Pheasant chick neck question

[jade0206]

I have just hatched red and yellow golden pheasants they are a week old today.
They all seem fine, but yesterday I noticed the yellow golden has is head to the side almost like a stiff neck. but I watched him he is moving around eating drinking I checked his vent that is ok.
he does not seem sick just its neck but I watched he does move it all around. tractor supply only had 24% protein chick food so that is what I am feeding them. Should I do anything for him or just let it go? thanks

 

[brideofchaos]

If it's "wry neck" or "stargazer" as one my chicks had a few weeks ago, it's generally thought to be a vitamin E deficiency. So if you can get a Nutri-drench to add to their water or even directly feed a few drops a day to the chick, it should help. Mine grew out of it in a week with the extra vitamins. I also added a few extra capsules of Vitamin E to their water.

Hope this helps!
Wendy

 

[jade0206]

Hi Wendy,

can i just get Vitamin E to start today, i am not sure if my tractor supply has it in stock so i might have to order the Nutri-drench online.

Can i also just give the vitamin e to him with a dropper as well?

Thanks for your Help!

 

[brideofchaos]

Tractor Supply should have it or any feed store. It's pretty common stuff. If you're going to just do Vitamin E, though, you would need to have a source of Selenium with it, too, apparently, to allow the bird to absorb the Vitamin E. At least that's what was recommended to me. The Nutridrench worked really quickly. My pullet was improving by day two and fully straightened out within a week.

 

[brideofchaos]

Oh and Vitamin E might be too thick to give him directly down the throat in a dropper. Not sure if it would choke him. I added it with the Nutridrench (which already has Vitamin E in it) in the drinking water and also a couple drops of Nutridrench via dropper once a day for two days.

 

[jade0206]

Thanks for all your help, stopped at a feed store on my way home from work they did not have it but my tractor supply does so i will go there tom and pick up i will try that not going to get the vitamin e

 

[brideofchaos]

Please let me know how your baby does!

 

[jade0206]

I got the stuff gave him a drop this morning also added to the water we will see. I should of went an got it last night I feel bad. because today he his a lot worst almost cant even hold his head up, but then after I gave him a drop of stuff he was walking around now he is laying down again, I will keep you posted.

 

[jade0206]

would you keep the chick with the others or move by itself?

 

[brideofchaos]

For minimizing of stress, folks usually say isolate in a box, if possible. I left mine with the dozen other chicks she was with, because it wasn't overcrowded and seemed to make her more relaxed. With pheasants, I dunno if that'd be more stressful or not.

Give the meds a few days to per him up. A couple drops each day directly and then following the directions for how much in his water.