Crook/Wry Neck

[JayDe]

This morning when I went outside to leave for work and said good morning to my silkies who live on the porch, my favorite boy (6 mos old Jazz) was chirping at me...I looked in and he flipped over...then tucked his head between his legs-biting as if grooming on his stomach feathers and flipped again. I got my husband who tried to say he was just tired, then when I showed him and explained that it matches the symptoms of wry neck he talked me into leaving for work and he'd take care of him best he could.

He got our boy some prednisone and started him on it --at one point today he stood upright (mostly) and ate/drank on his own. Once I got home and evening came on, his symptoms seemed to worsen, but I held him until a few minutes ago to keep his neck from being stuck under his body. He's in there sleeping on his neck now, it doesn't seem safe, but I don't know how to get him to stop tucking it..

What I can't find in all the old posts on crook neck/wry neck in silkies, what do these chickens die from? Is it suffocation, starvation, or something else?

I'm guessing that one of the times our EEs pecked him, it damaged his brain. Two weeks ago, he tried to mount one and they beat him up, no blood, but one was on his back and pecked his head and he fell over briefly. Since then his neck has not stood up straight, but I didn't see the connection (now I'm kicking myself)... This has come on kind of slow, is that normal? Is there hope that he'll recover if it is at this point? I can get him to eat and drink, his poop is normal, and he doesn't act like he's in pain. He trills at me when I'm holding him and at his coop mates when they talk to him.

I have to get more vitamins, right now we only have polyvisol and prednisone to give him. I need the E and Selenium.

Is there anything I can do for him to make him more safe from himself? Any other suggestions? Also, I'd like to hear from some success story people. I'm feeling pretty upset. We just lost our Orpington Roo to a Fox and now my silkie roo is sick=(

Thanks.

 

[easttxchick]

If it is wry neck, giving him the vitamins will hopefully help him. My sister raises Silkies and has had cases of wry neck before to the point that they were walking backwards and the vitamins have helped them. She hasn't lost one to it yet.
It takes a few days of treatment before you will see any improvement in them.
Frankly, I really don't know what it is about wry neck that kills them.
Good luck to you!

 

[jen5680]

My roo got it and the vet said give him tons of vit e.
I have friend that had a roo with it and she treated hers and he got better. Mine did not.
It is brain damage or water on the brain from what I was told and they can get it from a hard peck to the head.
Good luck and I hope he gets better for you.

 

[crittersitter]

Below is a success story of a silkie and I used the exact same treatment plan. My girl has been inside for nearly 2 weeks and I am seeing a huge improvement! it's quite long but very useful.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=253674

 

[JayDe]

Thanks for the replies-I did read the one story all the way through-I hope my jazz can hold on for a month to get better!

We have him on the course of meds suggested at brown egg blue egg's site. So far, I have seen no change, although he seems to have gotten a little worse. He spends more of his time balled up/flipping over. We're feeding and watering him by hand and he's sleeping in a box in our bedroom. We have him in the box to keep him from sleeping on his head and/or flopping all over the place.

I'd still love to hear encouraging success stories with Wry Neck. I'm so sad right now watching him like this.

 

[emjay]

hi . I am in the same boat as you right now. I have a 2.5 month old silkie doing the exact same thing. poor thing. I at first thought culling it was the morally right thing to do. But, my daughter tells me it will live. So, it is in a cozy box in the garage, with a warm blankie, food and water, safely propped so it isn't spilled everywhere.
I put poult vite in the water and held the silkie so it could drink some. I picked up some vit. E and put some in its mouth, I hope it got enough, tough squeezing those capsules in there, maybe someone has a trick for that.

this is the first night I've started treatment, I will let you know how mine turns out.

I hope they pull through, it's a very bizarre condition. I've never experienced this before, ever.

 

[JayDe]

yeah, the vitamin E capsules are definitely a challenge. My rooster starts to bite at me to get it, but is missing and hurting my hand...lol If anyone has a trick for the capsules, that'd be great!

 

[emjay]

well, I have great news to report, in less then 24 hours my silkie has gone from looking like a cotton ball (perfectly round,due to head and neck under belly) to walking upright with its head up, at a slight tilt still, and has the odd spasm, but, wow.
it couldn't hold it's head up for more then a few seconds yesterday and kept going backwards and balling up. To today, almost normal.
I just used the vit. E capsules and poult vite in the water. I am very please with how fast this turned around.


with the Vit.E capsules, I didn't think I was getting any in its mouth, but, I must have and apparently enough of it.

it seemed so hopeless yesterday. I am very pleased.

 

[JayDe]

I'm very glad to hear your silkie is feeling better! Let me know if he stays better, please!

My Jazz is still in his box. We have him propped so he can't tuck his head under. He's been crowing in the morning with his head in the towels..but most of the time he's laying and trying to tuck his neck. He stood up for about 3 minutes this morning with his head up slightly right after I gave him the prednisone. So far we can still get him to eat and drink by putting his face up to it and he's still alive, so that's good. I've put him in with his buddies (in his box) today because the boys were crowing back and forth and his brother is not aggressive at all so he's safe visiting for a bit.

I am keeping up with the treatments and hoping for the best.

 

[JayDe]

Jazz is in a sling still, in a box... He seems to be getting better. He can walk around for about 5 minutes without balling up, but when he gets excited--his head goes right back under.

I'm hoping his upright walking a few times a day is a sign that he'll get better. It's been almost 2 weeks since we started treatment.
I know one of the stories it took a month before they saw improvement.

He's still crowing back and forth with his brother. He seems fine...except he's a little lighter due to being hand fed 3 x a day instead of eating when he wants.