Chick acts "drunk" can't figure out what's wrong??

[erin175]

I have an almost 3 wk old light brahma chick that acts drunk! No obvious injuries. She just can't walk. When she tries, she flops over, flails about, etc. She didn't act this way initially, I first noticed it about 4 days ago. I began treating her with Sulmet solution as the most obvious answer via Google was Coccidiosis. No other bird in my flock of 15 is showing any signs of problems. We've been treating her for 3 days now with little to no sign of improvement. We've isolated her, hand fed her food/water, kept her warm...but still not getting any better! At this point we're ready to put her down. Is there something else I'm missing?

 

[Megan Amber]

The same thing has actually happened to me a couple times and I dont know what it is either. I am really sorry but sometimes they get better and sometimes they dont! It sounds like putting it down might be the kindest thing to do for it!

 

[erin175]

No other suggestions?? I checked with my local dog/cat vet and he had no suggestions. I'm worried another chick is coming down with the same problem? Found her sitting alone in a corner of the brooder (far, far from heat light) with a wood shaving caked to her chest, making me think she'd sat there awhile. She got up when tapped & flopped a few times before walking semi-normal back to the group. After that I didn't notice anything the other chicks weren't doing (napping, squatted down, sitting still). The initial "victim" is still hanging on, showing no signs of improvement, not eating or drinking, just crouching down and being still. She's had no feather "development" in the last 5 days. Anytime she tries to move she falls over, flops around, etc. Any suggestions or help would be appreciated!!

 

[Megan Amber]

I have no idea what that might be? Where did you get them from? We bought a bunch of cochin chicks from a lady that sells chicks for a living and they acting much the same. Unfortunately most of them did not make it.

 

[erin175]

cacklehatchery.com

They've been vax'd for Marek's, on medicated feed. Have been fine until late last week.

 

[Megan Amber]

Thanks. Do you have any nutri-drench for poultry or chick vitamins? If not you could put some molasses in the water as an energy supplement. After one of my chicks had something of a stroke that is what I did and she got better.

 

[lily12]

on a differant chatroom someone else said their chicken was acting like yours and someone said it might be botulinum poisoning, Mareks, an inner ear problem. Check her ears for any swelling, heat or drainage.

 

[erin175]

Ears look normal. We fa e her Gatorade and the. The medicated water and wet food for several days but since she's showing no improvement we've kind if given up today

 

[murfmagic]

Hi, I am new to raising chickens and must admit I didn't think much about disease or injury. Now I have a barred rock that is showing the same signs as your chicken for two weeks now. She is falling over when she walks and would rather just sit and be quite. She is eating and drinking and even showing signs of enjoying her treats such as scrambled eggs, yogurt, rice and whatever else I feed her. I will be giving her raw liver soon hoping the protein will help and I have started adding a B complex in the water, along with worming her. I isolated her as soon as I saw she was not well, but she doesn't seam to be getting any better or worse. I have even asked a vet what he thought it was and I got the answer vertigo and that is should get better. Well so far it's not better. All the forums I have checked all say the same thing in regards to her condition, an injury, Mareks, and even cancer but she's not dead and doesn't look like she's heading in that direction. I am frustrated that with the amount of people who's birds show the same symptoms I can't find the answer to this condition.

 

[Megan Amber]

Well we shouldn't give up! Keep hope and in the mean time we will just have to make our birds as comfy as possible. Good luck to the both of you and I will continue to search for answers!