[Pony-n-trap]

So far I have 9 chicks hatched from my latest incubation, had a peek at them last night whilst drying out in the incubator and I noticed one had thrown its head back so now keeps flipping over onto its back.  Have put them in the brooder now and although its doing better it on occasion keeps flipping over.

This is the first one that has done this in all my hatchings this year, will it improve do you think?  I am leavig them very quiet so it doesnt look up at me and do another back flip.

[ellisr]

You have a stargazer, I successfully managed to stop this in a chick a couple of years ago but you have to pop a light weight over the back of the neck. If it doesn't stop in 24 hours then it may have to be culled

[doganjo]

What causes that?

[Pony-n-trap]

Dont know what causes it but have seen it before, am currently trying to think of something to keep its head from throwing backwards, could be worth a try, otherwise, I agree, it will have to be culled.

[Pony-n-trap]

Well I fashioned a tiny neck brace type thing for little stargazer, only left it on for half an hour then took it off, he had improved already and this morning is belting round the brooder like nothing was wrong.  The last of the eggs have hatched, 13 out of 15, not bad and there is another stargazer, a bit worse than the first so it now has the little brace on, will leave this on for half an hour again and see if any improvement. Fingers Crossed!

[ellisr]

It is caused by a deficiency whilst the egg is being formed by mum, this deficiency also is in the yolk so the chick ends up with this problem. You may find that the chick is always a little more sickly than others through its life I know my hen 'lucky' was and she died at a year old but had a good life whilst with us.

[jameslindsay]

Well I fashioned a tiny neck brace type thing for little stargazer, only left it on for half an hour then took it off, he had improved already and this morning is belting round the brooder like nothing was wrong.  The last of the eggs have hatched, 13 out of 15, not bad and there is another stargazer, a bit worse than the first so it now has the little brace on, will leave this on for half an hour again and see if any improvement. Fingers Crossed!

Well done on the high success rate of hatching, glad your wee chap/girl has improved and as you say fingers crossed for the other one too. Remember we like pictures. 

[Pony-n-trap]

Will try and upload the pics now, the neck brace has come off, chicky is still upright but can be seen on the pics, My brooder is bedded with shavings which I know can cause problems but I have not encountered any so far and dont have anything else to bed them on, found newspaper too slippy for them.









Let me know if these pics are too big!!

[jameslindsay]

Thanks for the pictures, they are very cute.

[sabrina]

Hope new chick comes ok, all very cute. 

[ellisr]

If they start eating the shavings just pop a few sheets of kitchen roll over it until they work out to eat the crumb, It works for me.

I take it they are marans and buff orps

[Pony-n-trap]

They are little black bantams, well black and red, I'll take a few pics of the 16 wk old ones, maybe someone will know what they are!!

Just set the last lot for the year, 5 banty eggs and 8 Legbar. 

[Cinderhills]

We had a guinea fowl keet that had a twisted neck and her head used to twist back, her nickname was Bent Neck.    She seemed to be fine and used to run around OK and eat properly, in fact very lively.  Eventually her neck sorted itself out and she was fine after that.