chick shaking issue

[heather112588]

I picked up 7 jersey giant chicks at tractor supply. There was one chick that would constantley shake...at first i thought that i was cold or just needed vitamens bc it was the runt of the bunch. At almost 2 months, this chick is still alive but constantley shakes. He seems to function ok with eating, etc. Just wondered what it could be or if anyone else had a chick with temors that never went away.

 

[mauigirl]

i was searching for exactly this same thing- one chick shaking almost like a seizure but still eats and drinks

 

[CoopedChik]

Quote:
I had a chick that would have seizures. Treatment for her was some vitamin E capsules. It won't hurt your bird any but give them a couple drops from 1 (i can not stress that enough, ONE) capsule and the see if your chicks shakes have calmed and if they have the chicky defiantly has seizures. But you can give the bird some vitamin for a couple of months (one bottle will last you almost 2 years) then they will actually stop or subside at least. You would have never known my chicken ever had them now she's full grown and her attacks only occur if lights flash her in her face now. Any way another option could actually be mild brain damage, but honestly I'm thinking this bird has what I call birdy epilepsy just like mine.

 

[mauigirl]

If found a more descriptive word to be tremors, when using search engines it helped. So little guy has tremors, and holds head to the right. He cant peck at food, cant seem to get the food into beak.
Started water with electolytes and nutridrench, he'll sip from the spoon. Made a mash of boiled egg yolk, yogurt, his regular medicated mash and some peaches baby food. Will also slurp up from the spoon. gave him 1/4 cc tylan50 earlier into breast with a tiny insulin syringe.

Seems difficult to actually settle down, gets into a comfortable position then neck kinda spasms backwards

 

[SteveBaz]

You need to add medicated chick feed to there diet. Add liquid vitamins to the water and add Apple cider vinegar organic(health food store) to the water. I would include a lot of proteins to their diet including egg of all kinds ground up chicken and meats that is proteins. Then there are other proteins in NUTS like Flax Seeds and sunflower seeds and keep in mind that dairy is a wonderful source of healthy foods for chickens. Chickens are omnivorous and being so they need less junk foods like us humans and need veggies, fruits, dairy and meats too. The key is everything in moderation and balance of good foods. Avocados are great for us and chickens too but we would be in trouble if we only ate avocados.

 

[Chick Charm]

Sounds as if it could be Merricks disease You may try and research Merricks and see if that provides you some answers,

 

[SteveBaz]

Chick Charm Sounds as if it could be Merricks disease You may try and research Merricks and see if that provides you some answers,

Information provided by; University of New Hampshire cooperative extension www.extension.unh.edu


The signs and symptoms of Marek’s Disease vary depending on the form of disease present.
Cutaneous form: Enlarged reddened feather follicles and white bumps on the skin that form
brown crusty scabs.
Neural form: Characterized by one, all, or none of the following symptoms -
• Progressive paralysis, usually of the leg or wing, a typical leg-paralysis victim will
have one leg extended forward and one leg extended back. A swelling of the sciatic
nerve is the cause.
• Weight loss
• Labored breathing
• Diarrhea
• Starvation and death due to an inability to reach feed and water and to trampling by pen-mates.​

 

[mauigirl]

Tremoring chick
Regular diet is medicated chick mash, grit and freeze dried meal worms. Clean water at all times. My vet thinks that vitamin deficiency. Absolutely not viral due to a)lack of symptoms and b) lack of exposure. Chicks have been in aquarium/brooder since birth, all 4 eating the same thing. No sniffles, coughing, mucus or others yuckies.

Today there is sunshine so all 4 are in chick playpen in yard. Will continue to spoon feed Nick (st Nick) as he cant seem to 'get' to his feed. Will post updates.
Mele Kalikimaka from Maui

 

[mauigirl]

Tremoring chick
Nick is doing well, Vet (who is also State Vet (caring for the endangered owls, crows and even bats of Hawaii) says these chicks will recover normally and never show symptoms (the shaking) as adults BUT will die of starvation, they just cant eat.

New formula - 1 tsp soymilk (nuked for 3 sec) 1/2 tsp abba green 92 a hand-rearing formula for broadbill (macaw, parrots etc) made fresh every feediing. Powdered formula mixes easier with warmed liquid, let sit for 2 or so minutes-it thickens, thin w/soymilk if needed. Water is still mixed with rooster booster - vitamins & electrolytes with lactobacillus nutritional supplement.

I have the chick on my lap on a towel, spoon mixture with left hand and have right hand loosly over chick keeping his neck less jerky. He swipes his beak (still to the right) but that little swipe picks up food, and he contiues swiping and eating - even wipes his little beak on the towel. Water is also offered by spoon - ITS PAINSTAKINGLY SLOW - but crop does get full.

Poo is nice (always has been well as nice as chicken poo is - i suppose a non chicken person wouldnt describe it that way)
Content he curls up next to the mama bear and sleeps. Had his little box partially in the sun and he struggled into the shade so he's back under the light.

Have fed twice in the last few hours - he was really hungry and will now just watch his crop and take cues when to feed. Other chickens had cooked oatmeal and yogurt for lunch, offered him one piece of barley and he actually ate that too.

Will get a video up on youtube later - my channel is maui feather lei channel (which you put into the search bar)
Thanks for all the input and ideas on diagnosis.

 

[mauigirl]

will note progress