Last night while feeding the animals and closing up the barn, I noticed one of my new little chicks laying off to the side quite still. I gently reached in and lifted it out. There was a little bit of movement. She shook her wings and moved it's feet against me but seemed exhausted and wouldn't raise it's head. I laid her down on the hay bale and held there her for a little bit. She chirped and would wiggle a bit occasionally. I lifted it's head but it would not keep it up. Thankfully a friend stopped by and he thought that the others must have been picking on it. That she just needed some space and time to itself. So we moved her back down to the house. She hardly moved all night staying right where I had put her. I feared for the worst.
This morning my youngest came to get me and said there's a chick downstairs and it looks hungry. The little chick is now up, eating and drinking. Still unable to lift it's head fully. The only thing I can find out about it's condition is something called "Stargazing". This is where the animal is unable to fully lift it's head and mostly walks backwards. It's thought to be caused by a Thiamine deficiency. I'm on my way to pick up some Nutri-Drench today from the Farmer's Co-Op and need to massage it's neck often throughout the day.
Here's hoping she's alright.
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