Chick was stuck in egg, now neck is weird

[Sara L]

I'd give it a chance to straighten out. I had a chick with really curled feet that straightened out on their own after a couple days. Honestly, I think it's probably just sprained from trying to hatch and getting stuck. They spend some time cramped up in egg before hatch anyways

I am pretty sure it's wry neck and not just a sprain - a lot of the chicks had curled feet when they hatched and most of them were straightened out by the time they got fluffy. A few of them still had some curl to their feet when I moved to the brooder, and now I can't even tell who had curled feet or not. I don't think a sprain would have lasted this long. This is the only chick with this issue and I think the vitamins are working, hopefully see more of a result tomorrow.

 

[Sammythepup]

Glad to hear, I really hope Macaroni gets better!

 

[Impatient]

I am pretty sure it's wry neck and not just a sprain - a lot of the chicks had curled feet when they hatched and most of them were straightened out by the time they got fluffy. A few of them still had some curl to their feet when I moved to the brooder, and now I can't even tell who had curled feet or not. I don't think a sprain would have lasted this long. This is the only chick with this issue and I think the vitamins are working, hopefully see more of a result tomorrow.

 

[Bonniebooboo]

I don't know if this will help you, but I had a chick with neck/head to one side this spring, I know she was in the shell a bit long, a couple others did the same thing,( I lost them) I worked and worked on them, they couldn't maintain their balance and kept flipping over, I finally decided to try a collar. I folded a paper towel and put it on the chick, cut off excess of course, used one piece of scotch tape to hold it together around the neck. the head rested on it and it was supported by her shoulders. It was nice and cushiony. Kept her head/neck straight and the next night she was able to stand on her two feet without flipping over. she would just bob her little head up and down as she dozed off. I was able to remove it on the second day and she was holding her head correctly and able to walk around without flipping over and she could drink without flipping into the water. she is now 4 months old. I wish I had taken a picture of her with it on. Best of luck to you and hope chick gets better. hope this can help.

 

[Sara L]

I think Macaroni isn't doing as well today, when I came home from work he was laying on his back (which actually made his head right side up) and couldn't get back upright. I moved him back onto his feet but it seems like each time I check on him he is in the same position.
Thanks for the suggestion Bonniebooboo, I will try to see if I can make a collar to help hold his head the right way.

 

[Bonniebooboo]

I think Macaroni isn't doing as well today, when I came home from work he was laying on his back (which actually made his head right side up) and couldn't get back upright. I moved him back onto his feet but it seems like each time I check on him he is in the same position.
Thanks for the suggestion Bonniebooboo, I will try to see if I can make a collar to help hold his head the right way.

I hope it helps you. I kept my chick away from the others for those couple of days. I will do this if I get anymore like that, I sure didn't know if it would work but it sure help straighten the neck and that improved balance. I also had put her in a round bowl with a washcloth in it so she could get footing and she would lean on the sides, seemed to help her get upright with the collar/brace on her neck. whether that helped or just the collar I am not sure. I know the collar did the trick on her neck for sure. didn't leave her as long as I did the first two though. I just worked their necks back and forth and up and down and held to the good side for a few minutes each time and then back in the incubator on wire but none of that helped them. I sure hope this helps you. hope chick hasn't been that way for to long. you may have to keep the little collar on a little longer than I did, but you can always remove it and put it back if not straightened good enough. Best to you..

 

[Sara L]

Macaroni didn't like the collar and just lay there. Head was still turned at least sideways if not almost upside down. His neck looks almost a little too long? I went downstairs to check the incubator and turn off the lights, and when I came back upstairs the collar was off and Macaroni was laying on his back again. I know he has been eating and drinking, but I haven't seen him do so this evening at all, and when I checked on his hatch-mates, they are much bigger than him. He is actually just slightly bigger than the 1 day olds I have in there with him now.

 

[WVduckchick]

So sorry, Sara. Have you tried messaging it at all? Can you post some pics of Macaroni?

 

[Bonniebooboo]

Sara,I am sorry the little collar didn't work. Mine couldn't get hers off. I know that one side of the neck stretches while the other side tightens up. I put it on snug but not tight to support the head while it helped to straighten the neck. this chick was only few hours old when I applied it as the other 2, I massaged their necks and worked them back and forth several times for 2 days. they didn't eat or drink so I gave them drops of water from a syringe. found one dead morning of day 3 and the other later on. but the 3rd one did great with the collar. I was sure hoping it would work for you. I am sorry.

 

[Sara L]

Unfortunately when I got up this morning I found that Macaroni didn't make it. Thank you all for your support and suggestions, hopefully this won't happen again, but at least now I have a bunch of ideas so I can try to fix it earlier next time. I couldn't figure out how to edit my previous posts to add the pictures, so here are a bunch of pictures of Macaroni I finally got off my phone.

9/17/17: Macaroni getting a drink of water

9/17/17: Macaroni resting

9/18/17: Macaroni, head a little more sideways than upside down

9/19/17: Macaroni resting next to newly hatched button chick. The button chick kept trying to hide under Macaroni when he was standing up, it was very cute to watch.