Week-old Chick Shaking Head/Neck/Wings

[RebeccaS2010]

Good morning! My hubby and I bought some chicks to sneak under our broody hen. They hatched last Wednesday. We picked them up Saturday from the breeder and all seemed good except one had some poop on it’s bum. Sunday afternoon that one’s vent was completely blocked, so I cleaned off the poo. She didn’t seem quite as energetic as her siblings, but by Sunday evening she seemed normal, but I noticed a slight head shake when she would doze off. Sunday night we tried putting them with the hen, but she rejected them after five minutes. No visible signs of injury to this chick, but Monday afternoon she seemed a bit sluggish compared to others, and head shaking when nodding off to sleep seemed worse. Watched her yesterday. She’s eating but not as vigorously as her siblings and I haven’t seen her drink. I’ve been giving her water with electrolytes (Save a Chick) with an eye dropper. She is much more lethargic than the others now, tremors are worse, and she stays under the heat lamp more. She’s not “Star-gazing”; it looks more like something caught in her throat. Any ideas?

 

[azygous]

Give her a bit of coconut oil and keep watch on that vent for recurring pasting. Poultry Nutri-drench would be wise to give this chick as she may be borderline failure to thrive.

 

[RebeccaS2010]

Any particular way you recommend getting the coconut oil into her?

Give her a bit of coconut oil and keep watch on that vent for recurring pasting. Poultry Nutri-drench would be wise to give this chick as she may be borderline failure to thrive

 

[azygous]

The reason for using coconut oil is by chilling it slightly, it becomes solid and easy to stuff into the beak without risking aspiration of liquid oil.

Measure out half a teaspoon. Divide into pea size pieces. Chill. Put one piece at a time into the right side of the beak. Continue until all the oil is in the chick. Massage the crop gently to distribute the oil. Watch for a nice big poop.