Jerky, wobbly head movements, sleepy, not eating 2 month old ????

[Jadnils]

I thought Zoey just had a bad cold, up until yesterday, she was eating and drinking was sneezing and having smallish 1/2 watery poops. But eating a lot! Yesterday I noticed her turning her head around and to the side a lot and she was , just, different. I got her Tetra and electrolytes and gave her 3 droppers ful. This morning her head is shaking/wobbling worse, she won't eat or drink and can't walk but a step or 2. I have to go to work in an hour and don't know what to do. I will give her more meds and put her in a warm place. I have only had her 11 days and think i will take her back because she has been sick since I got her, I really thought she was getting over it 4-5 days ago. She looked much better and was eating up a storm, scratching around...just like a normal healthy chick. She is very sweet and I wish I knew what was wrong and how to help her....

 

[givhansdude]

sounds like that coccaidos germ. Does it have blood in the poo?

 

[bantyshanty]

Whatever she has, it may well come back to her in ties of stress or bad weather. If you can take her back, it may be the best for you.
Hopefully she has not spread this to your other chickens, if it's contagious.

If you do want to keep her, you should isolate her, keep her warm-ish & dry, and treat her with probiotics in the form of yoghurt, garlic to boost her immune system, and a little extra protein such as mealworms or scrambled eggs. I haven't a clue how to guess at her disease. CRD is what people usually call the respiratory problems, but it can be caused by a systemic fungal invasion which is targeting the lungs, and that has no cure, though it can be slowed down with vinegar in the water. You can treat her for both, with all the above suggestions, and whichever antibiotics are indicated for CRD. Just don't weaken her too much with antibiotics.

Good luck!

 

[dawg53]

I thought Zoey just had a bad cold, up until yesterday, she was eating and drinking was sneezing and having smallish 1/2 watery poops. But eating a lot! Yesterday I noticed her turning her head around and to the side a lot and she was , just, different. I got her Tetra and electrolytes and gave her 3 droppers ful. This morning her head is shaking/wobbling worse, she won't eat or drink and can't walk but a step or 2. I have to go to work in an hour and don't know what to do. I will give her more meds and put her in a warm place. I have only had her 11 days and think i will take her back because she has been sick since I got her, I really thought she was getting over it 4-5 days ago. She looked much better and was eating up a storm, scratching around...just like a normal healthy chick. She is very sweet and I wish I knew what was wrong and how to help her....

It sounds like a respiratory disease. Do not return her where you got her. Do not let her near your other birds and cull her. Disinfect yourself before handling your other birds. Respiratory diseases are contageous and can be transmitted via clothing shoes, hands, etc...

 

[Jadnils]

sounds like that coccaidos germ. Does it have blood in the poo?

No blood in the poo...up until yesterday, I thought she was getting better...she was eating very well and just looked like she was getting over sneezing/cold. THen...this started and today she won't even get up. I gave her scrambled egg, Tetra, electrolytes and vit E so far...going to keep her warm and isolated and see what else I can try...

 

[Jadnils]

Well Zoey is still the same as this morning...I mashed up scrambled egg, chick starter and mixed it with her water which has electrolytes and Tetra in it and gave her about 1/2 an eye dropper...she keeps twisting her head around and back and can't keep her eyes open or walk at this point...she is in isolation and warm. She tried to eat her chick started but is having trouble controlling her head. She managed to eat a few pieces when I was observing her. I'm thinking her cold has turned into something much worse...respitory infection perhaps? No discharge from the eyes or nose just sneezing since I got her and she would sit puffed up most of the time but scratched around and ate like normal...so...any other ideas or suggestions would be awesome. I hope she gets better !

 

[leadwolf1]

I am going to say that you should treat her for coccidiosis, Corid in her water for 5 - 7 days. At the same time, start her on a vitamin regimen of .25 mls of poly vi sol, without iron, once daily and vitamin E, 100 ius, twice daily. It can't hurt and it just might help. Most of all, while you are doing this, quarantine her and follow dawg's instruction about not spreading the disease.

 

[Jadnils]

Update and video: Zoey is trying to eat and I am making sure she stays hydrated by hand feeding her water mixed w/ vitamins, electrolytes and Tetra...she is still doing funny, jerky head movements but was standing this morning for the first time in 2 days YAY! Maybe she is on the mend. I posted this video in the injuries/diseases section of her last night:

 

[leadwolf1]

That is definitely neurological...of some type. Keep up with the vitamins, it can take up to 2 weeks to show improvement. I don't think that the tetracycline is going to do anything. It doesn't look like an infectious disease. If this little one dies, have a necropsy done so that you will know what it is and if it is a worry for the rest of your flock.

Good luck and I hope the vitamins work for her. She needs Vitamin E also. You just snip a capsul and squeeze it into her beak, morning and night. I would use 200 ius 2X daily.

 

[Jadnils]

That is definitely neurological...of some type. Keep up with the vitamins, it can take up to 2 weeks to show improvement. I don't think that the tetracycline is going to do anything. It doesn't look like an infectious disease. If this little one dies, have a necropsy done so that you will know what it is and if it is a worry for the rest of your flock.

Good luck and I hope the vitamins work for her. She needs Vitamin E also. You just snip a capsul and squeeze it into her beak, morning and night. I would use 200 ius 2X daily.

True, looks neurological, it came on within a 24 hr period, before that she was fine, just sneezing here and there and looked ruffled or puffed up. I'm not so sure she is/can digesting her food properly. She had been eating a lot before this and is very thin...someone suggested ear mites and another suggested moldy feed or some type of ingested mold....hard to know for sure . Today she is standing up but still cannot walk. So, that is a small step forward. She still peeps like mad when she hears my voice...she is a sweetheart !