Newly hatched chick keeps neck looking backwards?????

[chicknfishn]

Here is the problem. A chick that hatched on Friday 6 days ago just started doing this on Tuesday.

It puts its head back over its neck and swirls its head back and forth from side to side. If I pick it up and look at it it will start to act fine.

I put it down and it may even walk and look fine. Then it sits down and does this again. In a previous hatch I had this happen with the same breed, my Light Sussex

however that chick started it as soon as it hatched from the egg and it never got better.

I finally culled it. I am at a loss as to what this is, any ideas?

 

[LarryPQ]

Sometimes this is an electrolyte issue. The chick doesn't have enough electrolytes in the bloodstream/body, and the nerves start misfiring.

You can give them sugar water, rooster booster, or electrolytes in their water to see if it helps next time.


Scramble them an egg too. Always gives them a boost.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Wry neck maybe. I'm not exactly sure what it is called, but I have had some silkies do that too. Get some polyvisol in it pronto (the iron free version). That should help. I have also had good luck feeding grogel along with starter mash. The mash and grogel get water and nutrients in. My understanding is that this is a vitamin deficiency issue though, so the polyvisol is really important.

My experience is that if left untreated the chick gets progressively worse until it is constantly toppling over on its back. In that case it will die eventually. Start giving the vitamins and you may be able to halt the progression.

Good luck!