Silkie acting drunk and blind, other weak

[Mowglimommychick]

I hatch and raise silkies and have not had problems with any of them, but I feel every time I buy shipped chicks from a hatchery or local Farm Store, I mysteriously lose several. They just seem to just get very weak and not move much, even with efforts to dropper feed them with a little chick food and water that has Rooster Booster in it. I put it on the side of their Beach and they do drink it. No force-feeding or anything, but there just doesn't seem to be an improvement. So that's one issue. How can I help these fragile little things. I have a silkie and a millefleur that are just droopy and not moving right now.

Second question is something I've never seen before. One of the chicks had an eye that was closed. It seems to be acting fine though , so I didn't worry about it much beyond just giving it a gentle wipe to make sure there is no crust. But last night it started jerking its head to the side and walking in circles and generally stumbling around acting like it was drunk or blind. I moved it to a smaller Box by itself and it seemed it was trying to bite me. But when I pulled out the dropper food and water I realized it was just desperate to eat. Probably couldn't find the food and water before. It was very hungry. But I still had to hold the head still for it because even though it wanted the food and water, its head would just jerk around. It's still alive this morning, but the eye that previously just closed is bulging a bit. Just sticks out from the side of his head a little farther than the other side. It's also been scratching at its face a lot. I don't know what to do for this little one. And I don't know what to do for the eye. I've read other threads related to bulging eyes and chick walking in circles, but I haven't been able to find anything that was helpful. And a lot of people never posted with the outcome was either.

 

[staceyj]

That definitely sounds like wry neck you are describing.
It’s a nutritional deficiency and silkies seem to be particularly prone to it.

I’ll get some info for you and come back.

 

[staceyj]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/wry-neck-causes-treatment-and-prevention.67732/

The bulging eye is concerning though.
Can you please post some pictures ?
Bad eye and good eye for comparison and also a straight on shot as well.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

One of the chicks had an eye that was closed. It seems to be acting fine though , so I didn't worry about it much beyond just giving it a gentle wipe to make sure there is no crust. But last night it started jerking its head to the side and walking in circles and generally stumbling around acting like it was drunk or blind.

the eye that previously just closed is bulging a bit. Just sticks out from the side of his head a little farther than the other side. It's also been scratching at its face a lot.

Photos would be helpful.
How old is the chick?
Walking in circles is sounds like a neurological symptom called Wry Neck. It can be caused by genetics, improper incubation, vitamin deficiency, head trauma and disease like Marek's.

I would get some vitamin E into her along with b-complex.
The swelling of the eye sounds concerning. Since she is scratching at it, could she possibly have debris (fluff/bedding) or something in there? Flush the eye with saline and give it good look. Apply an ophthalmic ointment like Terramycin or use Vetericyn eye gel.

Keep us posted.

 

[Mowglimommychick]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/wry-neck-causes-treatment-and-prevention.67732/

The bulging eye is concerning though.
Can you please post some pictures ?
Bad eye and good eye for comparison and also a straight on shot as well.

It looks a tad worse in this photo than it is just because the cream I put on the eye has its hair slicked down on that side.

 

[Mowglimommychick]

The chick is about 5 days old now. I have given chick vitamins - all I had access to at the moment. The walking in circles stopped and head isn't moving around much. Eyesight/coordination are still off so has to be helped to eat and drink. The eye still is really swollen. The chick ate too much earlier and started to aspirate from vomit but we got that cleared and it's still here. I don't know what else I can do. It's had tremendous will to live, but it's breathing isn't the best. Any more suggestions?

 

[staceyj]

When the chick hatched did the eye already appear wrong? Or did this develop afterwards. If so, how long?

I know you mentioned that the eye ointment is slicking down the feathers on that side but does the skull feel symmetrical?


@casportpony
@azygous
@WVduckchick
@Texas Kiki
@aart

Anyone want to make a guess at what’s going on here?

 

[Kiki]

X2 what Stacey asked first.
Hatched with a weird eye or it happened after hatch?


These were hatched from your own adult birds?

 

[WVduckchick]

Can’t say that I’ve seen anything like that eye either.
I’d try a saline flush, a couple times a day, and see if it improves.

Maybe it got something in the eye?

What type of bedding was in the shipping box, and what are you using? Maybe something that could have irritated it, or maybe another chick pecked or scratched it?

 

[Kiki]

Do you have or have you had respiratory disease in your flock?