My Chick is Flopping Around! Help Please!!!

[AmpersatChick]

Nervous newbie here. Please help! We have our first set of chicks, they are from Meyers Hatchery and are 4 weeks old. They have been in perfect health. Feeding Dumor starter feed, non-medicated. Electrolytes and probiotics in the water up until about a week ago. No treats until 2 weeks of age. Yesterday though I noticed on of the SLW flop down on the floor of the brooder. All the others ran her over and I separated them from her expecting that she just got stuck under them and she would just jump up. She didn't and even when she did get to her feet looked dazed or dizzy. She got over it and seemed normal. Today I put them outside in their run for a little playtime and within a few minutes saw the same thing happen to her. When it happened the other chicks ran over to pick on her. Otherwise she looks healthy, eats, drinks.

Strange thing is that researching I keep coming across Mareks, which I ordered vaccinations for. I looked back on my order though and I don't see the vaccine so I'm wondering if there was a problem with the order and they never got vaccinated. (I know their was a problem when I ordered with shipping not being calculated)

Sorry to run on. I'm a new and worried chick mama and don't want to lose a whole flock if possible. What can I do? Is it a loss for her and all others?

 

[AmpersatChick]

At first I thought it was just dust bathing or sun bathing but she just looks dizzy when she gets up and I don't see the others doing that.

 

[AmpersatChick]

Nobody? Pretty please with sugar on top. I'm worried.

 

[Debs55]

Is she thrashing on her back or like hunched down moving her wings? Does she act normal otherwise? Eating, drinking, pooping, keeping up with the others?

 

[AmpersatChick]

Seems totally normal otherwise, but this is our first set of chickens, they have odd manerisms we aren't used to. She will completely flop onto her side, with wing out. Sort of wallow, but slowly. The others pick on her while she's like this and I shoo them off but when she gets up it is very slow and she appears almost dizzy, like she can't get her balance. then after a few minutes she goes back to the group acting normal. she is eating and drinking and I haven't seen poo that seems abnormal...p.s. thanks for your response, we're just don't know what to think!

 

[Debs55]

It's very possible she is just dust bathing. Next time try to record it or atleast take some pictures so we can atleast eliminate that

 

[ten chicks]

Seems totally normal otherwise, but this is our first set of chickens, they have odd manerisms we aren't used to. She will completely flop onto her side, with wing out. Sort of wallow, but slowly. The others pick on her while she's like this and I shoo them off but when she gets up it is very slow and she appears almost dizzy, like she can't get her balance. then after a few minutes she goes back to the group acting normal. she is eating and drinking and I haven't seen poo that seems abnormal...p.s. thanks for your response, we're just don't know what to think!

Is she "dust bathing",can be quite alarming if you are not use to it. Look up photos of chicks dust bathing and see if this is what she is doing.

 

[AmpersatChick]

I looked up some videos on YouTube of dust bathing chickens...such a newbie here!

and it is possible that's what she's doing. The only thing that throws me off is that when she gets up after she looks so stunned, and seems like she's having trouble walking like she's dizzy. Let me see if I got some photos, I was taking pictures at the time.

 

[Debs55]

My chickens always look dizzy and confused! Lol

 

[fowlmouthgirls]

My two Austrolorps "Dust Bathing" I freaked out and thought they were dying! lol I'm a newbie too, I had to call my sister to see what was wrong, she's my chicken guru!