Crooked / Wry Neck

[Canine and Co]

Hi all, about 7 weeks ago, one of my hens was attacked by dogs. Her external injuries healed really well and after a couple of weeks I put her back in the flock, but a day or two later I noticed she developed a crooked neck (I presume from her injuries during hte attack). I've been treating her for the last few weeks with Vitamin E and Selenium, plus some extra multi vitamins. Other than feeding her the vitamins/selenium, she can eat (if I put a large enough tub out - her neck prevents her aim from getting it right, but with a big tub - she is guaranteed to get some food). She is a little unsteady on her legs, but can move slowly. I've kept her isolated but in vision of the flock. I've started taking her outside during the day for a few hours (in a seperate part of the garden where she can't be picked on). My question is, as it's been a few weeks since she has been taking Selenium/Vits - will she get better or is the damage permanent? I can't see her getting worse, but nor is she getting better. Apart from the Selenium and Vitamins / good diet - is there anything else I can do for her? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi all, about 7 weeks ago, one of my hens was attacked by dogs. Her external injuries healed really well and after a couple of weeks I put her back in the flock, but a day or two later I noticed she developed a crooked neck (I presume from her injuries during hte attack). I've been treating her for the last few weeks with Vitamin E and Selenium, plus some extra multi vitamins. Other than feeding her the vitamins/selenium, she can eat (if I put a large enough tub out - her neck prevents her aim from getting it right, but with a big tub - she is guaranteed to get some food). She is a little unsteady on her legs, but can move slowly. I've kept her isolated but in vision of the flock. I've started taking her outside during the day for a few hours (in a seperate part of the garden where she can't be picked on). My question is, as it's been a few weeks since she has been taking Selenium/Vits - will she get better or is the damage permanent? I can't see her getting worse, but nor is she getting better. Apart from the Selenium and Vitamins / good diet - is there anything else I can do for her? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Hi @Canine and Co Welcome To BYC
Can you post some photos of her?
If you have a video of her actions, that would be good too, upload to youtube then provide us a link.

How much Vitamin E and Selenium are you giving?
What are the extra multi-vitamins?
What do you feed her?

Wry Neck is a symptom. Some common causes are disease like Marek's, vitamin deficiency and head/neck trauma.
Where did the dog attack her? I would have expected to see symptoms of Wry Neck while she was recovering, not once she was healed and returned to the flock.
This sounds like it is stress induced or was she attacked by the flock?

A lot of times birds can have Marek's and symptoms only show up during times of stress. I'm not saying this is what it is, but it's something to consider.

Look for the answers to the questions and photos/video.

 

[Shadrach]

Hello Canine and Co.
Welcome to BYC.
That's a very hard thing to happen once you've nursed the hen.
If it is neurological damage do you feel she would ever be able to return to the flock in her condition?

 

[Canine and Co]

Thank you for taking the time to reply - it is much appreciated. I will take some photos/video tomorrow and post.

The reason I think it is to do with the attack, was that I noticed her ears seemed to be bleeding suggesting a brain injury after the initial attack. There were two visiting dogs who attacked her and her tail feathers/rear end saw the inury as well as the bleed through her ears. I didn't witness the attack - just found her missing and found her outside the paddock.
I was away for a week over the festive period, and a neighbour looked after her, so I am not exactly sure when the wry neck started. It is possible one of the hens attacked her though before I isolated her for the second time (because of going away and to help keep her safe and because I think - in hindsight - she was perhaps still not well enough to go back - my mistake, I thought after 2-3 weeks she would be ok - but I think I was too optimistic).

The multi vitmains are a childrens 7 essential vitamins. I am giving her about a 1/4 of a capsule of Vit E/Selenium (about 25mcg). I've been giving it to her for about 2.5 weeks now.

Her poop looks healthy, she can eat on her own (although her neck muscles make it more difficult, but not impossible), she shows interest in life - walks around the garden pecking at grass etc.

Her feed is a Dr Green's coarse layers which is a good quality and she has Dr Greens conditioning treats. I also leave her with some cucumber to peck at and she has a few dried mealworms. I do soak a small amount of brown bread in water to make sure she is getting water (only a small amount but she wolfs it down and as it is soaked it is quite easy to go down). I've tried other treats (mainly a small amount to give her the vitamins in so I know she has had them - such as tuna, salmon, egg etc but it is hit and miss what she will eat). I have (occasionally) given her the vitamins in water in an oral syringe but don't like to do this).

Thanks again for any advice.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Oh my goodness. It does sound like she suffered some head trauma.
Try vitamin therapy to see if it makes a difference, but if she did have brain injury, she may never completely get back to "normal", but if she's alert, seems happy within herself -alot of times the best we can do is try vitamins, watch to see that they are eating good and just enjoy them.

This is what I would recommend - Vitamin E give 400IU daily. Cut out the Selenium and give her egg or tuna as a treat, either of those are a sufficient source of Selenium, most feed already has Selenium anyway, it's for the uptake in E, so if she won't eat egg/tuna, then I would leave it off - too much Selenium is toxic.
Give her 1/4 tablet human B-Complex daily.

 

[Canine and Co]

Thank you all for your kind replies and advice - it is much appreciated.

She is alert, bright eyed and does seem happy within herself and yes she is eating fine (she has a good appetite - albeit a tad fussy!). Her ability to direct her beak to the piece of food she wants is hit and miss due to her neck muscles, but I get over this hurdle, by putting a large tub of feed out and she is guaranteed to eat.

Thanks Wyorp Rock regarding your advice regarding the vitamins and cutting out the Selenium etc - I will give that a go.

Thanks Shadrach too. Regarding going back to her flock, although I think she is fine in herself, i'm worried that the other ladies will pick on her. I tried her with one other hen on her own and that was fine and tried it with a different hen and she went straight for her. Such a shame.

 

[Eggcessive]

If your coop has room for a dog crate with her own food and water, she might like to be around the other chickens without getting picked on. That would be a good way to get them all used to each other again slowly. That could progress to supervised free ranging together, so that she might once again be part of the flock. I have had to rehome certain breeds for being bullies to more gentle breeds.

 

[Canine and Co]

First short video of Cilla (she is pecking at some small pieces of tuna).

 

[Canine and Co]

Some pics of Cilla! I will take better ones outdoors tomorrow (weather dependent).

 

[Canine and Co]