Let's talk Wry Neck/Crook Neck

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Im no expert but I will share that one of my wry neck hens who survived and had her own brood of babies one of the chicks had wry neck. Mother was never totally straightened out but was a great hen and very friendly due to the personal care I gave her. Her wry neck chick was equally cared for by me but the pullet did not survive to lay eggs or brood. She totally straightened out but some other illness took her in the end. Not sure if this is genetic or not but I bet there is a weakness in the genetics that could be passed on expressed.
 



I ended up making a neckbrace from a plastic cup and elastic to hold around wings. This chicken according to the vet has an inner ear infection and hangs her head to the right upside down. Weirdest thing, but the vet seems hopeful and has her on an antibiotic named baytril for avians.
 
I have read most of the posts here on wry neck. so much info to process. but thank you to all that shares their experiences. it really helps us newbies. I have a 5/6 month old silkie I have been nursing now for over 2 weeks. she is holding her head up now most of the time but it is still crooked in the middle, almost like a big adams apple. but she is finally eating and drinking on her own. at first I could not get her to drink for anything. I tried a dropper a little cup and bigger cup, nothing then it dawned on me. I got the same waterer she used in the coop and boy she drank like crazy.
th.gif
anyway I have a question that I haven't found to be addressed: she is just getting a little use of her legs, not much but she can spin herself now. but her wings go all over the place. is this a normal part of wry neck? the one I am really worried about, it just droops where the other she keeps close to her body. I don't feel anything broken and it doesn't seem to bother her when I move it. oh and when i pick her up I always hear a pop on that side of her body. do you think she may have injured it when she was flailing all over? or it's just taking longer to gain control over?
 
getreal said:
I have read most of the posts here on wry neck. so much info to process. but thank you to all that shares their experiences. it really helps us newbies. I have a 5/6 month old silkie I have been nursing now for over 2 weeks. she is holding her head up now most of the time but it is still crooked in the middle, almost like a big adams apple. but she is finally eating and drinking on her own. at first I could not get her to drink for anything. I tried a dropper a little cup and bigger cup, nothing then it dawned on me. I got the same waterer she used in the coop and boy she drank like crazy.
th.gif
anyway I have a question that I haven't found to be addressed: she is just getting a little use of her legs, not much but she can spin herself now. but her wings go all over the place. is this a normal part of wry neck? the one I am really worried about, it just droops where the other she keeps close to her body. I don't feel anything broken and it doesn't seem to bother her when I move it. oh and when i pick her up I always hear a pop on that side of her body. do you think she may have injured it when she was flailing all over? or it's just taking longer to gain control over?
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It's possible that she has something else going on, possibly Mareks disease, but it definitely sounds neurological. I would keep helping her get vitamins and selenium for the wry neck, and continue watching her. Do you know if she was vaccinated for Mareks or not? Silkies also sometimes have a vaulted skull that can be injured more easily. I hope she gets better soon. Here is a little reading about Mareks disease, and you also may want to start a new thread about her so that more people will see it:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
 
Eggcessive said:
It's possible that she has something else going on, possibly Mareks disease, but it definitely sounds neurological. I would keep helping her get vitamins and selenium for the wry neck, and continue watching her. Do you know if she was vaccinated for Mareks or not? Silkies also sometimes have a vaulted skull that can be injured more easily. I hope she gets better soon. Here is a little reading about Mareks disease, and you also may want to start a new thread about her so that more people will see it:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
Click to expand...
she hasn't been vaccinated. I read the article and it doesn't sound like her. I'm thinking maybe an injury since I had a couple roosters that got too aggressive. they are now gone, but it was a while before her symptoms showed after they were removed.. she is doing better now, but still can't use her legs much I have noticed more control of her wings now. I am trying to figure out a way to put food and water at her disposal that she can't flip over when she tries to get around. thank you for responding.
 
I have had chickens for many years and have never heard of anything like this. Two days ago I found one of my hens in the coop with her head turned sideways. She would shake her head - almost like she has water in her ear. She'll sometimes even turn it entirely upside down. My first impression was an ear infection. Is this wry neck or does it sound more like she needs an antibiotic?I don't know any chicken vets - wonder if TSC or something similar would have the medication needed if need meds.
 
cackler said:
I have had chickens for many years and have never heard of anything like this. Two days ago I found one of my hens in the coop with her head turned sideways. She would shake her head - almost like she has water in her ear. She'll sometimes even turn it entirely upside down. My first impression was an ear infection. Is this wry neck or does it sound more like she needs an antibiotic?I don't know any chicken vets - wonder if TSC or something similar would have the medication needed if need meds.
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How old is your hen? Wry neck (torticolis, crook neck) can be a neurological symptom of a head injury, a vitamin E and selenium deficiency, Mareks disease or lymphoid leukosis, and of other diseases that cause brain inflammation. Most people give poultry vitamins such as Poultry Nutri-Drench 1- 3 ml daily by mouth, but make sure that your vitamins contain E, and selenium, a mineral can be found in eggs, tuna, and seeds. Wry neck doesn't always get better, and if it does, it may take some time.. Getting enough food and water is one of the main problems, so sometimes they need to be fed wet chicken feed and helped to eat.
 
I actually don't now for certain how old she is - but she is an adult hen. She is able to eat and drink but just holds her head sideways and shakes it frequently. I have her separated from the rest of the flock. I will get her some electrolytes today and see if she wants some scrambled eggs as well. Thanks for the info!
 
So sorry to hear you have a sick hen. I'm essentially a newbie. But one of my hens had Wrey Neck in the spring. She was 6 months old at the time. I joined BYC at that time trying to get answers. I also got on You Tube and found videos of chickens acting like mine. That is how I figured out what it was. Mine did not act like yours. Mine could not hold it's head up. Head just hung down. Could not drink or eat. Did the vitamin E capsule twice a day. Poked a hole in a liquid capsule and squirted it into beak. And used a syringe to give it liquids. Scrambled eggs hand fed had to hold it's neck up. By day 2 much better. Crazy hard at that time to try and get the Vitamin E into her beak. So I knew she was doing better. She survived. But with yours shaking her head, almost makes think she has something with the ear also. Hopefully someone out there in BYC land has had a similar expierence and can help. Good Luck!!!
 
Hi All;
I have just been guided to this thread. I had started a new one about this subject as I didn't see this one.
I have an almost 3 yr old standard barred cochin rooster that has developed wry neck in the last couple of weeks.
I believe it is due to an injury from others picking on him. He is in a coop to himself except for a little Millie roo that is
his pal.
He is able to eat and drink on his own but is not getting around good. Another problem is that he has had a bad leg since
his first year. That has never really bothered him, he has always been able to get around pretty good.
From what I am reading it looks like he needs selenium and vitamin E? We have a Co-op and a Tractor Supply nearby.
Could I also give him Chick Starter?
Thanks
Cindy
 

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