3 Day Old Chick - Wry Neck or Something Else?

[CayugaMama]

I have 3 day old baby chicks. Is it possible for wry neck to be present at day 1? Or would it likely be some other condition - like something neurological? The chick is presenting all wry neck symptoms pretty accurately (walks in circles, neck tilting and rolling and twitching, falling over, etc). The chick cannot control its head movements well enough to drink and eat on its own. So i've been assisting it. Per the hatchery's advice, I left it to its own devices on day 1 & 2, assuming it would pass naturally on its own. However, by yesterday afternoon, she was still hanging in there. She's a little fighter so I figured I would give it my best shot. I started a vitamin therapy consisting of wet chick mash, electrolytes, egg yolk, vitamin E gel capsule, and B-complex gel capsule. She hasn't gotten better but she hasn't gotten worse either. Is there anything else I should try before I cull her and put her out of her discomfort? Anyone have any experience with this? Thank you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have 3 day old baby chicks. Is it possible for wry neck to be present at day 1? Or would it likely be some other condition - like something neurological? The chick is presenting all wry neck symptoms pretty accurately (walks in circles, neck tilting and rolling and twitching, falling over, etc). The chick cannot control its head movements well enough to drink and eat on its own. So i've been assisting it. Per the hatchery's advice, I left it to its own devices on day 1 & 2, assuming it would pass naturally on its own. However, by yesterday afternoon, she was still hanging in there. She's a little fighter so I figured I would give it my best shot. I started a vitamin therapy consisting of wet chick mash, electrolytes, egg yolk, vitamin E gel capsule, and B-complex gel capsule. She hasn't gotten better but she hasn't gotten worse either. Is there anything else I should try before I cull her and put her out of her discomfort? Anyone have any experience with this? Thank you!

Yes, they can present with Wry Neck this early.

Do you have photos of her or video of her actions? For video, upload to YouTube and provide a link.

Starting vitamin therapy is good. 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4tablet B-Complex. Continue with the egg and mushy feed, electrolytes are o.k. but do give some plain drops of water too.

Is this a Silkie or ?

 

[CayugaMama]

Yes, they can present with Wry Neck this early.

Do you have photos of her or video of her actions? For video, upload to YouTube and provide a link.

Starting vitamin therapy is good. 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4tablet B-Complex. Continue with the egg and mushy feed, electrolytes are o.k. but do give some plain drops of water too.

Is this a Silkie or ?

Thank you!! I can provide a video and will do so shortly! Would love to hear if you feel like it looks like wry neck.
This is a female German Bielefelder.

 

[CayugaMama]

Yes, they can present with Wry Neck this early.

Do you have photos of her or video of her actions? For video, upload to YouTube and provide a link.

Starting vitamin therapy is good. 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4tablet B-Complex. Continue with the egg and mushy feed, electrolytes are o.k. but do give some plain drops of water too.

Is this a Silkie or ?

Here is the chick 2 days ago when I first got her. She has not improved or declined. When she lays down or sleeps, this behavior stops of course. But as long as she is awake, some version of this is going on, and she cannot walk in a straight line.

 

[Debbie292d]

Here is the chick 2 days ago when I first got her. She has not improved or declined. When she lays down or sleeps, this behavior stops of course. But as long as she is awake, some version of this is going on, and she cannot walk in a straight line.

I wouldn't cull a chick with wry neck, but that's your call, of course. That's what it appears to be to me, and it is curable in most cases. I'd just do what @Wyorp Rock suggested above. I've had a couple over the years that hatched like that. Both were fine by the time they were a week or two old. I did what Wyorp said.

I'd slow down on the electrolytes, though. Just for 1/2 day. Then water or alternate vitamin water in (Poultry Cell or Nutri-Drench) the rest of the time.

 

[Crazy Chicken Keeper]

I had a wry neck at 1 day old and he died a week later so it is a possibility

 

[CayugaMama]

I wouldn't cull a chick with wry neck, but that's your call, of course. That's what it appears to be to me, and it is curable in most cases. I'd just do what @Wyorp Rock suggested above. I've had a couple over the years that hatched like that. Both were fine by the time they were a week or two old. I did what Wyorp said.

I'd slow down on the electrolytes, though. Just for 1/2 day. Then water or alternate vitamin water in (Poultry Cell or Nutri-Drench) the rest of the time.

Thank you Debbie! That's helpful to know. I just hate for her to suffer - and I am having to administer her food & water so it isn't sustainable really. But if she may be able to recover in a week or so - that would be great!

 

[CayugaMama]

I had a wry neck at 1 day old and he died a week later so it is a possibility

That's helpful to know as well. And this is what a suspect will happen. I'll give it my best for a few more days though!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Here is the chick 2 days ago when I first got her. She has not improved or declined. When she lays down or sleeps, this behavior stops of course. But as long as she is awake, some version of this is going on, and she cannot walk in a straight line.

Thank you Debbie! That's helpful to know. I just hate for her to suffer - and I am having to administer her food & water so it isn't sustainable really. But if she may be able to recover in a week or so - that would be great!

Yes, I think it's Wry Neck. Hopefully with vitamins this will resolve fairly quickly. I do understand that having to hand water/feed is not always sustainable. If possible, give yourself and her a small window of time to see if she improves, then go from there.

Your chicks are adorable. Keep us posted on how this works out. If you end up culling, let us know that too. No judgement for sure. I've had my share of having to let little goes, it's one of the sadder parts of keeping chicks.

 

[CayugaMama]

Thank you for all of your help @Wyorp Rock @Debbie292d

Unfortunately the little chick passed yesterday morning. She wasn't improving, and then I woke up to find she had passsed in the night unfortunately. The heartbreak of raising chicks for sure!