16 week old hen has a bent neck and has difficulty walking

[b0rpingt0n]

I have a 16 week old Buff Orpington who is as sweet as can be. She's always been slightly smaller than her sister.

She has a bent neck, and cannot really lift her head. She's been somewhat squinty in her right eye for a few days, and I've seen her panting periodically for the last couple weeks...it wasn't constant and she was eating and drinking and behaving normally until now so I didn't know. They free range for about an hour a day, and have a DE-treated hen house and enclosure. They are (carefully) fed greenery (alfalfa and kitchen scraps etc.) and are basically spoiled and I'm worried sick.
She wouldn't get out of the coop this morning, and had to be scooped up, whence she simply drooped in my father's arms. She seems twitchy, and seems to have a stuffy nose. I'm most concerned about the bent neck, since it is alarming that for a while she was "stargazing". Any ideas? I'll take a picture ASAP.
My mother would prefer to treat at home, because she's had poor luck with avian vets in our area (and we have a lot of birds...)

I'm really really nervous. I love her and would hate for her to die.
Also should I not bother with the "sick chickie" diet if she can't lift her head? I don't know how she'd digest it

Edit: I can't post attachments yet, sorry

 

[RaeRae2]

I'm dealing with a paralyzed chicken right now so I have done a LOT of reading. Botulism causes the bent and paralyzed neck from what I've read. You can look it up in the Merck's Veterinary Manual.

 

[b0rpingt0n]

Wouldn't she have some leg paralysis? She just stood up... She's a bit fluffy, which sounds botulism-esque I guess
Edit: Her diarrhea was pasty white.

 

[Nsampsel]

Try giving her vitamins & electrolytes 1st. Sounds an awful lot like wry neck to me, but I'm no expert.

 

[b0rpingt0n]

I've been giving her coconut water, and molasses water with tetracycline. I think she has some kind of food poisoning? Maybe?

 

[dawg53]

Stargazing, here's a link, post #8.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/336484/star-gazer-hen

 

[b0rpingt0n]

I know this is delayed, but in case someone in trouble finds this thread, I fed my chicken sickie chickie food by hand for 4 days and continued with molasses water and some baytril. She recovered and is doing quite well. I included the recipe for reference.
It was definitely botulism.

(SICK CHOOK DIET

Feed once a day (in the morning) for three days or until it looks and acts better - up to 3 weeks.

This amount feeds one bird. Each serving consists of:

½ to 1 x cooked egg yolk… crumbled into mixture
1 teaspoon of cod liver oil
1 very small drizzle of honey
2 x tablespoons natural yoghurt - no sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons rolled oats or Baby rice
1 dessertspoon of beef tin cat food…… Not dog food
A few grains of multi vitamin powder
2 tablespoons of grated apple

Mix to make a crumble mixture not runny, if you have to roll into pellets and force feed, and then gently massage the neck in a downward motion to get it down into the crop, then do it, the bird may be too weak to eat or have lost the desire to eat.

If not fully eaten with in 12 hours throw it out... make another one the next morning.. don't add to it.. clean out the dish it was in also before adding the new mixture.

Always have fresh clean water available at all time for the bird and good quality food. Also have her ordinary feed and fresh clean water available at all times.)

 

[KenleighFarms]

I believe I might have a 5 weeks old that falls under this thread. She bends her neck forward and tucks her head up against her breast area. I thought she was grooming the first time I saw it as it isn't all the time that she is in the position and just started this week with it. However once she gets her neck bent under she wildly fights you when you try to bring it up. Does this sounds like Wry Neck to ya'll? Any help would be great.

atf: she is walking eating and drinking fine

 

[NaefNaests]

This hen was given to me with a story: Was attacked by another hen in a vicious fight. Results: Severely cracked beak, bleading, and a wry neck or "star-gazing". She would sit alone with one eye pointed to sky like this:

She walks around just fine though, with her crooked neck, and her squinty eye. Her poops are solid and healthy and has a healthy appetite. To treat it I have been opening a vitamin E capsule and have drink it along with poly-vi-sol. This is her now but not fully healed.

She still eats like a star gazer,

She looks a lot better with a fully healed beak and walks more straight but still wry.