Silkie stretching up & throwing head back

[TwinMapleRanch]

When I went out to feed everyone this morning I noticed my 6-8 wk old silkie chick was lethargic. I picked her up and she started stretching upwards and laying her head back on her back. I brought her in the house and have managed to get some vitamin/electrolyte water in her. Her actions remind me of when I had a day old foal with colic, it would stretch and throw it's head back because of the pain. Her crop is not full. I think I feel a lump in her neck, but it could be just her neck bone because of the way she's holding her head. Kinda like a duck, with her breast sicking out and her neck folded between her shoulder blades. Right now I have her propped up in a towel, she is almost perpendicular, but that is how she seems most comfortable. Could this be wry neck? She doesn't seem to have any of the typical symptoms of that, except her balance is off, especially when she's trying to stretch up and back. She falls to the side and has to catch herself with her wing. I don't have any vitamin E/selenium, but the lady I bought her from does, if anybody thinks that may help.

Here is a video of what she's doing. (Keep in mind, she may be a he, too young to tell, just wishful thinking on my part)

If anyone has ever seen anything like this or has any suggestions, please let me know! I've been reading since this morning but can't seem to find any posts with similar behavior. Thanks in advance!!

 

[brendapa]

Bump

 

[ReikiStar]

She's "stargazing", generally from a deficiency of Vitamin B1. Get some if you can adding Vit. E and Selenium as they work synergistically. You can crush up the vitamins (go easy on the Selenium), add water and try to feed it directly or put it in her water, just make sure you make enough though. How much is enough? I think there is a thread on here that lists amounts. I thought I had read that Silkies are more susceptible to things like wry neck and stargazing.

We had hatched a Lavender Orp who was stargazing right out of the egg and by the second day, after giving her the vitamins, she's never had another episode. She's now 6 weeks old. I had asked the breeder about how the breeding birds were fed since I knew they weren't allowed to free range (sadly). She did say around the time these eggs were laid she had been lax with their supplements. We ended up giving all the chicks the vitamin therapy in their water for a week and everyone is doing great.

Hope that's all she needs. Others might have different experiences and advice.

 

[TwinMapleRanch]

Thanks for the input! I started her on vitamin/electrolytes this morning as soon as I realized something was wrong. I went and got some Vit E and Selenium. Couldn't find any vit E with the Sel. in it, so had to buy it separately and mix a little in with the E. I had some B vitamins on hand that I also crushed and put a pinch in with it. Got the first dose down her a couple hours ago. Plan to dose her again before bed, and then twice a day starting tomorrow... or should it be 3 times a day? I've seen threads where people have done it both ways. I hear a little more peeping out of her now than I did earlier, so hopefully she's feeling a little better.

My chicks don't free range, but close to it.. there are (11) 1-2 month old silkies in a 25'X25' grassy area in the yard. I keep them in there as the laying hens free range and I didn't want anyone picking on them. They get Dumor starter/grower which I believe is 18%, plus lots of treats from the garden. Everyone else is doing fine, so I'm thinking this was caused by an injury...