Stargazing Chick

[amelia413]

Out of my most recent hatch, we had a chick who always seemed to be resting her head on her back, almost contorting her neck off to the side. After a little research we realized it was an ailment called “stargazing” Caused by the lack of vitamin B1, Thiamine. We got an electrolyte solution with thiamine in it hoping to improve her condition, but with little to no avail. Is there anything else we can do for her? I’ll post pictures below.

 

[viennaproto]

Hi there! If she doesn't seem to be getting better, I would start to administer vitamin B complex (Durvet sells a good one; you can find it at your local tractor supply). You can give her a couple drops on her beak with short breaks in between each drop in order to prevent aspiration (very common in chicks and small birds). I would also read this thread before administering the complex: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/