OK, I am using the headings from the sticky:
1) What type of bird , age and weight.
Silkie, 3 1/2 weeks. Weight unknown but feels fairly solid and has grown as well as sibling.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
This morning when I took it outside to the little cage where it spends the day, its neck seemed twisted. I tipped it another way and it still ended up with its head on one side (whichever way I tipped it). Once I put it on the ground, it straightened up. I got home after work and it looked hunched. Coming closer I saw bloody poop on the ground. I carried it in to the brooder where it spends the night to get it away from the others and to warm it under the lamp (it didn't seem cold but warm is usually good for sick birds). It has pooped again since being separated so I know for sure it was this bird producing bloody poop (unless others are too). Neck seems worse since bringing it in - could be stress of being alone, could be warmth making things worse if brain is inflamed, but I feel that it needs to be warm if it is many illnesses.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Today
4) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No except bloody poop.
5) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
No idea.
6) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Crumbles, grass, soaked grain. Not fed a coccidiostat as I have never had problems with this before. I always said I would revise this practice if a problem arose - this could well be now.
7) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Bloody
8) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
The vet and I decided to start treating for coccidiosis (Baycox in the water) while he finds out more about wry neck. I dipped the chick's beak in the water as I was suspicious it may not have been drinking. It drank quite a lot so I suspect this is correct. Just caught the vet after work, so have just done this. Other chicks have Baycox water too.
9 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Have been to vet, but vet and I are a bit confused by the combination of symptoms, so thought I would see if more information came to light before talking with vet again tomorrow.
10) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
I haven't taken a picture, and the bird is in its night box in the shed (well away from two day old chicks in the house, which seems wise). However, it looks a lot like the wry neck video at http://www.showsilkies.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=683:silkie-with-wry-neck-or-swelling-on-the-brain&catid=89:video-archive&Itemid=100011
11) Describe the housing/bedding in use
At night it lives in a plastic brooder box under a light. Bedding is cracked corn. During the day it lives in an old rabbit cage on the grass. There is a little bit of hay in the nest box part of the rabbit cage, which was added two days ago. I have left the other chicks in the rabbit cage tonight to keep them apart, luckily it is very mild out.
Apart from this I have skimmed DLHunicorn's excellent page here http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=emergencies&action=display&num=1160928615 looking for things that would connect the bloody poop to the wry neck, but I haven't come up with a clear idea of what it could be.
My big concern is that if it has a head injury or other things irritating the brain, it should be kept cool (we cool humans with brain injuries after all) but if it is lots of other things it needs to be kept warm. If I could find a likely link between the wry neck and the bloody poop it may guide me about that while I wait on more info from the vet tomorrow.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.
1) What type of bird , age and weight.
Silkie, 3 1/2 weeks. Weight unknown but feels fairly solid and has grown as well as sibling.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
This morning when I took it outside to the little cage where it spends the day, its neck seemed twisted. I tipped it another way and it still ended up with its head on one side (whichever way I tipped it). Once I put it on the ground, it straightened up. I got home after work and it looked hunched. Coming closer I saw bloody poop on the ground. I carried it in to the brooder where it spends the night to get it away from the others and to warm it under the lamp (it didn't seem cold but warm is usually good for sick birds). It has pooped again since being separated so I know for sure it was this bird producing bloody poop (unless others are too). Neck seems worse since bringing it in - could be stress of being alone, could be warmth making things worse if brain is inflamed, but I feel that it needs to be warm if it is many illnesses.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Today
4) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No except bloody poop.
5) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
No idea.
6) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Crumbles, grass, soaked grain. Not fed a coccidiostat as I have never had problems with this before. I always said I would revise this practice if a problem arose - this could well be now.
7) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Bloody
8) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
The vet and I decided to start treating for coccidiosis (Baycox in the water) while he finds out more about wry neck. I dipped the chick's beak in the water as I was suspicious it may not have been drinking. It drank quite a lot so I suspect this is correct. Just caught the vet after work, so have just done this. Other chicks have Baycox water too.
9 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Have been to vet, but vet and I are a bit confused by the combination of symptoms, so thought I would see if more information came to light before talking with vet again tomorrow.
10) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
I haven't taken a picture, and the bird is in its night box in the shed (well away from two day old chicks in the house, which seems wise). However, it looks a lot like the wry neck video at http://www.showsilkies.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=683:silkie-with-wry-neck-or-swelling-on-the-brain&catid=89:video-archive&Itemid=100011
11) Describe the housing/bedding in use
At night it lives in a plastic brooder box under a light. Bedding is cracked corn. During the day it lives in an old rabbit cage on the grass. There is a little bit of hay in the nest box part of the rabbit cage, which was added two days ago. I have left the other chicks in the rabbit cage tonight to keep them apart, luckily it is very mild out.
Apart from this I have skimmed DLHunicorn's excellent page here http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=emergencies&action=display&num=1160928615 looking for things that would connect the bloody poop to the wry neck, but I haven't come up with a clear idea of what it could be.
My big concern is that if it has a head injury or other things irritating the brain, it should be kept cool (we cool humans with brain injuries after all) but if it is lots of other things it needs to be kept warm. If I could find a likely link between the wry neck and the bloody poop it may guide me about that while I wait on more info from the vet tomorrow.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.
