Let's talk Wry Neck/Crook Neck

[windyridgefarm]

So sorry to hear about your chicken, and for the emotional roller coaster that is the recovery process. It can be difficult to give the hen liquids. I found it much easier to give her what she needs by crushing some food and mixing it with the liquid along with some scrambled eggs. Then you can feed it to the her slowly as a paste from a large syringe. Once she realizes what it is the hen will eat it eagerly making it all so much easier. Realize that there will be good days with signs of hope as well as bad days where you may feel all hope is lost. There are no guarantees and there will be advances and setbacks but hopefully the good days will outnumber the bad and she will recover. Only you know how much of this process you are willing to take or if and when it is time to give up and put her out of her misery. Good Luck Randy

 

[rssnbabybear]

Thank you everyone for the support and help. I still don't know what is wrong with her exactly, but I finally found her tounge and I was able to swab her mouth and throat with mouth wash. There was a little bit of pus and blood, but not much. She looks better this morning, but I still had to give her some electrolytes by dropper. Hubby will watch her for me while I'm at work today and then I will work with her some more this evening and try to give her some vitamins. Thanks again everyone, and I will keep you posted.

 

[JackyJ]

Thanks for the update.

 

[frick01]

I also advise not to put down. My hen went through two bouts. She had difficulty from birth. She is also the most scrappy. She pulled through, stopped laying for a few months and got stronger. Now she is laying again. I have found the laying saps her energy, and her eggs have turned white. I think she will probably stop for good earlier than my other two, but that is fine. So hang in there. I have found birds can be very resilient. Funny, she hides the best so seems to understand her limitations.

 

[DirkDiggler]

SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP!! I realize this thread is a little old but I need help. I noticed my chicken outside with a crooked neck today. I've read a bunch of these posts and thought wry neck was her problem. But when I tried to use a dropper to give her some electrolytes while I wait for my hubby to bring home chick food and vitamins, I noticed that I couldn't even see her tounge in her throat and she started gurgling the two drops of water I gave her. I don't have a bird vet. What is wrong with my chicken? Do I have to put her down? I'm really freaking out about this. It seems like she has something caught in her throat that is holding it bound, but I can't see anything in there.

I found it real easy, with my baby who had wry neck, to feed all of the birds water that had Poultry Cell Vitamins in it. It was practically impossible for me to squirt vitamins down her throat. I also fed them black oil sunflower as a treat every day as that has selenium in it. One tablespoon per gallon of water. Everyone gets the vitamins. It took about 4 weeks of me stressing about it before she got better. Now I can't tell which one she is as she's totally healed. I continue once a week to give them a gallon of water with Poultry Cell in it to ensure that no one gets it again. You can get it at stores like Tractor Supply, Southern States or Agway.

 

[CKSilkies]

I have a young rooster who developed pretty severe wry neck out of the blue a couple months ago. I found the vitamin e, selenium, poly sol recipe here on byc and gave it to him twice a day for a week. He finally came out of it and was perfectly normal for about 3 weeks or so. A couple days ago he started showing signs of relapse. Im giving him the vitamins again hoping he'll get better before he gets worse. Maybe will try adding the B complex vitamin someone suggested as well.
I live in an Anaheim CA neighborhood and am not supposed to have a rooster but i got him as a baby and didn't know he was a roo until a few days ago. I'll need to rehome him eventually as my neighbors are not tolerant and I'm afraid no one will want him if he has special needs. He's very sweet and loves to hug so I really want him to get well.
I think the vitamin solution works though. Just thought I'd share my experience with it.

 

[Lobzi]

Maybe with the wry neck issues he wont make much if any noise. Any roos I have had with health issues are quiet and mostly do not crow. You might be able to keep him as they only way your neighbors will be aware that you have a roo is if you tell them or he starts crowing. That might be the silver lining to his wry neck issues for you.

 

[CKSilkies]

Maybe  with the wry neck issues he wont make much if any noise.  Any roos I have had with health issues are quiet and mostly do not crow.  You might be able to keep him as they only way your neighbors will be aware that you have a roo is if you tell them or he starts crowing.  That might be the silver lining to his wry neck issues for you.

So far he's been crowing a few times early in the morning and then quiet the rest of the day. We've been rushing him inside when he starts to crow until he's done. Not sure how long we can keep it up. But we're going to keep him as long as we can.

 

[Lobzi]

Just because you can hear him doesnt mean your neighbors can. Especially this time of year when it is cold and windows and doors are closed for the most part. If anyone says anything, city or county especially, just tell him that you have plans to rehome but have been treating him for wry neck issues and were hoping he would get well first. I be that would pacify the anti-rooster crow,/pro-barking dogs folks in your area.

 

[MistyMudd]

Does this chick have crook neck? It's 3 or 4 days old and never been able to hold its head up straight. Is there anything I can do for it?