Wry Neck - Confused about treatment

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC Nursehev35. You need to read your labels. Nutridrench has both vitamins and electrolytes, plus some selenium and vitamin E. Nutridrench is also expensive, and it can be more economical to give it undiluted orally 1 ml per lb daily, so for a 1 week old chick, I would probably 1/10th of an ml, or 0.1 ml. There is water soluble vitamin E available, but most E is not. Selenium can be toxic in high doses--most of the links say 25 mcg daily, but egg and tuna contain selenium also. If they are eating and drinking and look okay, they may not need electrolytes. Some people just use baby vitamins--PolyVisol without iron 3 drops by mouth daily. It contains the Vit. E, and thiamine or B1, but no selenium.

 

[Nursehev35]

Hi and thanks for reply. The nutridrench has vitamin e, but no selenium and the vitamin e is only 90 iu for an ML, which doesn't seem like it's enough since other people have mentioned giving 400 IUs. But nothing had selenium in it. The baby had wry neck and I want to treat it before it gets worse, especially because it's not bad at this point, but I don't want it to get worse.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hi and thanks for reply. The nutridrench has vitamin e, but no selenium and the vitamin e is only 90 iu for an ML, which doesn't seem like it's enough since other people have mentioned giving 400 IUs. But nothing had selenium in it. The baby had wry neck and I want to treat it before it gets worse, especially because it's not bad at this point, but I don't want it to get worse.

Do you have any marmite ? Dissolve a teaspoon in 1/2 a cup of warm water and pour it on their feed.

 

[Romochickencrazy]

Can someone please tell me what the best way is to give the vitamin E and selenium? I tried to mix them in with water, but the vitamin E won't mix, it's like an oil slick, and the selenium is a powder that won't mix well either, it floats to the top.
We have 3 one week old chicks and the one is smaller than the other 2 and looks like she can't hold her neck up most of the time, it keeps rolling to the side. It's not bad enough that she won't eat or drink and she still runs forward, but I'm afraid it may get worse without treatment. We didn't separate her either because the others don't seem to bother her.
At this point I mixed electrolytes, nutridrench, vit e and selenium in their water and she does drink it. It won't hurt the other 2 I hope.

I had the best luck with baby food. I took the vitamin B and selenium crushed them into a powder on a piece of paper then folded the paper and carefully dumped the powder into a 3cc syringe. With my finger covering the end of the syringe I then squeezed the vitamin E capsule into the mixture plus 3 drops of poly Vi sol, then with my finger still covering the end of the syringe I stuck the plunger end of the syringe back on and turned the syringe upright and slowly removed my finger. I then sucked up just a small amount of warm water to mix the contents in the syringe - again cover the end of the syringe so you don't make a mess. Lastly I sucked up some baby food to make it easier to give. I used a carrot flavor and also did green beans baby food. The prednisone was such a tiny pill I just opened my Rocky's mouth and he would just eat it. Hope this helps some. Good Luck with your guys..... And remember don't give up even if it looks bad, my Rocky couldn't even move on his own and had to be propped up with a towel at one point and I almost lost hope but today he's outside crowing up a storm!

 

[Fancychooklady]

I had the best luck with baby food. I took the vitamin B and selenium crushed them into a powder on a piece of paper then folded the paper and carefully dumped the powder into a 3cc syringe. With my finger covering the end of the syringe I then squeezed the vitamin E capsule into the mixture plus 3 drops of poly Vi sol, then with my finger still covering the end of the syringe I stuck the plunger end of the syringe back on and turned the syringe upright and slowly removed my finger. I then sucked up just a small amount of warm water to mix the contents in the syringe - again cover the end of the syringe so you don't make a mess. Lastly I sucked up some baby food to make it easier to give. I used a carrot flavor and also did green beans baby food. The prednisone was such a tiny pill I just opened my Rocky's mouth and he would just eat it. Hope this helps some. Good Luck with your guys..... And remember don't give up even if it looks bad, my Rocky couldn't even move on his own and had to be propped up with a towel at one point and I almost lost hope but today he's outside crowing up a storm!

There is an easier way to do it. Simply crush the tabs in a mortar and pestle, add vit E etc, draw up water into syringe, squirt it into the mix , stir with end of syringe and then draw up . A mortar and pestle only costs a couple of dollars and it makes life so much easier.

 

[Nursehev35]

Thank you everyone for the excellent advice. I'm sorry it took me so long to reply, but I just worked a string of 12 hr nights and I'm beat!
The only question I still have is how do you get the chick to take it? Do you pry the beak open like you would a dog?
I tried putting the syringe up at her beak and she does take a drop or two, but the rest ends up down the front of her or me!
She is no worse, but no better. She is still eating and drinking on her own, and I noticed that when she drinks and tilts her head back she doesn't fall over backwards as much.

 

[Lacrystol]

Thank you everyone for the excellent advice. I'm sorry it took me so long to reply, but I just worked a string of 12 hr nights and I'm beat!
The only question I still have is how do you get the chick to take it? Do you pry the beak open like you would a dog?
I tried putting the syringe up at her beak and she does take a drop or two, but the rest ends up down the front of her or me!
She is no worse, but no better. She is still eating and drinking on her own, and I noticed that when she drinks and tilts her head back she doesn't fall over backwards as much.

NO, LOTS of Patience, you simply apply a drop on the tip of the beak, she may shake a lot but keep an eye on the throat as long as she swallows she got some, It may take a long time, you don't want to force it because it could go down the wrong tube and suffocate her. You have to let her do it. It's OK if she doesn't seem like she's getting it all, just keep the drops on the tip of her beak..you just need for her to swallow some of it. She may even surprise you and peak at the dropper trying to get more herself...

 

[Nursehev35]

Thanks Lacrystol. I'm glad, I didn't want to have to do that.

 

[Lacrystol]

Thanks Lacrystol. I'm glad, I didn't want to have to do that.

No problem, I had some that Peck at the dropper as if to say, HAY WOMEN GIVE ME THAT. But then I have had some that say "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?, I"M NOT TAKEN THAT." so it all depends on your chicken. Once she starts to feel better, then you'll see her take more each day but the first time, it does take a while.

 

[mommyrocks74]

I have a chick that is a day old, the only survivor of my hatch, I think the humidity was too low, this was an assisted hatch out of a very shrink wrapped egg. The chick peeps a lot but won't stand, won't drink, won't eat, sleeps almost constantly, and when I try to give wwater by dipping the beak or dropping from my finger, just tiny amounts, the chick starts choking sort of, no more peeps and mouth wide open and gurgly popping sounds and bubbles coming out of its mouth. I start to think that's it, it's dead, i drowned it, but then it will give a weak peep and breath heavily for a while and then be ok. Today is the end of the second day since I assist hatched early yesterday morning and there are no signs of poop, has not appeared to swallow a single drop of water properly, and the umbilical wound is healing up great. I tried putting a band aid on its legs, putting it in a cup to stand up and it did not like that one bit. If I lay him down he end up rolling around until he ends up on his back and then squeals til I flip him over. I am at a loss. I know it has only been like 36 hours but without any water it will surely die. Why can't it swallow? Any suggestions at all would be welcome. I know the vitamins, etc but if I can't get them down its throat without drowning it I don't know what to do! Thanks very much, if it lives it has been named Lucky