Crook Neck!?!

[Hopin4raon]

I think it is still some egg gunk. I’ll try the q-tip and warm water idea.

How did you administer the nutri-drench? The back says 1ml for 3lbs but the chicks are no where close to 3lbs. It did take a tiny bit off my finger tip. Is it best just to do a drop every few hours?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

How did you administer the nutri-drench?

Ya, I just did a drop right below the nostrils. After just a few times I could see improvement and it was able to drink with everyone else.

You can also mix some with the water for everybody.

And I like to crush the chick crumbles extra fine into a powder mash, it seems to help some chicks who struggling to connect with the feed or appear to be eating but never swallow.

 

[Hopin4raon]

Thank you for the advice! The chick has dried up since being cleaned and looks a lot better. And I’ll continue doing a small drop every few hours.
It’s little neck is pitiful but seems to be doing a tiny bit better. It can stand up for a little bit now. I’ll send pix soon! And definitely update again.

Ya, I just did a drop right below the nostrils. After just a few times I could see improvement and it was able to drink with everyone else.

You can also mix some with the water for everybody.

And I like to crush the chick crumbles extra fine into a powder mash, it seems to help some chicks who struggling to connect with the feed or appear to be eating but never swallow.

 

[happyhens1972]

Sorry for the late reply but there's a heck of a time difference between us ;-)

Yes, I dipped Penguin's beak in a drop of nutridrench on my finger and then allowed her to drink it down. I did this two or three times a day. I also physically manipulated her neck in small circular motions and into as normal a position as I could at least three or four times a day to prevent it freezing in place. Like when anything is held in one position, muscles get stiff and harder to move and it will take valuable energy for her to struggle on her own so you should do it for her until they loosen up a bit

 

[Hopin4raon]

The little chick with wry neck was doing FANTASTIC it’s first day from the incubator to the brooder. It was in with the other 5 chicks and I had to paint its nails to be able to tell it from the others.

The following day was not a good day though. It really struggled with its neck and kept turning over. It flipped in the water bowl (very very shallow) and got soaking wet. I moved it back to the incubator over-night to warm/dry-up and take a break from its siblings.

Yesterday, I realized that drinking water is what triggers it’s neck to lock up. This is probably why it seemed to be doing so well it’s first day out of the incubator. I’ve read they don’t eat for quite a while because of the yolk.

So yesterday I started feeding it food and water only when I was around to untangle it’s neck. That has seemed to help a lot. I am still giving the nutri-drench regularly and mixing it with the water for the other chicks.

This morning it is doing well. It eats, drinks, and runs around on its own. It only occasionally needs help fixing it’s neck after it drinks. I also successfully got more nutri-drench in it this morning (by mixing it with its food). I am very hopeful at this point that it will recover well

 

[happyhens1972]

Are you massaging/manipulating it's neck other than when it 'locks'? If you hold the chick in your fist, take hold of the base of the neck and gently move it in a slow circular motion (not twisting....imagine it's a pencil and you are drawing small circles) Then move up the neck, doing six to eight circles at a time until you reach the head. Do this half a dozen times a day to really loosen up the neck muscles whilst strengthening them too. It sounds like she's nearly there but may need this extra help to 'take control' of her head motion xx

 

[Hopin4raon]

Yes, we have been massaging it’s neck some each day. It doesn’t seem to mind the massages at all.

This morning it has started peeping non-stop though. Any ideas why?

It’s been in the incubator at 100F so I know it isn’t cold and it’s still eating and drinking. It poops— looks just like nutri-drench so I’m sure it’s getting it’s medicine.

I have no idea what it could be

 

[happyhens1972]

If it's in the incubator alone, it will be peeping for company, food, water or all three. It needs company so if you need to put it in the incy, pop a friend in there too. If it's eating and drinking well, try and keep it in the brooder with the others as much as possible. How's the neck doing today? X

 

[Hopin4raon]

Yes, it is alone because the others pick on it terribly when it’s in the brooder. It also keeps turning over in the water dish if it’s with the others. I read that chicks with wry neck should be separated from the group, but close enough to be able to hear the others, so the incubator is right next to the brooder. I did try early this morning to put it in the brooder while I was watching, but it didn’t help with the continuous peeping. Maybe if I move only one into the incubator it wouldn’t pick on it.

The neck really hasn’t seemed to get any better the last few days. I’m not sure why because we are doing the massages and vitamins. It still just gets stuck when it drinks.

 

[Hopin4raon]

Well I just tried adding the wry neck chick in with one other.... and my stargazer is bullying the healthy one. She is going after her eyes and hangs off her eyelids. I guess I will have to separate them again.

I can’t imagine why this chick is so vicious.... especially after all the hand feeding and babying