Wobbly 5 Week Old Chick

[SJsChickies]

I have 4, 5 week old Brown Leghorn chicks that until yesterday, were completely healthy. They all ran around like crazy, ate and drank great, dust bathed, etc. Well yesterday evening I noticed one of them was wobbly on her feet. Kind of sitting on her hocks more and moving her head a little strange. Best way to describe it is she looked drunk. She is still eating and drinking ok and foraging and chasing bugs like the others though. I tried to search the forums but couldn't find much. I have two questions...what could it be and if its something bad, is it contagious? And if someone knows what it is, will she survive it?

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi!

What are they eating? I ask because it sounds like a possible vitamin deficiency.

I'm always careful with mine as they are silkies and are prone to deficiencies. I'll still get the funky head movements or shaking from time to time. I use a Vitamin E and scrambled eggs for a couple of weeks if I see that in any.

Yours might just need a vitamin boost via Poultry Cell or Nutri-Drench in their water every other day for a week or two. B-Complex might also help. You could give her half of one of yours once a day if you have any, or just pick up a bottle at any drug or convenience store.

 

[SJsChickies]

Hi!

What are they eating? I ask because it sounds like a possible vitamin deficiency.

I'm always careful with mine as they are silkies and are prone to deficiencies. I'll still get the funky head movements or shaking from time to time. I use a Vitamin E and scrambled eggs for a couple of weeks if I see that in any.

Yours might just need a vitamin boost via Poultry Cell or Nutri-Drench in their water every other day for a week or two. B-Complex might also help. You could give her half of one of yours once a day if you have any, or just pick up a bottle at any drug or convenience store.

Thank you for the response! When I noticed her yesterday, I immediately put Nutri-Drench in their water. I also have Rooster Booster vitamins and electrolytes. Would that be better for her? Also, its safe for all of them to take right? Or should I keep a separate plain water in the coop too? All the chicks are eating Kalmbach 20% Flock Maker crumbles.

For the Vitamin E and scrambled eggs, do you just get the little vitamin E soft gel or the oil?

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you for the response! When I noticed her yesterday, I immediately put Nutri-Drench in their water. I also have Rooster Booster vitamins and electrolytes. Would that be better for her? Also, its safe for all of them to take right? Or should I keep a separate plain water in the coop too? All the chicks are eating Kalmbach 20% Flock Maker crumbles.

For the Vitamin E and scrambled eggs, do you just get the little vitamin E soft gel or the oil?

Ours are all on that same feed. Now it makes me wonder more what's causing it, as that plus your Nutri-Drench is certainly enough nutrition.

For the E, I used my own soft gel ones. I open their beak and pop it in. Once I tried opening one up and mixing it in with scrambled eggs. That didn't go over so well as it stinks so probably tastes horrible.

 

[LaFleche]

Check for lice and mites and inspect their droppings too for early signs of coccidiosis

 

[Debbie292d]

Also, its safe for all of them to take right?

Either of those vitamin supplements is good. Yes, they all can have that as well. I'd do vitamins for a couple of days, then skip a day so they don't get diarrhea from them.

Another thing I thought of, after you check for mites and lice and eliminate anything else, consider deworming them. I've never dewormed mine, albeit we've used Ivermectin 5% on them for SLM (scaley leg mites) four times, which used to be considered a decent dewormer. Safeguard is what I see most here use.

 

[SJsChickies]

Check for lice and mites and inspect their droppings too for early signs of coccidiosis

I checked her out last night but I'll get more thorough when I get home from work!