Two day old silkie chick acting really weird, please help!

nagleobr

In the Brooder
Aug 24, 2015
68
5
31
I hatched a batch of silkie chicks recently, all of which hatched. They are about two days old now. The chick to hatch first was doing good before, but after I put them in the brooder, he started to act really weird. He began by holding his head down near the ground, running all over the place. He then started to hold his head between his legs. He pushes his head all the way between his legs until he flips over and almost does a somersault. Then he flips back onto his legs and does it again, running backwards until he hits the side of the brooder. He won't stop chirping. The other two are doing well. Does anyone know what this is and if I can treat it? Thank you!
 
The chick is suffering from wry neck (encephalomalacia, crook neck, torticolis.) Give it chick vitamins such as Poultry Nutri-drench 1 ml orally daily, or put SaveAChick in the water. Vitamin E and Selenium are important in treatment. Bits of cooked egg can give some selenium, but the Nutri-drench has it already. Feeding and watering may be a challenge. Use a dropper if necessary, and you can add water to feed, amking it thin enogh to dropper feed. Wry neck can be a symptom of a head injury, vitamin E deficiency, or brain inflammation.Here is some reading:
http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article/Crookneck/Crookneck.html
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/97121/lets-talk-wry-neck-crook-neck
 
I don't have any stores close to me that have selenium. I picked up multi vitamins that have vitamin E and selenium, put I through a grinder and mixed it in save a chick. Gave my little baby some via a syringe. All of you here think that should work? Any help is appreciated. I can't attach photos for some reason, sorry
 
I just realized that I forgot to update the post. The morning of the day after I posted this, the little chick seemed to be doing better. And to my surprise, I got home from school to find that he was acting normal. I hadn't had the chance to treat him yet. Any ideas to how he got better by himself?
 

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