Chicken with a weak neck! Help!!!

[Fancychooklady]

Thank you for your reply. I took her to the only vet who would even see a chicken and he gave her a shot of b vitamins but she still can't lift her head which is under her body so has not had water or food for four now. What a fighter but it is a fight she is losing. Heart wrenching, wish I knew what else to do. I am adding vitamins to the drinking water of the other chicks who are still so young. Again, thank you.

This is not something that will resolve itself overnight. One injection from a vet will not reverse this deficiency. B1 not B6 is what your bird needs.

 

[Fancychooklady]

B6 - pyridoxine
B1- thiamine.
Wryneck is the result of a thiamine deficiency!

 

[Eggcessive]

I have a small flock of six and they are five weeks old. One of the giants just came down with what you are describing, could not lift her head, won't eat or drink. The vet gave her a shot of b6 for muscle weakness but it did no good. I think she will die. I am afraid others will be infected but don't know this is or how to prevent infection. What is the status of your 2nd chicken?
Worried in Indiana

I would also consider coccidiosis being a problem as well. The treatment is Corid (amprollium) for 5 days, and treat all chicks. Here is some info: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/12/coccidiosis-what-backyard-chicken.html

 

[Sarevan]

If she is having problems eating and drinking you could always tube her to get her food and water.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/805728/go-team-tube-feeding

 

[Bessiegirl2841]

I took her to a vet who gave her a B vitamin shot and 24 hours later her neck was relaxed enough it was no longer between her legs but still not able to raise it up very far. No vitamin B1 available except at health food store so I ground it up and put in her water along with a multiple vitamin. After being isolated for ten days she is back with the flock. All are getting vitamin water now and appear healthy although Beauty lost a lot of weight and is now smaller than her sisters. She made it though!
A special thank you to the person who said thiamin deficiency, right on the money!

 

[Fancychooklady]

I took her to a vet who gave her a B vitamin shot and 24 hours later her neck was relaxed enough it was no longer between her legs but still not able to raise it up very far. No vitamin B1 available except at health food store so I ground it up and put in her water along with a multiple vitamin. After being isolated for ten days she is back with the flock. All are getting vitamin water now and appear healthy although Beauty lost a lot of weight and is now smaller than her sisters. She made it though!
A special thank you to the person who said thiamin deficiency, right on the money!

Your welcome and it's so nice to hear a happy ending.

 

[MaggiesOrganic]

I have a young hen with this same problem! I figured it was the heat, and have brought her into the garage where it is cool and she has her own food and water. Started searching for what could be wrong with her and think it is simple dehydration. Thanks for posting, now perhaps we can save her.

 

[MaggiesOrganic]

Unfortunately, she died. Giving the rest of the electrolyte solution to the others ( still in bottle, uncontaminated) it is in the high 90s here in Alabama today. Sad.

 

[Eggcessive]

Unfortunately, she died. Giving the rest of the electrolyte solution to the others ( still in bottle, uncontaminated) it is in the high 90s here in Alabama today. Sad.

Sorry for your loss. In hot summer weather, I like to put a flat pan of cool water in the shade for chickens to stand in and cool there legs. Electrolytes in the water, keeping the water cool in the shade and using frozen waterbottlescan really help. Fans in the coop, and providing shade or shade cloth helps. Some breeds don't tolerate hot temperatures very well.

 

[Rainbow Eggs]

Inability to properly use neck is happening to individuals in my flock. We have 16 hens and by accident, 3 roosters. I thought that finding 2 hens that looked fine in the morning, in late afternoon huddled against something with quite a few feathers (hen colored nearby) on the ground meant one of the junior roosters injured them trying to breed when the main rooster wasn't around. However it has been really hot. Then 2- 2 1/2 mo old pullets showed puffed feathers moving poorly and listless the next day. I've been giving them all eyedroppers of water with electrolytes, but the two hens who weren't holding up their necks even, died after 2 days. The two pullets look better but they cannot aim properly to pick up food. If I open the beak and give them moistened pellet of (sprouted whole grain) bread or their own chick food moistened, they are hungry and want more. But when they try to peck on their own they mostly peck in the air. Obviously they are hungry but they are misjudging aim. When they were first looking poorly eyes were half closed more on one side. There are plenty of clean filled waterers, but I've noticed the birds walking around with their wings slightly lifted in an attempt to stay cool. Is it a combination? Heat and injury by rooster? roosters all in isolated coops now. I autopsied dead birds. No mites, no worms in intestines or trachea-