Seizures and open mouth breathing

[KyAndrus]

2 day old chick. Other chicks appear fine. Appears to have seizures, not eating,or drinking. Breathing with mouth open then jerks hard suddenly. Giving herbal tea with elderberry and clove and powdered greens via dropper. Stool not bloody, little runny, but not more than usual. Suggestions or ideas? I am giving other chicks medicated feed.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Hi. Bumping for more views and will tag a few others who may be able to offer some input:
@aart
@azygous
@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock

If she is having seizures and isn't eating/drinking, you may have to humanely cull her. I would maybe start mentally preparing yourself for this, as a worst case outcome.

 

[Isaac 0]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens. I'm very sorry to hear about your chick.

Would you mind posting a few photos of her, or a video?

Especially with chicks that have been shipped across country, on occasions due to a lengthy shipping time they can suffer from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) which can result in seizures. Other cause's for a chick this age to have seizures, may include nutritional deficiencies such as in thiamine (B1) or vitamin E, infection from an unabsorbed yolk sac, or trauma to the head (common with silkies).

For birds having seizures, you really need to move them into a warm, dimly lit, stressful free, padded area. I would not have water in the pen as she may aspirate, or drown on the fluids. Instead, periodically offer her water often.

Heavy breathing is not a good sign, and likely suggests she is in a very debilitated condition. If she was mine, I would try, very carefully, dripping a drop of a poultry vitamin on her beak, or drip a high concentrated electrolyte or sugar water. Baby birds aspirate on fluids very easily, as they still don't have the whole "how to drink" process down well, so be very careful administering fluids. Besides that, keep her warm, offer mashed scrambled eggs if you can wait. If she doesn't improve, or her condition worsens it may be best to euthanize.

 

[azygous]

Very good advice from @Isaac 0 . I suggest stopping with the other herbal concoction and limit it to warm sugar water. You can safely administer fluids via a slender oral syringe by inserting it along the right side of the mouth just under the tongue. This avoids the center of the throat where the airway is located.

 

[One Lucky Momma]

@azygous - excellent illustration for syringe placement

 

[lbgreenfield]

Thanks for your help @Isaac 0 and @azygous