What is wrong with this baby...Is it suffering...Can I help it?

[CALI CHICK]

Please help! This is one of my 3 day old silkies. It has a huge head, like perhaps it is swollen. The head also seems a bit lopsided. It doesn't eat yet and hasn't drank on it's own. I give it Poly-Vi-Sol, Sav-A-Chick and Vit E many times a day in a dropper. It doesn't like the liquids and tries to back away every time. I'm not sure what to treat it for, but I thought maybe wry neck or something else with a vitamin deficiency. It mainly just wants to sleep. And it walks with it's head down (like a dog sniffing the ground) whenever it gets bumped by another chick. And it occassionally walks backwards. I seperated it into a basket (so it could rest w/o getting bumped) but it was very distressed and kept crying. It is now with the other 9 chicks.

I hate to see it suffering and my husband said he would kill it. But, I don't know what is wrong and would love to help it recover if I could. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[billyb]

I don't really know anything about that, but I hope he/she gets BETTER!!

 

[chickenlisa]

I'm not sure, but aren't crested/vaulted birds that way due to an opening in the skull? Maybe this little one has too big of an opening and some damage to the brain...I only say maybe that b/c it seems to have a much bigger topknot than any of my Silkie chicks ever did at that age, and it is lopsided too. I hope that I'm wrong.
I too hope that it gets to feeling better and getting around, eating and drinking on its own, soon.

Lisa

 

[ANSLEY2807]

Mine is doing the very same thing. I thought it's vent was plugged so I massaged it and the baby DID do a big poop. But it's still acting like your description ??

 

[CALI CHICK]

Thank you everyone....I really hope it gets better too.

Or, just dies on its own, soon. It just lays in the brooder quietly unless it gets bumped. Then it finds a new spot to lay down....poor little guy.
Lisa, I'm pretty sure it is some type of head trauma due to the big opening. (Every one of these silkies has a vaulted skull.) I fear this little guy has a swollen brain due to excess fluid or infection. I did have to assist 2 chicks out of their shell. One had zipped downward and was stuck for over 10 hours. The other one had totally zipped the eggshell, but the membrane wasn't cut, so I snipped all the membrane stripps for that one too. I don't know which chicks are which, but chances are it's one of those. I guess I can relate with it because I've had a migrain and Fibro pain for 3 days now, myself.
Oops, I just realized maybe I should have posted this in the emergency section. I might try to move it to that forum.

I feel guilty because as I focus so much time on this sick one, it's easy to overlook all the beautiful little fluffballs that I've been blessed with. Here's a group shot of my newest hatchlings:

 

[Megs501]

Aw, poor little guy. I know it's tough watching them, so helpless. Hope everything turns out okay. I know nothing about them as I am a newbie.
But I think you're right, if you move this to the emergencies forum, you will surely get help there.

Good luck.

 

[bobbi-j]

I would just put it out of its misery. I know, it's hard to kill a helpless little chick, but you don't want it to suffer, either. Another thought - if it does survive, and you are breeding, you don't want this one in your breeding program.

 

[CALI CHICK]

Aw, poor little guy. I know it's tough watching them, so helpless. Hope everything turns out okay. I know nothing about them as I am a newbie.
But I think you're right, if you move this to the emergencies forum, you will surely get help there.
Good luck.

I've requested that it be moved in hopes of getting additional advice. Although I have appreciated all the kind encouragement. Thanks, Everyone

I would just put it out of its misery. I know, it's hard to kill a helpless little chick, but you don't want it to suffer, either. Another thought - if it does survive, and you are breeding, you don't want this one in your breeding program.

You are probably right. If nothing changes and I don't get better suggestions, I'll ask my DH to take care of it tonight.

I wasn't even expecting any partridge silkies out of a BBS pen. I was planning to only have BBS so maybe it's for the best. I really wanted some Splash and Light Blues and I think I've got 4 Splash, 2 Blues and 3 others(?).

 

[CALI CHICK]

This little guy is still hanging on. I was hoping it would die over night because neither my DH nor I can kill it. I caught him just holding it and when I asked him to kill it he said, "after work" or "It might get better", etc. He's as big a softie as me.

I'll probably start the Prednisone treatment today if it doesn't die on it's own. I'll update what happens.........

 

[billyb]

Is he/she drinking, eating, going to the bathroom??