Mix breed Aracauna rooster won't hold head upright

[WoodenSpoonChik]

I have a beautiful Aracauna mixed rooster that is the king of our flock, but I found him laying on his side in the coop the other morning unable to hold his head upright. He seemed pretty weak so I brought him in and we dropper fed him some water and then some food mixed in water. It has been 2-3 days now, and he seems to have regained strength but he still won't hold his head upright. Any ideas?

 

[TeamChaos]

Is he able to stand? What position is he holding his head in? Can he eat or drink on his own? Any swelling in his face or rattling when he breathes? Have you checked his ears for injury or mites? is he pooping?

 

[Susanjoans]

Search wryneck - sounds like how my hen started

 

[WoodenSpoonChik]

He is able to stand. He is holding his neck cocked to the right. He is able to eat and drink and he is pooping. I searched wry neck, but that sounds like it is mostly in young chickens... My roo is about 3 years old. In reading more, I think I may try vitamins and see if that helps improve him. He has pretty free range of motion on his neck, he just won't hold it up right. Sometimes he even sits with it upside down. We have him in the house away from the other chickens. When he relaxes enough he will get it *almost* straight. He is crowing regularly (to the chagrin of my 13 yr old son whom is sharing a room with his roo)

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

Wry neck is sometimes cause by a vitamin deficency. I would give him extra vitamins, sorry can't help as too what kind. I'm sure someone else will chime in who knows more about it.

 

[TeamChaos]

I had a rooster that I think had strained his neck (I think he was fighting another roo)- I gave him supportive care and did some gentle range of motion exercises w/ him and he made a full recovery. My rooster did not hold his head upside down, like wryneck, but it did list to the side and he couldn't easily move it on his own. Could he have strained the muscles or bonked his head?

 

[WoodenSpoonChik]

I might think that, but he has full range of motion on his neck & is not struggling to move it. He can move it, he just won't stay upright. We started Vit E & Selenium last night... Will update on progress.

 

[Susanjoans]

I did a liquid B complex also