sick chick

Date sort Score sort
If that doesn't work, just go to that blog's homepage. on the right is a drop-down so you can go to the archives. Select November 2011 and then scroll through all the November posts until you get to the one dated November 2nd.

Here's the text from the blog (but the video really helps)
I hatched a batch of chick today and one had wry neck, also called toricollis, stargazing, twisted neck, etc. There are a number of factors that can result in this condition but mainly two in day olds. One is a genetic abnormality and the other is a vitamin/mineral deficiency. I have found that if the condition is caused by a vitamin deficiency it can sometimes be corrected almost immediately by giving oral vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. The recommended electrolyte replacement is Pediatlye or a product called AviaCharge. I have used Pedialyte for weak chicks with good results so I keep it on hand at all times. The easiest way to keep it and not waste an entire container is to buy the freezer pops. I store them in my pantry and pull one out whenever needed. The chicks seem to like the flavor and drink it easier.
For vitamin supplementation use a good baby vitamin without iron. PolyViSol is good but I could only find the store brand and it works just fine. The key is making sure it does not contain iron.
Vitamin E is given along with Selenium to help with the absorption.
You may want to research online before treating. I found a lot of differing opinions but here is the dosage I used:

  • 2 TBS Pedialyte
  • 2 drops Baby Vitamin
  • 100 units (squirt out half a capsule)
  • 50 mcg Selenium (1/4 tablet crushed)

I mixed the ingredients together and administered it a few drops at a time to the baby chick. You can apply it to the side of the beak with the eye dropper or put a drop on your finger and place it alongside the beak until it opens. I was holding the video camera in one hand so I ended up getting it all over the baby chick but it seemed to like the taste and did not fight it. I gave a few drops then waited about 3 hours and repeated. I will give another dose in the morning if the chick so any symptoms other wise I will consider it done.
Here is a video of the chick, before, during treatment and after. This baby made a miraculous recovery.

What I ended up using was the PolyVisol (get from a drugstore, it's an human infant liquid vitamin), Vitamin E with Selenium in it from a health food store and a liquid vitamin B-12. I had read a lot of different posts about vitamin deficiencies and just ended up combining all the suggestions into this mixture. I didn't use the Pedialyte because it made a mess and was difficult to mix with all the oil based vitamins.

I gave about half a dropper full to the chick 3 times a day. I wrapped her in a wash cloth to try to keep any of the mixture off of her fluff (it stains and makes the fluff sticky) and just worked on her drinking it until the dropper was empty. She didn't like it but she became resigned to it. As I was about to give up on her she started to make subtle signs of improvement (about day 7). Around day 10 she showed bigger signs of improvement that other people could see as well. On day 14 I stopped because she was actively fighting me. She started eating and drinking on her own at that point.

I also started putting their food in a very small dish and putting water in it so the food became very soft. The chicks LOVED it and the sick one started eating it because it wasn't so difficult. Once I did that she started to gain weight again. At her worst she was half the size of her brooder mate and when she recovered she completely caught up and they are the same size now.

Good Luck!!
 
sog1997 said:
I have been searching the better part of the day for the same symptoms in a 4 week old barred rock. No other birds have any symptoms. She seems to go into seizure if her head is upright for a small bit of time, the shaking and backing end within a minute and she just stays there. She does not have head tremors when she sleeps. They increase if she is stressed. I have been giving her vitamins/electrolytes. Seems like if I hold her, so long as her head is able to drop down, she is comfortable and calm. However, I have boy scouts tomorrow and wont be able to hold her all day. I am subscribing to this topic and hoping for more feedback on the possible solution. Thanks
Click to expand...

I put my birds outside yesterday since it was so nice out (87 deg) for a while, she went too, she was a wreck in the bigger pen, simply because there was so much more space between her and a wall/corner, she was almost in speed reverse (kinda funny) with her head tucked under. I have since decided that she is not sick/diseased so I have put her back in with the others. She was quarantined for four days and she ate and drank water still just fine, pooping normally also, I also had a friend/neighbor come over and take a look at her, she feels maybe the chick has just developed a genetic disability of some sort? She had not seen anything like this before though, but it really does just appear as though she has developed a defect. I am just going to let her be, the others don't bother her, they still huddle with her time and again, so I don't feel she will be ousted. Time will tell if she can produce, and if she does even at that point I am not sure if the eggs will be fit to consume considering I don't know what is wrong with her. Does anyone out there have any ideas/knowledge regarding genetic defects passing on into the egg nad if it could have any affect on humans? I feel dumb for asking but you never know.
 
5Leepy! said:
If that doesn't work, just go to that blog's homepage. on the right is a drop-down so you can go to the archives. Select November 2011 and then scroll through all the November posts until you get to the one dated November 2nd.

Here's the text from the blog (but the video really helps)
I hatched a batch of chick today and one had wry neck, also called toricollis, stargazing, twisted neck, etc. There are a number of factors that can result in this condition but mainly two in day olds. One is a genetic abnormality and the other is a vitamin/mineral deficiency. I have found that if the condition is caused by a vitamin deficiency it can sometimes be corrected almost immediately by giving oral vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. The recommended electrolyte replacement is Pediatlye or a product called AviaCharge. I have used Pedialyte for weak chicks with good results so I keep it on hand at all times. The easiest way to keep it and not waste an entire container is to buy the freezer pops. I store them in my pantry and pull one out whenever needed. The chicks seem to like the flavor and drink it easier.
For vitamin supplementation use a good baby vitamin without iron. PolyViSol is good but I could only find the store brand and it works just fine. The key is making sure it does not contain iron.
Vitamin E is given along with Selenium to help with the absorption.
You may want to research online before treating. I found a lot of differing opinions but here is the dosage I used:

  • 2 TBS Pedialyte
  • 2 drops Baby Vitamin
  • 100 units (squirt out half a capsule)
  • 50 mcg Selenium (1/4 tablet crushed)

I mixed the ingredients together and administered it a few drops at a time to the baby chick. You can apply it to the side of the beak with the eye dropper or put a drop on your finger and place it alongside the beak until it opens. I was holding the video camera in one hand so I ended up getting it all over the baby chick but it seemed to like the taste and did not fight it. I gave a few drops then waited about 3 hours and repeated. I will give another dose in the morning if the chick so any symptoms other wise I will consider it done.
Here is a video of the chick, before, during treatment and after. This baby made a miraculous recovery.

What I ended up using was the PolyVisol (get from a drugstore, it's an human infant liquid vitamin), Vitamin E with Selenium in it from a health food store and a liquid vitamin B-12. I had read a lot of different posts about vitamin deficiencies and just ended up combining all the suggestions into this mixture. I didn't use the Pedialyte because it made a mess and was difficult to mix with all the oil based vitamins.

I gave about half a dropper full to the chick 3 times a day. I wrapped her in a wash cloth to try to keep any of the mixture off of her fluff (it stains and makes the fluff sticky) and just worked on her drinking it until the dropper was empty. She didn't like it but she became resigned to it. As I was about to give up on her she started to make subtle signs of improvement (about day 7). Around day 10 she showed bigger signs of improvement that other people could see as well. On day 14 I stopped because she was actively fighting me. She started eating and drinking on her own at that point.

I also started putting their food in a very small dish and putting water in it so the food became very soft. The chicks LOVED it and the sick one started eating it because it wasn't so difficult. Once I did that she started to gain weight again. At her worst she was half the size of her brooder mate and when she recovered she completely caught up and they are the same size now.

Good Luck!!
Click to expand...

i had not clicked to page two :) LOL Duh! I will try to view this link later tonight, and give it a try myslef, if she does have the same symptons, i might be able to help her still, do you know if there is a time line in which it works best, do you think she may hve been too many days with this problem? she also seems to be more calm when held, and she doesn;t appear to have sight issues of any kind, so i hope she can be fixed :) I will keep the post updated , thanks!
 
LOLOLOL I think she has time.... if she's still eating/drinking/pooping she's doing better than my chick was and my chick recovered completely.

Mine was calmer, too when I held her. I really think that's only because she started associating me as a mother hen and that I "had my wings over her" or something. It made her feel secure sort of like when you swaddle a baby.

Yes, leave her with her buddies as long as they aren't picking on her. It's important she remains part of the flock.
 
I just returned from the vet. He believes it is vitamin deficiency. He said she is not diseased or sick. 'After 12 days of treatment what you see is what you get'. It might be too later to reverse any damage that may have been done with the vitamin deficiency but we are hoping for a full recovery.
 

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