I still felt horrible but it was an accident. We do the best we can even though sometimes accidents happen.