Young bird having neck twitches/spasms

Just picked up a new young Silkie hen to ad to my flock. When I let her out of the crate she started to shake her head a bit then started having a twitch - jerking motion to the side. She was doing it again this morning but seems fine otherwise. Any ideas?

See if you can find anything on this web page. Wish I was more help. Good luck

Ok,...Silkies I've found are predestined some to get this. It can be brought on by stress, excitement,
an injury because they have an open skull under their little fluffy tops. Barely a bone to cover it in there.
It's a neurological condition, called Wry Neck, or Crooked Neck. I have a Silkie just now pulliing out of it.
It's taken about 3-4 wks of hand feeding, handling, and babying her to give her a chance. I have 2 black
and 3 white Silkies. I am expecting possibly 2 out of the 3 White ones to get it also.

As a precaution I'm giving a vitamin suppliment with E in it. I don't have all the other stuff they list for
treatment. But my multi vitamin suppliment with E in it seems to ge Greatly helping. I have no B that
I've used as they suggest. So I think it has alot to do with the E for recovering & healing.
From the research that I've check online it seems to make a big difference on their recovering at all.
I have given the one I have that's still having so much troubles with it 1-2 drops to the mouth of this
vitamin suppliment 2-3 times a day. I also put in their water 4-6 drops per small chick container for
water the Vitamin suppliment also. It helps some not get it, others not get it as bad. I didn't know
what was wrong at first. I figured mine got her head hit when sticking it in the feeder while another
chicken jumped off of it. They are shaking & twisting their heads till they look like they've corkscrewed
their necks bad. It's extreme vertigo that causes it. Excitement, or stress can bring it on too especially
when they are trying to heal. I carefully calm them & straighten out their necks to feed them & give them
extra support carefully. They will not be able to control their necks or heads well at all. They will back up,
or go in circles when they are trying to figure out their virtigo. They are unable to eat or drink, so you'll
have to use a small syringe to help them. I made a soup out of their feed with water, so they would have
nourishment. They can get dehydrated, but if you keep up with it you can help them pull out of it. Patience will
be the key! Keep working at the feed too. Too much weight loss is hard for them to battle back against.
Watch their crops to see that they don't over eat when they do figure out their beaks & food. They can get
a backed up crop, or have it burst on them. So monitor the feed when you get them to finally eat. Little
at a time, to keep them on a steady diet better.
Separate them from any other birds if possible if they are in a large group. But keep them in
eyesight of the flock. This keeps them from being outcasts later if you still want them added to the flock.
I plan to keep mine separated because the other birds are too big for my little silkies to be around safely.
I don't want to risk further injuries. I put my 2 black silkies together, since they seemed to be more
careful with each other then. Still have to put drops down her 2 times a day. But she's getting better.
Keeping her calm helps tremendously too. You'd be surprized what a chicken can find exciting!

Here is some more helpful info. to check into also:


http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article/Crookneck/Crookneck.html



From a Back Yard Chicken blog that I dug up for your comparison.
Below:
This was the regimen we use:

Vit. E (400mg) snip the tip off a capsule and squeeze into mouth twice a day for 10 days, then every other day for another 5 days
Selenium (25mcg) dissolve one 250mcg tablet in 2 ml water and give 0.2cc once a day for 10 days, then every other day for another 5 days
Prednisone 1mg. dissolve one 10 mg tablet in 2 ml water and give 0.2cc twice a day for 5 days, then once a day for 5 days, then every other day for 5 days
B-Complex purchased in liquid form from Walgreens; 0.5 cc twice a day for 5 days, then once a day for 5 days, then every other day for 5 days

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://threecedarsilkies.webs.com/


I think the faster you get to the treatment the less damage the bird will have & will have a better chance at
recovering also. Timing is important.
Good Luck to you and your Silkie! Praying for you both!

give her some vit B...

Thank you so much for the information....very helpfull!!!