Unsteady chick...looks drunk

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Amy

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Hi
One of my 17(ish) week old chicks has started to behave oddly to which I have never seen before. Yesterday she was listless and hunched over all the time...unless I put food near her then she ate with gusto. I gave her 0.2ml Baytril before bed. This morning my husband said she seemed much better this morning.
Just been to check on her again, as she went off colour again this afternoon, and she is sat hunched up and when she moves she stumbles everywhere...looks drunk! I have given her 0.3ml of Baytril direct into her mouth and given her porridge, fruit, boiled agg and grower pellets with mixed corn to eat. She definitely is NOT off her food but she isnt looking well either.
She also seems to struggle to get onto the perch (which is very low to the ground) so is sleeping on the hut floor.
I really could do with getting her better a.s.a.p as I go away for 1 week on Wednesday so she will not get the care I will give her (in-laws sorting all animals and I cant expect them to look after her like I do!)
Thanks so much....Amy :?
 
I am afraid she sounds quite poorly. Your best bet would be to get the advice of a poultry vet.

Unsteady gait can be due to a number of things, a toxic substance (poisoning..) or at POL something which has been incubating awhile affecting the nervous system. If she is a "tufted" breed ie: poland then they are very susceptible to trauma related cranial neurological problems due to the the genetics of their breed.

Things to check, crop in the morning, eye pupils (fixed, normal etc..) response to light, fitting, weight and droppings. Unusual head movements or dropped wings are other points to observe in her behaviour.

Good luck with your hen
 
Hi Foxy
Thanks for your reply. She is a Lavender Pekin Frizzle cross Silkie. Very beautiful. I lost 4 of the same chicks at 7 weeks old, they all died at night over the course of a couple of nights, then I lost one at 15 weeks (not same symptoms they just died randomly) now this one at 17 (ish) weeks...the other surviving chick seems absolutely fine though.
Her crop is fine and her eyes are bright etc. She seems to have lost weight as her breast bone is quite sharp and pronounced. Her droppings look normal although yesterday she did one which had a lot of milky substance around it but today they seem ok.
I havent noticed any unusual head movements but her wings are down...looks more to stabilise her. When she walks she stumbles and puts her wings out to stop herself falling over.
I have added some Flubenvet into the food as web searches suggested she may have worms???
She is inseperable from her mum and sister so I have not seperated her as I think that will cause her too much stress.
Shall I carry on with the Baytril? To be honest I was surprised that she was still alive this morning as my other chicks went downhill within 12 hours.
Thanks for all your help.
 
I am so sorry Amy, I don't think she will make it. I wouldn't worry so much about worming or flubenvet at this stage as it sounds like there is an underlying problem causing her symptoms. :(
 
She hasn't made it. I found her this morning sprawled out in the hut and she was breathing really quickly. I just dont know whats caused it and if it will spread through my flock.
And it doesnt help that I go away tomorrow. Im really sad as she was beautiful...lavender coloured with frizzle feathers but really soft with a top knot of feather on her head like a silkie. :(
 
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