anyone have a chicken recover from torticollis?

[sourland]

Since she is responding, I would suggest following @rjohns39 's suggestions. Hopefully she will make a full recovery.

 

[azygous]

Nutri-drench should do it. Wry neck has more than one cause, but usually vitamin E 400iu will cure it. B vitamins thrown in can only help, too. A tiny bit of selenium to help vitamin E absorption for good measure.

If the upside-down head is a vitamin deficiency, giving vitamins will improve the condition in just a few short days.

 

[Momma LaRosa]

Update on Ghost- It's been 10 days, she eats and drinks on her own- but needs to take her time- looks like she has to focus on the food, still moves equally, eyes are clear, little comb is bright- I really love that it's also called Star Gazing, since thats the perfect description of what she does. I took her out of the Chicken ICU in the garage and put her in the grass and snow. She walked around normally, pecked at the grass and was a general happy chicken, though still with the goofy head maneuvers on occasion.

I did a trial with putting her back with her flock, she was super excited to get back in there, she heard them clucking and called to them. The other ladies and our rooster were less than welcoming. I let them be for a little, since it's been over a week that she's been out, they were brutal, and she ran back to me. : ( I was unsure if this was normal re-pecking order behavior or the girls being mean to the different chicken, so I tried it again. Again the rooster and a couple hens came after her. The majority didn't even care that she was back.

I took her out again and let her loose on the outside of the enclosure, she happily snacked on my frozen herbs... and tried to figure out how to get back to her flock.
When she is walking her head is mostly normal, it seems when she gets stress her head goes wonky.

I'm thinking maybe its a combo of something different / you've been gone for a while.... I'm going to try the 'hello box' we used for new bird introductions and we'll see.... there's plenty of feeders / waterers so I don't think she'll have issues getting to the food, but I am concerned about her freezing at night not being with the others huddled in the coop.

Thanks for all your replies- hopefully she can re-integrate with the flock....

 

[azygous]

This is all normal for a chicken re-integrating into the flock. It's a combination of the others being suspicious of this girl's lengthy absence and our girl having her self confidence take a hit during her absence from the flock.

Use your "hello box" to help with the process. Be patient. It will take a week or more, but do force her to mingle with the flock for short periods, increasing the time as she gains back her self confidence.

Not allowing her to roost with the flock is missing a good opportunity to force the flock to accept her back. Install her on a perch after the flock settles in, then each night thereafter. They are much more likely to get used to her being back if she sleeps with them.

Are you continuing her vitamin therapy? It sounds like it's working and she needs more for a full recovery.

 

[Abriana]

Use a covered run to integrate her

 

[Momma LaRosa]

Update: it's been two days Ghost has been back with her flock and things seem to be going ok!! I snuck her into the coop when they were all sleepy and made sure everyone was well treated in the morning. I just watched for a while and it seems like this time there's less personal attacks and just the pecking order re-integration squabbles. The top 3 hens don't seem to mind that she's back, the middle few and lower few are just trying to re-secure their spots. She even went after another hen. Falcon the rooster has his eye on another hen, so he could care less.... She seems happy to be out of the 'chicken ICU' and back in her dust bath. She's still a little off, star gazing some of the time, but she gets to the roost, food, water and treats just fine.
Thanks for all the advice. : )

 

[lazy gardener]

Are you still giving her vitamins? She may have an absorption problem, and need the extra vitamin boost for the rest of her life. Maybe not every day, but often.

 

[Momma LaRosa]

I've been adding vitamin supplements to all the water since!! : )

 

[Abriana]

That’s wonderful that she’s pretty much back to normal. Great job!