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

[chickcrack]

Ok entertainment ideas for a lonely chick...brace yourself because I'm a bit of an expert on this topic lol. Here's a list of things I tried with Happy. Some were successful some not.
A shallow bowl of dirt to scratch and dust bath (he hated it and still has an aversion to getting dirty!)
A dug up piece of sod (a huge hit-he grass bathed only until he was 6 months old)
A mirror (if she can see at all you will know quickly as Happy was glued to it for hours)
A bell or small wind chime hanging so she can peck it
A bit of shredded cheese
A small cat ball with bells in it
Big pieces of pine shavings (I use this as coop bedding and found out by accident that Happy loved to pick these up and move them around)
Leaves or a leaf of lettuce
Stuffed animal
Flower
Cat kibbles (his all time favourite to scratch and fling around)
A blanket piled up to climb
Hair elastics - the thick covered ones (he would beat these up like he thought they were worms lol)
Last but not least....hubby bought him a baby's piano toy. Embarrassing to admit that now lol. He pecked at the keys to make as much noise as he could. It's no wonder the poor boy isn't normal!
Hope you can find something useful. Bless your heart for all the care you've given your little one.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ok entertainment ideas for a lonely chick...brace yourself because I'm a bit of an expert on this topic lol. Here's a list of things I tried with Happy. Some were successful some not.
A shallow bowl of dirt to scratch and dust bath (he hated it and still has an aversion to getting dirty!)
A dug up piece of sod (a huge hit-he grass bathed only until he was 6 months old)
A mirror (if she can see at all you will know quickly as Happy was glued to it for hours)
A bell or small wind chime hanging so she can peck it
A bit of shredded cheese
A small cat ball with bells in it
Big pieces of pine shavings (I use this as coop bedding and found out by accident that Happy loved to pick these up and move them around)
Leaves or a leaf of lettuce
Stuffed animal
Flower
Cat kibbles (his all time favourite to scratch and fling around)
A blanket piled up to climb
Hair elastics - the thick covered ones (he would beat these up like he thought they were worms lol)
Last but not least....hubby bought him a baby's piano toy. Embarrassing to admit that now lol. He pecked at the keys to make as much noise as he could. It's no wonder the poor boy isn't normal!
Hope you can find something useful. Bless your heart for all the care you've given your little one.

I must say @chickcrack these are fantastic ideas!
Have you thought about posting an article here on BYC with your experiences. I would read it for sure and I bet it would help others

I would have loved seeing him play the piano - sounds too cute!

 

[chickcrack]

Thanks Wyorp Rock! I will try to pull something together. Unfortunately Happy gave up his musical inclinations when he hit puberty and noticed girls lol.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks Wyorp Rock! I will try to pull something together. Unfortunately Happy gave up his musical inclinations when he hit puberty and noticed girls lol.

Typical boy!

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Some pics of her taken a few days ago.


Its very difficult to get a photo of her because of her head twitch.







She is not growing... I don't think this is a good sign. She is hanging in there though and doing a bit better at finding things, although not much, sadly. I'm preparing myself for the worst, but hopefully she'll prove me wrong.

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Ok entertainment ideas for a lonely chick...brace yourself because I'm a bit of an expert on this topic lol. Here's a list of things I tried with Happy. Some were successful some not.
A shallow bowl of dirt to scratch and dust bath (he hated it and still has an aversion to getting dirty!)
A dug up piece of sod (a huge hit-he grass bathed only until he was 6 months old)
A mirror (if she can see at all you will know quickly as Happy was glued to it for hours)
A bell or small wind chime hanging so she can peck it
A bit of shredded cheese
A small cat ball with bells in it
Big pieces of pine shavings (I use this as coop bedding and found out by accident that Happy loved to pick these up and move them around)
Leaves or a leaf of lettuce
Stuffed animal
Flower
Cat kibbles (his all time favourite to scratch and fling around)
A blanket piled up to climb
Hair elastics - the thick covered ones (he would beat these up like he thought they were worms lol)
Last but not least....hubby bought him a baby's piano toy. Embarrassing to admit that now lol. He pecked at the keys to make as much noise as he could. It's no wonder the poor boy isn't normal!
Hope you can find something useful. Bless your heart for all the care you've given your little one.

This is superb! Thank you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Some pics of her taken a few days ago.


Its very difficult to get a photo of her because of her head twitch.







She is not growing... I don't think this is a good sign. She is hanging in there though and doing a bit better at finding things, although not much, sadly. I'm preparing myself for the worst, but hopefully she'll prove me wrong.

She is so cute.
You have done a wonderful job taking care of her.
I'm sorry to hear that she is still not out of the woods. I know you are doing everything you can.

Thank you for the update.

 

[chickcrack]

She is absolutely adorable!

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Thanks everyone. I'll post updates periodically... as I said before just for information sake- just in case someone else has a chick like this and is curious to see the outcome. Post will probably be slow going though because she is not changing much at all. Thanks also for your encouragement and kind words.

The feathers that are coming in are light grey... has anyone ever heard of a light grey serama? She seems to be shedding the yellowish baby chick down.... except for on her head. I think she may be what is known as a silkie serama... not sure though. Her feathers are not 'normal'.. in either the silkie sense or the regular feather sense. She's got very long feathers coming out the backside of her head. I am assuming all this is from whatever ailment she has. She looks rather scruffy... which also concerns me. This gives me the hunch she may not be getting the nutrition she needs. Anyway, we'll see.... I'll update and post.

I just wanted to add that she does look better in person than in the photos- just can't get a good photo of her. Her eyes are very pretty and big- the pupils are enlarged - not all the way but just larger than normal chicken eye pupil- so i guess that helps. The pupils never get smaller or larger and are in fixed position. I have a feeling she may be able to see a little bit because I had her outside with me and when another hen came around she came close to me... so it may be she can see, but that signals are messed up, blurred... who knows. Maybe she just heard or sensed the other chicken approaching.

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Wow, so much has happened since I last updated this thread.

My little blind chick is still alive and well and doing much better I'm happy to report! He, yes- I said he- as I think his comb is too big to be a female- has now just figured out how to eat on his own! Took him 11 weeks, but he is now filling his crop with chick crumbles! He still does not know how to drink on his own. A little more work with that and maybe he'll be drinking on his own too. He is growing- quite fast actually as if making up for lost time. Feathers are starting to come in left and right- lots of pin feathers. Some rusty red and some that are dark grey. I also think now he might not be as blind as I thought- He has done things that make me think that he can see but that his vision is just very messed up. He still has the neck spasms though. Overall, he seems better, happier. I am much relieved at his eating on his own!

Here are some recent pictures- taken last week. He looks rather scruffy in them. He actually has grown more since these were taken, but its all I got on the ol' computer right now to share, but I will update again.











Still hoping that he will pull through. He's done such a great job already. It took some time, but he's really 'gettin' there'. Just want to shout out a special thanks to all you who have posted here and helped support me support him!