Wry neck Emu chick?

[Beanzie]

The chick in question was hatched right at the beginning of the month. "His" hatch mates are all doing wonderfully, growing at a normal rate with long tall necks and running around like the dickens. I have been searching everywhere for answers as to why little Snot has not been doing well. Since he was hatching he had a very gurgling breath pattern and I treated him with Vet Rx for poultry to try and help his lungs clear up. When it became clear that it wasn't something little he was started on antibiotics (Duramycin) for about a week and he started to develop strangely. When he began getting weak he was put on "Recover" and turned around.

Now he is healthy, but has occasional eye gunk. But he has been growing strangely. Finally made the connection that he looks like a wry neck chick, and I was curious if it is something like that what can I do to help him? Can he be corrected and grow like a normal Emu? Or even then, as he eats, drinks, poops just fine now will he survive to adulthood as a little wry guy?

Here is a video of him.

 

[DylansMom]

The chick in question was hatched right at the beginning of the month. "His" hatch mates are all doing wonderfully, growing at a normal rate with long tall necks and running around like the dickens. I have been searching everywhere for answers as to why little Snot has not been doing well. Since he was hatching he had a very gurgling breath pattern and I treated him with Vet Rx for poultry to try and help his lungs clear up. When it became clear that it wasn't something little he was started on antibiotics (Duramycin) for about a week and he started to develop strangely. When he began getting weak he was put on "Recover" and turned around.

Now he is healthy, but has occasional eye gunk. But he has been growing strangely. Finally made the connection that he looks like a wry neck chick, and I was curious if it is something like that what can I do to help him? Can he be corrected and grow like a normal Emu? Or even then, as he eats, drinks, poops just fine now will he survive to adulthood as a little wry guy?

Here is a video of him.

It may have been correctable at hatch, but at almost a month old I doubt you can fix it. It isn't wry neck, at least I don't think so. I had a Peahen hatch like this years ago, she hatched under her momma so I didn't really get a close look at her for a week as mom would hide them under her when ever we came around. She had a neck just like your emu, and I've since learned that when they first hatch the bones are still a bit pliable and putting a foam donut type neck brace around the neck can help straighten it sometimes. My hen was fine otherwise, she had some trouble grooming and didn't fly very well, but she did okay, when she was 3 she got loose and refused to come in the barn at dusk, she was taken by a fox overnight.

 

[Beanzie]

Hmm alright :/ He started this way at about a week and a half and I was occupied getting him over a resperitory infection of sorts that the bend was the least of my problems. I started on poly visol and vitamin E with some stretches to see if maybe it will do him any good. His back is fairly rigid but the neck is workable. I can get him to extend it up without hurting so fingers crossed I can do a bit of good.

 

[Beanzie]

Snot in default position.

 

[Beanzie]

Snot sans hunchback. The way I am holding him looks a bit fierce but I was only applying pressure to the back of his neck.

Just to not he was not like this from hatch, but as he grew his stripes looked more crooked and he would look to the left. He got in a bit of a rut. But the way I can move his neck without discomfort seems promising to me.

 

[DylansMom]

Snot sans hunchback. The way I am holding him looks a bit fierce but I was only applying pressure to the back of his neck.

Just to not he was not like this from hatch, but as he grew his stripes looked more crooked and he would look to the left. He got in a bit of a rut. But the way I can move his neck without discomfort seems promising to me.

First of all the name is too funny.

I was thinking Snot was like this from hatch, since he was not then perhaps it is a bit of wry neck. I am not too familiar with that condition, but I have heard vitamins are recommended, so between that and the physical therapy of stretching it gently I don't know what else to recommend. My Peahen was 2 days late hatching, I think she was a malposition, and was lucky to get out at all, but I'm thinking the malpositioning in the egg caused her crooked neck. Hopefully another Emu person with experience will chime in. I will hope for the best for little Snot.

This is the only pic I could find of my hen she is facing away from the pen and you can see how everyone else has a long upright neck, except Crooks, her's was too twisted.

 

[birdeo]

This sounds as if the chick very well may have a retained yolk sac.
If that's the case sadly there's nothing you can do, short of surgery. That may would not even help unless you can find an avian vet in your area that's familiar with performing the such and of course you caught it early enough which IF this is the problem it's a little late in the game.
Usually they will succumb to such before 3 weeks but can go a little longer.
Some symptoms you may see ; wheezy chirp, dry brittle feathers, stunted growth, gummy eyes, shriveled legs, distended abdomen & a clicking noises can be heard when it breathes .
An S curve in the neck is usually a near end symptom.
Curious if you dabbed your chicks navels with iodine and /or 10% betadine after they hatched? Not that in doing so it will always prevent this problem but sure could not hurt.
Why do you have it standing in a bucket of water ?

 

[Beanzie]

He is standing in a bucket of water to clean up his feet, he was a little caked up because I need some bedding so I figured I might get two birds with one stone. I did put betadine on all of their navels when they were born. His breathing has cleared up so far, but sometimes is a bit labored when he gets worked up. But the other ones aren't like that when they get worked up. I will continue on this path and hope he will improve. Also I got poly visol with iron and won't really be able to get any more as we are snowed in here. I was told it could be toxic, but I was told at Walmart I need to special order it which will take a day and it just snowed buckets so I can't get out and about.

 

[Beanzie]

I figured I would come back and update the thread. Sadly Snot passed away a few weeks ago. His neck never did improve significantly and he was moved out to the milkhouse in the barn with his cochin chick friend. I treated him for a couple weeks and he made a small amount of improvement. But I was gone one weekend and when I returned I found him listless and cold. I tried to warm him up with a heater but he was too far gone and later died. I never did really find out what caused it but I do think now that I've seen this if I have a chick with the same symptoms he started with I'd treat him earlier.

 

[DylansMom]

I figured I would come back and update the thread. Sadly Snot passed away a few weeks ago. His neck never did improve significantly and he was moved out to the milkhouse in the barn with his cochin chick friend. I treated him for a couple weeks and he made a small amount of improvement. But I was gone one weekend and when I returned I found him listless and cold. I tried to warm him up with a heater but he was too far gone and later died. I never did really find out what caused it but I do think now that I've seen this if I have a chick with the same symptoms he started with I'd treat him earlier.

Sorry to hear you lost him.