Just hatched baby Serama chick having motor difficulties- can it be helped?

[BoomChickaPop]

I would love to.. and I would love to post a video even more than a picture, but I'm not sure how to do that. She looks very normal- and at this point, you can't see the swelling in her chest as it is hidden in the fluff. Its mostly her movements that is off. Like right now, she is moving her head all sort of directions and peeping softly. But I will post a picture- give me a few moments to get it together.

Ok I will wait on that picture.

-BCP

 

[Bocktobery 10]

most of the time she is scrunched like this last photo. She usually has her head down.

 

[BoomChickaPop]

most of the time she is scrunched like this last photo. She usually has her head down.

Wow that chick is acting like an adult! Adults serama's stand like that.
I hope the chick gets better soon. It would be horrible for the chick to die, after you have worked so hard to try and help it.
So cute!

-BCP

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Thanks Boomchickapop,

I feather sexed the chicks when they were newly hatched and his one does appear to be female.

Still hanging in there.. her poops have become more solid and looking normal.

I'm concerned that she seems to be itchy. I searched for mites/lice but saw nothing. One would see them if they searched for them right? Perhaps this is a reaction to the stuff I am giving her? I have diatomaceous earth and also some sevin dust... would either of those be ok to use on her just in case?

I found out that the medicated chick feed contains an antibiotic that inhibits thiamine- SO- I've eliminated that from the feed mix. Later this evening I gave her Vitamin E oil, egg yolk, and Kay Tee baby chick formula all mixed- oh and a bit of kefir, water, and drop of nutridrench . This is the first time she really started to gobble things up without having supreme difficulty. Hopefully she is not too starving to pull through this- I've been concerned- the pics make her look good- but her body looks small- I can feel her bones in her chest- not much flesh there.

She twitches a lot... like almost non stop. I read somewhere about giving prednisone (not that I have any) or aspirin to relieve what I guess is the pain from that... is this a bad idea? I'm wondering how she's going to get through the night and actually get some rest.

Hopefully I will get some rest too... and that she will pull through. I feel hopeful now that I've eliminated the medicated chick feed that maybe I will see better improvement. Just hope its not too late.

 

[chickcrack]

I had a little OEGB that hatched with wry neck. He couldn't stand for the first week and a half of his life because his head flipped onto his back and he would fall over. I had to feed him mostly chick food soaked and liquefied in a blender then strained again through finest sieve I could find. I then gave this with a syringe with his meds mixed in (vitamin E, B complex, selenium and children's polyvisol without iron). Just make sure nutrition drench contains all of that as I'm not sure. Once he started to be able to stand I found that crumbles on a dark carpet or towel were easier for him than a bowl (no idea why). He also did that twitch/seizure/drunk routine. If drinking is an issue try cucumber, watermelon to supplement. This also seemed to help with muscle tone for better pecking aim! Wishing you the best...she is adorable

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Hey thanks chickcrack,

She seems to be doing better, but then again.. hard to tell. Yeah, checked the nutridrench bottle... no b complex or selenium.. There is brewers yeast in the chick hand feeding formula I'm feeding her though- would that be the b-complex? There is also ground flax seed in there. I see no mention of selenium though. Perhaps I should go get some? Do you give only a small amount after crumbling the pill? Can they overdose?!

Anyway, she is eating for me now- seemed to have gotten the hang of it much better. When I pick her up her head is already bobbing to get food. I'm not sure how much she is eating which worries me. I think she tires out- and I don't have all day to wait, so it make it difficult. I understand about the dark carpet and the crumbles... she isnt' there yet, but I did read online that the crumbles (food) has to stand out in contrast to the floor.. All this makes me wonder if there is a bit of blindness going on too? But not the kind where they can't see at all, just maybe everything is very blurry to them. Poor things. Her twitch looks like it has got to ache her neck muscles.

Anyway, we'll see.

Did your chick make it? You didn't say. I'm hoping he pulled through. It is a lot of work.

One somewhat irrelevant question- one about seramas- can anyone tell me what type of coloring she will have when she is older? I know nothing about coloring and Seramas.

 

[BoomChickaPop]

I NEVER use medicated chick starter. It has harmful stuff in it that I just DON'T trust. I hope she gets better.
I would use Diatomaceous Earth(DE) cause it is natural and not harmful. She probably doesn't have mites or parasites, cause she is just a chick. Is she living in the house?

-BCP

 

[BoomChickaPop]

Hey thanks chickcrack,

She seems to be doing better, but then again.. hard to tell. Yeah, checked the nutridrench bottle... no b complex or selenium.. There is brewers yeast in the chick hand feeding formula I'm feeding her though- would that be the b-complex? There is also ground flax seed in there. I see no mention of selenium though. Perhaps I should go get some? Do you give only a small amount after crumbling the pill? Can they overdose?!

Anyway, she is eating for me now- seemed to have gotten the hang of it much better. When I pick her up her head is already bobbing to get food. I'm not sure how much she is eating which worries me. I think she tires out- and I don't have all day to wait, so it make it difficult. I understand about the dark carpet and the crumbles... she isnt' there yet, but I did read online that the crumbles (food) has to stand out in contrast to the floor.. All this makes me wonder if there is a bit of blindness going on too? But not the kind where they can't see at all, just maybe everything is very blurry to them. Poor things. Her twitch looks like it has got to ache her neck muscles.

Anyway, we'll see.

Did your chick make it? You didn't say. I'm hoping he pulled through. It is a lot of work.

One somewhat irrelevant question- one about seramas- can anyone tell me what type of coloring she will have when she is older? I know nothing about coloring and Seramas.

How you can tell if she has eaten enough, is by checking her crop. Her crop is right under her neck. When she has eaten enough, it should be nice and round. Then you know that she has eaten.
It is kinds hard to tell what color she will be, cause she could be white, brown, or a mixture of colors. Her feathers would have to come in more to be sure.

-BCP

 

[chickcrack]

That's him! A year old just recently. He does still seem to have "aiming issues" and he has never flown or jumped up more than a foot which is very unlike his breed. But he eats on his own and is a complete suck. If you can add some ground sunflower seeds into food it is a natural source of selenium. Mine wouldn't eat them so I gave 1/2 50mcg tab crushed into food. It is needed to absorb vitamin E.

 

[BoomChickaPop]

That's him! A year old just recently. He does still seem to have "aiming issues" and he has never flown or jumped up more than a foot which is very unlike his breed. But he eats on his own and is a complete suck. If you can add some ground sunflower seeds into food it is a natural source of selenium. Mine wouldn't eat them so I gave 1/2 50mcg tab crushed into food. It is needed to absorb vitamin E.

he's gorgeous! Congrats!

-BCP