Very Sick--Crook Neck or Worse?

[la babs]

Pullet hasn't laid an egg in 6 weeks, otherwise apparently healthy. After research and talking and posting, I attributed the lack of eggs to the death of another chicken (egg bound). Came out in the morning, two days ago and the girl had her head tilted to the side, squatting in the coop on the floor. Removed and isolated her, since resting head position was with one eye looking up. Gave electrolytes (couldn't eat by self), did research and thought was a vitamin deficiency. Came home from work, with vitamins. Worse. Head now completely turned up side down. Legs hot. Gave electrolytes, vitamins, yogurt and aspirin. Can't eat by self. Friday night looking better. Head up a little, no hot legs. Today looked bad (and the video looks very bad) but while I was uploading the video, I fed her. She was hungry and ate scrambled eggs, electrolytes and yogurt, feeding her very much like one would a small chick. But she gobbles it. Her eyes were open, unlike this video where she appears unresponsive. She was a little fiesty. Should I put her out of her misery, or is this a vitamin deficiency that will abate with multivitamins and vitamin e?

I'm supposed to get two new chicks this week. No go, if I have not ruled out contagious disease. thanks for any advice

 

[miquwid]

how old is she? a vet if possible might be your best bet, I'm glad your able to get her to eat. hhhhhmmmmmm what has the weather been like curious? rainy weather has halted egg production here. Have you ruled out other things like mite and lices and so on? Was she vaccinated as a chick?

 

[la babs]

She is about 9 months old. Weather is warm. I'm in So California. I'll find out abt vaccinations. Obviously I have to hold her head up to feed her because at rest her head is upside down. Thanks for your help.

 

[bahama mama]

I have a 10 week old chick that I found a week ago squatting and head hanging down. She couldn't lift her head at all. I dipped her beak in water with electrolytes and she also took a few bits of scrambled eggs but I had to hold her head the whole time. That night I went and got Poly Vi Sol from Walmart and put a few drops under her tongue. She rested all night in the house and the next morning she was up and head held high, gobbled up eggs and drinking. Also watermelon soaked in pedialite was something she liked to eat. Kept her in the house all day and gave vitamins morning and night. She went out with the flock that night and is doing amazing but I still give her a few drops of vitamins a day to be safe. I read if its wry neck it can take weeks so hang in there. I guess I caught it early or was lucky. Hope she pulls out of it quickly.

 

[miquwid]

http://www.deloreyworks.com/fowlexperiments/2010/06/wonder-wry-chick-recovers-from-wry-neck/

http://olivyew.blogspot.com/2012/08/dealing-with-wry-neck-in-chickens.html

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/97121/lets-talk-wry-neck-crook-neck

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt...p=wry+neck+in+chickens&fr2=sa-gp&fr=yfp-t-900

So I'm pretty sure you have a bad case of wry/crook neck. I think your doing everything right also you may want to try oregano oil and thyme oil along with lavender and mint, these herbs are great for chickens. Along with helping their immune systems. Keep with the vitamins high protein food and electrolytes that your doing.

I'm hoping that someone else with a bit more experience than me can offer you some different advice that might help. She may not gain full strength of her neck again but the idea here is to at least get her to get enough to be able to feed herself.

 

[la babs]

Looking at the video, do you think that my girl has the same thing? I don't want to cull her, if she's going to get well if I hang in there. But I don't want to drag this out for her sake and my family's if we are just prolonging the inevitable. Thanks much

 

[bahama mama]

How long have you been giving her vitamins and electrolytes? Im a softy so I would keep trying for now but you need to make that choice depending on her progress. Read everything you can on Wry neck. It helped me.

 

[miquwid]

After some research I found the 4weeks of Prednisone and the vitamins help.

 

[bahama mama]

I read that Prednisone is good too, I just didn't have any to give. Also thought prednisone was only helpful if there was brain swelling. Im not sure on that tho.

 

[Eggcessive]

Just another suggestion, be sure you are including selenium with your vitamins and vitamin E. Sounds like you are doing the best you can. I haven't experienced this, but some cases are more severe, and I remember 1 person said to isolate the chicken because the others stressed her causing the episodes to be more frequent. Let us know how she does.