Crooked / Wry Neck

[Eggcessive]

Once a day if you wet a pan of chicken feed with a lot of water, she might have a better time of getting it into her beak. I would probably use an old glass casserole bowl or dish with some weight to it, or fasten a brick to the plastic container. She looks pretty determined to get her tuna. Thanks for the video.

 

[Canine and Co]

Here is the final short video i've just taken of Cilla. I'll try and take one of her walking tomorrow.

 

[Canine and Co]

Thanks Eggcessive. Where she is at the moment is on the other side of chicken fencing meaning she can see the others and they can see her, it is like she is sleeping in the same room, only seperated by the fencing. So at least she hasn't been hidden away. I really hope I can get her to be back with the flock. Just as a thought, if I introduced a few new hens at the same time - could these divert the attention away from her? If that makes any sense?

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.

 

[Eggcessive]

I usually spend some time watching them interact, and if one hen is acting like a bully, I will remove them away feom the flock for a week. That usually lowers them in the pecking order, but if not they may out of the flock permanently.

Adding new chickens might help, but when you do, the pecking order will have to be re-established each time, and that might be chaotic to do often.

Weak or a sick chicken may get pecked and picked on by even the smallest chicken in the coop. When I have had a dying chicken, that is the time I will take them out and put them down.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Bless her heart She really is trying. I agree, try some wet feed to see if she can manage that better.

You can try different feeding containers too, sometimes it's odd what peeks a chickens interest. I had one hen that was sick, she would not drink from anything at all! I had chicks at the time and she would pitch a fit when I changed water for the chicks - well, I drug out another chick waterer and like magic - she drank from that, was soo happy.
I'm thinking a rubber feed pan raised up higher may be beneficial?
Just my thoughts.

 

[Canine and Co]

Here is the final short video i've just taken of Cilla. I'll try and take one of her walking tomorrow.

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.

Thank you for your advice. They do have a large Hen House and Cilla is on the other side of the hen house, serperated by chicken wire, so she can see them and they can see her every day. It is almost the same as sleeping in the same area (almost). I tried her with supervised free ranging today, even the sweetest hen wanted to peck her head and the 'top hen' went to jump straight on her back. So I moved her to a safe area where she can free range in peace. Doesn't give me much hope if she doesn't recover (even though I think she can survive as she is and have a decent quality of life, the fact that the others see her as too weak to rejoin their flock is concerning). I don't think I could rehome her either as she would need to be on her own I guess! :-(

 

[Canine and Co]

Bless her heart She really is trying. I agree, try some wet feed to see if she can manage that better.

You can try different feeding containers too, sometimes it's odd what peeks a chickens interest. I had one hen that was sick, she would not drink from anything at all! I had chicks at the time and she would pitch a fit when I changed water for the chicks - well, I drug out another chick waterer and like magic - she drank from that, was soo happy.
I'm thinking a rubber feed pan raised up higher may be beneficial?
Just my thoughts.

Yes that's a good idea! I'll look out for something suitable. Thank you x

 

[Canine and Co]

Once a day if you wet a pan of chicken feed with a lot of water, she might have a better time of getting it into her beak. I would probably use an old glass casserole bowl or dish with some weight to it, or fasten a brick to the plastic container. She looks pretty determined to get her tuna. Thanks for the video.

Thank you - yes I will do that - mix some warm water with her feed - especially as it is cold here at the moment (snow!). I do have a heavy ceramic bowl I can use for her. Thanks for your help. x

 

[rebrascora]

Have you checked both her eyes. Watching the video it strikes me that she may have a vision issue with one eye. The times she really tips her head to one side badly seems to be when she wants to have a good look at you. That would also cause her to miss food and/or twist her neck to try to find it. I'm not saying she doesn't have wry neck but my gut feeling is that there is also a sight problem.

I see that the feed that you are using is a less processed food (rather than a pellet or crumble). It is possible for birds to selectively eat favourite components of such a feed and end up with a dietary imbalance, particularly if you feed it adlib from an open container like that although I appreciate you may just be using that container to help her. Those type of feeds can also lead to Fatty Liver Haemorrhagic Syndrome because of this selective eating. It is best to offer such feeds as a daily ration each day so that there is an incentive to eat it all up...or go hungry. Most birds like to pick out the higher carbohydrate grains and leave the more nutrient rich pulses. The important additives like essential amino acids and vitamins and minerals are often in the powdery fines which often get billed out and wasted or left in the bottom of the feeder, so it is more likely that a bird can suffer vitamin or nutrient deficiency as a result of how you offer such feeds. I'm not saying the feed itself is bad but it gives the birds an opportunity to be picky and like children some will pig out on the fries and cake if they are not supervised and encouraged to eat a balanced diet.

 

[Tylerblockbuster]

Stress can cause it I have a silkie that got wry neck because of stress. I doubt that is why she has it but I thought I would let you know for the future.
I have had multiple birds with wry neck I just separate them and give them scrambled eggs and vitamins and it took mine around 4 weeks to get better