silkie can't hold it head up

[cheapcheap_jeepjeep]

One of my new silkies cant hold its head up. She is about 3months old and just sits with her head almost under her and wont pick it up. I found her this morning sitting in water bowl this way (good thing there was little water).. Is there anyway to fix this she was to go to the fair next month for 4_H but......


THANKS FOR READING

 

[cheapcheap_jeepjeep]

anyone ....... my son is really upset over his chick

 

[s6bee]

Is she hot or cold, how's her poo, have you given her any sugar water or electrolytes. Do you have liquid poly-sol- vitamins on hand? If you do, try and give her a couple drops 3x/day. Do the other chicks let her eat?
She may need help in driking and eating if she's so weak but don't tilt her head back. She may need soft food, like her crumble wet down or and serve her that.
Let us know if there is anything else that seems wrong.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Separate her from the others. Put her in a box/kennel/cage, etc with a warming light. Get some poultry electrolytes from the feed store...or kids pedialyte and some polyvisol drops. Chop up a boiled egg and see if she will eat that...or even a raw egg yolk. You may have to put the electrolytes along her beak and drop it into her mouth. You can also try making a wet paste with her starter and handfeeding her.

Keep us posted...good luck...

 

[cheapcheap_jeepjeep]

Ok thanks I have her alone with food and boiled egg she does nto seen cold but I will try to warm her in case . her poo is fine too sometimes it is a little watery but only a few times.


I have also but the electrolytes in her water. When you touch her she does this head shaking rubbing thing on the floor??? she is also biting......

 

[mainchick]

What commonly happens with silkies is a weird wrenched neck thing. it can bee so extreme that it will make them tumble over. if the neck isn't too twisted, you can start the bird on a vitamin e regiment. give orally three times a day a gel tab of vitamin e. You have to cut it open and squeeze the oil into the beak. I have used 5oo ml. tabs. Silkies are also very easily injured due to the odd head opening (domed head for showy-ness) under the crest. they can just get a little knock on the head and it will cause a brain injury. if you don't catch it early enough they suffer with the crooked neck issue until they die. I have had to help my 4-h ers with this issue a few times. Most birds are euthanized. So sorry. You should really talk to a silkie breeder and a poultry vet.

 

[cheapcheap_jeepjeep]

just to update on the chick......

Sometimes I think she will be fine and others I think I need to cull her. she does not her head up alot more now but does still do the head under and shaking thing. I have tried all that u wonderful people have told me. I am thinking that I need to have hubby take care of her later. but before that is there any other thing I can do?

 

[angelmarie]

i wonder if it could be torticollis???

 

[cheapcheap_jeepjeep]

Quote:
What is that??? All the others from that broody hen are fine.

 

[angelmarie]

its an infection in the cranium that can cause the neck to twist