Two week old Silkie having seizures and recovered???

[MichelleKing]

We just hatched some new silkies, all very healthy.

Two days ago I noticed that one of the silkies, who we call Batman, was getting picked on by the others. Batman is a female (dna tested) and is slightly smaller than the rest of the chicks she hatched with.

Yesterday while working night shift as I checked on the chicks I noticed batman huddled in a corner. A few hours later I saw her with her neck completely twisted, beak to the ground, shaking, and running backwards.

Then she had a massive full body seizure. It was terrifying. I have seen silkies have seizures before and I know its because it their head gets pecked or bumped hard, the vaulted head with exposed brain gets damaged.

Heres the thing. I separated her and made her comfy. She continued to seize all day yesterday and I expected her to die. By night, she hadnt died.

Then, she started acting like a normal chick. So, I grabbed another small female and put them together with food and water and a heat source and watched. Sure enough, she had another full body seizure. I was devastated. So I told myself I would give her overnight to pass and move on.

I slept on the couch and checked on her all night. This is where it gets weird. She slowly by slowly returned to complete normal chick behavior. Eating, drinking, pruning, interacting with the other chick. No head jerks, no seizures.

Its 515am and she hasnt had a seizure all night and she looks completely normal. I have never seen a chick come back from a head injury especially with the type of seizures this chick was having.

***QUESTION***
Is it possible for a chick to come back from a severe seizure issue caused by damage to the brain?

TL;DR : chick got hurt, chick having full body seizures, chick recovers, I'm confused.

 

[Eggcessive]

Wry neck symptoms ( twisted neck, walking backwards or in circles, seizure activity) can occur with head injuries, vitamin B1 or E deficiency, and from certain diseases that affect the brain. It can be seen in Mareks, and other viral diseases. Seizure disorders can also be seen in chickens.

I would just keep her calm and quiet, offer vitamins with thiamine and give 400 IU of vitamin E daily, and help her eat and drink. Chopped beef liver, tuna, sunflower seed would all be good in small quantities along with her feed.

 

[MichelleKing]

Wry neck symptoms ( twisted neck, walking backwards or in circles, seizure activity) can occur with head injuries, vitamin B1 or E deficiency, and from certain diseases that affect the brain. It can be seen in Mareks, and other viral diseases. Seizure disorders can also be seen in chickens.

I would just keep her calm and quiet, offer vitamins with thiamine and give 400 IU of vitamin E daily, and help her eat and drink. Chopped beef liver, tuna, sunflower seed would all be good in small quantities along with her feed.

thank you this is EXCELLENT information. i keep all my chicks inside so i doubt shes viral, but certainly could be vitamin deficient because the other chicks picked on her and she probably didnt have as much access to food poor poor baby. Thank you so much.

 

[MichelleKing]

Wry neck symptoms ( twisted neck, walking backwards or in circles, seizure activity) can occur with head injuries, vitamin B1 or E deficiency, and from certain diseases that affect the brain. It can be seen in Mareks, and other viral diseases. Seizure disorders can also be seen in chickens.

I would just keep her calm and quiet, offer vitamins with thiamine and give 400 IU of vitamin E daily, and help her eat and drink. Chopped beef liver, tuna, sunflower seed would all be good in small quantities along with her feed.

oh on a really positive note. i put her in her own enclosure with another similar sized very small female. they are having a great time together, both are eating and drinking a TON. I will add vitamins to the water as well and give the seeds which I have in stock.