2 day old chick with wry neck

[RIRhatcher]

I have a 2 day old RIR chick. It seems to have been born with wry neck? It's head is bent back to the right over its body. I have started giving vitamin E yesterday, and poly vits today. She seems ok, perky and spry as the other chicks I would hate to loose her. When she sleeps/dozes I notice her head does settle forward a bit but is shaky, but then she startles herself and beak goes back in the air. She eats very little (her crop is never full) and will drink from a syringe without trouble, all I have to do is show it to her she takes the drops of water. I guess my questions are, am I doing all that I can? Does this look/sound correct as wry neck? Or is it neurological and it's a waste? Does anyone have any additional advice? I plan to try for a week, if she still struggles and/or is failing to improve I will have cull her sadly, I don't want her suffering.

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[Eggcessive]

I would also give her selenium which you can find in some raw egg, or get some Poultry Cell or Poultry NutriDrench and give 1 ml daily, since it has selenium. Her type of wry neck is called encephalomalacia or star gazing, and can be a vitamin deficiency in the parent stock or from heredity. Wet chick crumbles and some egg yolk would be good to feed.

 

[MadieWestbrook]

DO NOT CULL HER. I had a two-week-old chick with wry neck. The Vitamin E pills take time to take effect, I believe. After one week, my little chick was completely healed. Unless you don't see a change within a week or two, please give the pills some time. I've heard them work in almost every case, except heredity of course.

 

[RIRhatcher]

Thanks for the advice and encouragement. She seemed to be improving today - was even keeping upright while shuffling forward, then tonight... she was all contorted again

I really have my fingers crossed she improves!!! I will keep it up, I just hope she doesn't give up!

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, vitamin E, thiamine, and selenium are all 3 important in treating wry neck. Let us know how she is getting along in a few days. It is important that she gets plenty to eat and drink as well. Good luck with your chick.

 

[RIRhatcher]

I've been keeping at it trying to make sure she eats/drinks and she is getting the vitamins. She is still sitting in that stargazing posture without much improvement...

I was hoping to see some improvement, even a little tiny bit... Man do I hope it gets better. *sigh*

 

[RIRhatcher]

2 days ago, she could sit at least. She still fistey but now her eyes are closed and looks like this...

. I feel we are going backwards! Literally/Figuratively!

 

[Eggcessive]

You may have to keep assisting her to drink the vitamin water and eat, by dipping her beak a few times over and over throughout the day. Many people go from days to weeks of treatment before seeing improvement, and there is no guarantee that she will improve, but I certainly hope she does. Some decide to cull if there is no improvement in a couple of weeks because most of us cannot spend that much time tending to a chick that cannot eat and drink without assistance. I have heard some tell of carrying a chick around their necks in a handkerchief, or in their bra, to keep them warm and care for them. That is extreme, but there are some success stories. Good luck with your chick.

 

[RIRhatcher]

New development, and not a god one, she now seems to have air filling her crop. Now what do I do???

 

[Shearjenn]

Whatever happened with this chick?