What's wrong with my chick?

[keyt1969]

I have a 1 week old chick, probably a cochin mix who was fine until today.

Actually, I'm not sure if she was THAT fine. I haven't seen her eat or drink since she hatched..or move around much either. I tried showing her the water and she would take a little but I never saw her do it on her own!

Now she's displaying behavior I've never seen in a chick or adult. Her head is thrown all the way back, eyes never open and every once in a while she will shake her head violently like dogs do when they're wet.

I was keeping her in with a 1 month old bantam who literally took her on like her own. She would peck me if I reached in for the baby!!! After trying to give the chick some pedialyte, I put her back in the tote for warmth and separated the two chicks not knowing what the bantam would do. Well, she managed to get to the side with the baby and is sitting as close as she can get to her. Now the baby is chirping again and trying to sit up, she just can't because her head and neck are thrown all the way back!

Anyone have any ideas? I'm assuming it's probably a neurological thing!? Anything I can do? Should I keep the two chicks separated?

 

[lady feathers]

Start giving her Poly vi sol it's infant vitamin drops by enfamil... be sure to pick up the one without iron, and you are probably going to need to give her water and try to give her food (if she won't eat the chick starter, try hard boiled egg yolk or yogurt. She is likely suffering from a deficiency if you have never/rarely seen her eat/drink. I have one that is 9 weeks old that had its head hanging upside down and backwards... been giving drops for one day and it is holding it head up about 50% of the time rather than 5% of the time like it was a few days ago. She eats upside down and has a horrible time drinking but is doing it by hersel now. Good luck, if it is purely a deficiency could be a few days to a few months before she is normal... but hopefull just a few days/weeks before she can make do to feed/water herself. Also, would be a good idea to add some electrolytes to the water you make available to the chick. Good Luck! If she wasn't being picked on by the bantam and the bantam wasn't harming her by stepping/laying on her.... since they are still having some access to each other it might not hurt to put them back together as she won't stress further because she is lonely. Good Luck!