Wry neck not improving

[JacksFarmNGardn]

Last week I posted that my hen had wry neck. I started treating with vitamin e oil, but after 2 days switched to the vit e gel caps as i was told the oil wasn't pure E. I have been giving her electrolytes and acv in her water, the first couple days she could drink on her own. I have been syringe giving her water. She has been able to eat on her own so far.

This morning she just doesn't seem as active, and her crop was empty. I gave her fluids but I have yet to see her eat,wherther outside this morn, or in. I put her in the pen part, closed from the rest, and a cage in my porch,so not to affect her with drastic temp changes of the house.

I believed it was a vitamin deficiency,as i started them on a fermented feed diet for almost 2 wks, and stopped when i noticed other hens losing weight from it. Anyways, i have read it can take weeks if it's a vitamin deficiency, to start to show improvement, but how would I know if it's a neurological issue instead, causing this? How long do i keep treating to know its not vitamin deficiency?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[JacksFarmNGardn]

I started her on vitamin b1 5 days ago and continuing electrolytes. I have to feed her eggs by hand and fluids with a syringe. She hasn't eaten or drank on her own in days.

Anyone else have wry neck experience they can share?

 

[Isaac 0]

Im sorry she inst doing well.When did you start treating her?It can take Weeks,Months,Years for it stop but sometimes they just don't make it through.If a month goes by and she hasn't made a improvement she more than likely has a neurological issue a peck in the head is a common one.This is my personal advice if a month goes by and she doesn't make any improvement i would cull.I was in your shoes once and i treated for seven months and it was exhausting and he never got better so we culled.Wry neck can have many causes such as Mareks its hard to diagnose whats really going on.

 

[JacksFarmNGardn]

Im sorry she inst doing well.When did you start treating her?It can take Weeks,Months,Years for it stop but sometimes they just don't make it through.If a month goes by and she hasn't made a improvement she more than likely has a neurological issue a peck in the head is a common one.This is my personal advice if a month goes by and she doesn't make any improvement i would cull.I was in your shoes once and i treated for seven months and it was exhausting and he never  got better so we culled.Wry neck can have many causes such as Mareks its hard to diagnose whats really going on.

I started treating a week ago. Today she just seems like shes getting worse. It wouldn't surprise me if she got trauma to the head from one of the slw hens she's with, they've hated the 2 ee since the day i put them
In there coop. It took a good couple months, but they always make sure they show them who gets food or treats first. She is the lowest. Even since starting molt, she just wont stay by any of them. Maybe her sister a little. The decision to cull now is breaking my heart. Shes my only blue layer, and the only one i ever even considered keeping a chick from.

 

[Isaac 0]

@chickcrack

 

[chickcrack]

Hi and sorry to read about your girl. You've probably read so much on here but here's a link to a thread where I describe my experience and treatment of wry neck.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1132347/wry-neck/60#post_17844240
I know it's frustrating. Symptoms can improve and worsen it seems from hour to hour. Feeding eggs is a good option. If you think she could eat some small pieces of cucumber, watermelon or cantelope I would try that...Means you wouldn't have to syringe quite as much water since those have a high water content to them.
Here's the treatment that I used:
2 drops polyvisol without iron
1 crushed vitamin B complex pill (I used human vitamins)
1/2 50mcg selenium tablet crushed
1 caplet vitamin 3 (squirted into beak or on food once eating more consistently
Calm environment is important. May want to try adding moistened chick starter or grower-make it into oatmeal consistency. The more wet foods she eats the better.
I can't advise you on how long to continue treatment because I know it's a huge commitment. My little guy was totally dependant for several weeks before showing enough improvement to eat on his own. All I can say is if you still have it in you then so does she. I truly don't believe that wry neck is painful to them but very frustrating for them.
Another option is treatment with prednisone (in addition to above treatment) I didn't have access to it. I believe you would need to see a vet for that. Let us know how you are both doing and I wish you luck.

 

[JacksFarmNGardn]

Hi and sorry to read about your girl. You've probably read so much on here but here's a link to a thread where I describe my experience and treatment of wry neck.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1132347/wry-neck/60#post_17844240
I know it's frustrating. Symptoms can improve and worsen it seems from hour to hour. Feeding eggs is a good option. If you think she could eat some small pieces of cucumber, watermelon or cantelope I would try that...Means you wouldn't have to syringe quite as much water since those have a high water content to them.
Here's the treatment that I used:
2 drops polyvisol without iron
1 crushed vitamin B complex pill (I used human vitamins)
1/2 50mcg selenium tablet crushed
1 caplet vitamin 3 (squirted into beak or on food once eating more consistently
Calm environment is important. May want to try adding moistened chick starter or grower-make it into oatmeal consistency. The more wet foods she eats the better.
I can't advise you on how long to continue treatment because I know it's a huge commitment. My little guy was totally dependant for several weeks before showing enough improvement to eat on his own. All I can say is if you still have it in you then so does she. I truly don't believe that wry neck is painful to them but very frustrating for them.
Another option is treatment with prednisone (in addition to above treatment) I didn't have access to it. I believe you would need to see a vet for that. Let us know how you are both doing and I wish you luck.

Thanks. I read the thread.
I tried 3 locations within a half hour of me, and no one carries polyvisol or selenium. I'm using vit b1 tablets, but I dissolved it in water, and administer 5 cc of water a day,before giving her plain electrolyte water for continued vit e, half dose morn and eve.the pills are 100mg i guess i read they only need 5 per day? Anyways, all the experiences i read, the birds/chicks could eat on their own.my hen hasn't. I have to syringe her fluids,and physically open her mouth to put egg chunks in. She does still get it down after i get it in her beak. I know some stories i read it took a long time to show improvement, but i'm not seeing any.i believe she just simply has a brain issue and will never get better. Im upset, butI think in a couple days I need to do whats best for her, and being force fed isn't.

 

[Isaac 0]

Thanks. I read the thread.
I tried 3 locations within a half hour of me, and no one carries polyvisol or selenium. I'm using vit b1 tablets, but I dissolved it in water, and administer 5 cc of water a day,before giving her plain electrolyte water for continued vit e, half dose morn and eve.the pills are 100mg i guess i read they only need 5 per day? Anyways, all the experiences i read, the birds/chicks could eat on their own.my hen hasn't. I have to syringe her fluids,and physically open her mouth to put egg chunks in. She does still get it down after i get it in her beak. I know some stories i read it took a long time to show improvement, but i'm not seeing any.i believe she just simply has a brain issue and will never get better. Im upset, butI think in a couple days I need to do whats best for her, and being force fed isn't.

Brain issues can be cured by Predisone.

 

[junebuggena]

Poly-Vi-Sol is not available on the shelves in some states, but you should be able to get it by asking at the pharmacy counter.

 

[chickcrack]

Thanks. I read the thread.
I tried 3 locations within a half hour of me, and no one carries polyvisol or selenium. I'm using vit b1 tablets, but I dissolved it in water, and administer 5 cc of water a day,before giving her plain electrolyte water for continued vit e, half dose morn and eve.the pills are 100mg i guess i read they only need 5 per day? Anyways, all the experiences i read, the birds/chicks could eat on their own.my hen hasn't. I have to syringe her fluids,and physically open her mouth to put egg chunks in. She does still get it down after i get it in her beak. I know some stories i read it took a long time to show improvement, but i'm not seeing any.i believe she just simply has a brain issue and will never get better. Im upset, butI think in a couple days I need to do whats best for her, and being force fed isn't.

None of us can advise you on what's best for her moving forward. Sometimes the best thing to do is the hardest. My little guy couldn't eat on his own either and because he was a Banty chick the best I could do was provide him a very runny slurry of chick food dissolved in a lot of water. If you are going to try for a couple more days I do suggest switching to either a B complex vitamin (containing more than just B1 as she needs thiamine and riboflavin which I believe are B2 and B6) or giving poultry cell or save a chick. If you have sunflower seeds (no shells) try crushing those onto eggs as they are high in selenium.
All we can do is try sometimes and it certainly sounds like you have done your best. Best wishes whatever you decide.