please diagnose chick

[Alphagamchick]

I purchased a buff silkie chick on Wed. from our local feed store. The babies are from MurrayMcM. Today is Sat. so I have had him for 3 days . He was a few days old when I bought him/her. He's beautiful and seemed fine. I guess it was probably the day after I got him home I noticed he was holding his head sideways. Now he is turning his head upside down and walking backwards. I looked in my chicken book and tried to research on line and on this site. Seems like I've seen this sympton somewhere but now that I'm looking I can't seem to find it. I'm thinking some sort of neuro disease. He is only with the other little silkie that I bought at the same time. My fear is that it is contageous. The other bird seems fine but I'm thinking the buff is not going to make it. Any ideas? He still eats and drinks. The other silkie has a few days of wing feather growth. I noticed that the buff does not.

 

[mandomama]

I have no idea, but some people have given vitamins for odd head position issues. What are you feeding them?

 

[dlhunicorn]

Give three drops of POLYVISOL Enfamil which is a childrens liquid A-B-D vitamin supplement (be sure to get the enfamil formulation as this has the B1 that some of the others lack and this can often cause the symptom you are seeing)
Give this once a day for a week then taper off the next. Often this is sufficient if you catch and treat these symptoms early.

 

[Alphagamchick]

Thanks so much. My kids used to take that vit. I'll get it today. I'm afraid it may be too late but I will try it-then I'll keep this vit on hand. Poor little guy. It is pathetic to watch.

 

[Alphagamchick]

I got the vits right away that same day but it seems that perhaps this baby is not going to make it. I have been helping it to eat and drink. But he just seems to be getting worse. He can't straighten his head at all now. He is totally upside down, going backward in circles. It is terrible to watch.

 

[ChickadeeLover]

I am sorry about your chick. Polyvisal is right way to go. Good luck!

 

[dlhunicorn]

yes it is... it is time intensive to treat this ... no guarantees but many have come thru it that were so bad they could not even eat or drink themselves....but it does take a lot of time and there are no guarantees.

 

[Alphagamchick]

Wow, you guys are quick on the return. I will keep at the vits and hand feeding. I can't imagine he'll be able to recover from this. Interesting, the other silkie that I bought the same day(last Wed., so I have had them for 5 days) has her nice wing feathers coming in. My little twisted guy doesn't have any wing feathers at all. Is this also a symptom?

 

[dlhunicorn]

your chick may have been pecked... read about it here... it might be time to get the prednisone if possible as described in the treatment article for head injury :
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=casestudiesemergencies&action=display&num=1160927052

 

[Alphagamchick]

Yes, I had already read that. Found it when I googled it. I will try that. I only had the two silkies together but he was in the brroder at the feed store with the other silkies that he had been shipped with.