easter egger with twisted neck!!

[lennonsdumb]

last week one of my chickens was hobbling around the backyard and could barely stand. we brought her in and gave her powerade, water, and food. we put her back outside once she was able to walk and eat on her own.

yesterday evening she was walking around with a twisted neck. we moved her into a laundry basket with some towels. we think she may have wry neck so we've been giving her vitamin e. she will occasionally try to move herself and chirp but most of the time we have to help her. she is a few months old and we are not sure what's wrong with her.

does anyone have any suggestions as to what it could be? we dont know how to feed her or give her water and we do not want to cull her.

 

[HappyDuckie]

@Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

 

[EggSighted4Life]

last week one of my chickens was hobbling around the backyard and could barely stand. we brought her in and gave her powerade, water, and food. we put her back outside once she was able to walk and eat on her own.

Hi there, hope you are enjoying BYC!

Sorry your gal is in trouble.

What have you been feeding regularly including treats and supplements? Was she vaccinated against Marek's? Or have you looked at Marek's as a consideration?
Marek's Virus FAQ

I can tell she is young, not laying yet.. Was she ever treated for coccidiosis?

You can try riboflavin..

I would suggest.. that IF you are feeding a balanced ration.. E is not your issue... and it's likely more sinister than that. However on occasion Riboflavin will help.

Thinking unfortunately that this is likely Marek's, consider sending her body in for necropsy if she doesn't make it.. List of state poultry labs if you're in the US, often free or affordable to back yard keepers to protect our national food supply chain...
State poultry labs

Sorry again, I KNOW how frustrating and heart breaking these things can be.

Hope you get better, more encouraging answers than mine!

 

[lennonsdumb]

What have you been feeding regularly including treats and supplements? Was she vaccinated against Marek's? Or have

we feed our chickens vibrant life laying crumbles. we occasionally use rooster booster in the water and we also give them spinach, bananas, apple, mealworms, and other scrap food. i dont think its mareks because she isnt paralyzed, she can still move quite well, and none of our other chickens show symptoms. she does however have one eye shut and there was a thick goop running out of it.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

we feed our chickens vibrant life laying crumbles.

Then nutrients might very well be your issue. Chicks and juveniles should NOT be eating layer feed.. the excess calcium can stunt growth and delay development.. also used long term in birds not in lay can cause gout and even kidney failure. How long have they been eating layer? Are there others her age?

Also layer feed is too low in protein and amino acids to support a growing a chick..

Wry neck is a form of paralysis! It's neurological.. uncontrolled movement, not no movement. So is sour crop/slow crop. Many folks are in denial about Marek's.. according to your feed description.. it might not be Marek's.. But dis-coordination of ANY sort IS a neurological symptom.. can be cause by a number of nutrient deficiencies. Limping, is the number one symptom seen in Marek's.. Some birds recover others decline. Could be perfect storm of Marek's plus nutrient debt. The vaccine JUST hides the symptoms!

Rooster Booster makes many products.. any on occasion should be fine. Nothing more than 10 days in row. Which one do you have? How long has she been suffering from the torticollis? Do you have anything else on hand.. a human B complex? TSC or other store nearby where you might get some poultry nutri drench or another feed type?

No matter what you face.. even if it's nutrient deficit.. ALL chickens will display and experience things differently according to their own strengths and weaknesses.. No two may ever present the same, EVEN when experiencing the same exact virus/parasite/etc.. we all have our own immune systems and even from the same parent stock somebody gets the weaker genes. This is what makes diagnosing anything avian very challenging.

Everything that you mention giving the birds is pretty high sugar but low protein.. the meal worms are high protein but also high fat. All treats should be kept to under 10% total daily intake.. Please note, I'm just sharing information and not judging.. we are all doing our best!

Start with a scrambled egg.. as quick nutrient boost that's easy to digest and highly palatable. Usually loaded with micro nutrients.. 34% protein and 64% fat.

I'm not sure if tube feeding is a wise choice in this instance or not but @casportpony might advise (TIA) and here is a link in case you wish to try that route.. (NOT using layer, but chick or turkey/game bird starter)
(6) Step-by-Step Tube Feeding Guide

Hang in there!

 

[DaisyBuff]

last week one of my chickens was hobbling around the backyard and could barely stand. we brought her in and gave her powerade, water, and food. we put her back outside once she was able to walk and eat on her own.

yesterday evening she was walking around with a twisted neck. we moved her into a laundry basket with some towels. we think she may have wry neck so we've been giving her vitamin e. she will occasionally try to move herself and chirp but most of the time we have to help her. she is a few months old and we are not sure what's wrong with her.

does anyone have any suggestions as to what it could be? we dont know how to feed her or give her water and we do not want to cull her.
View attachment 2396502View attachment 2396503

Your chicken may have Wry neck It normally occurs in chicks but another reason is your chicken could of ate something poisonous. Or have a head injury. Your chicken might also have a genetic disorder. I'm not a natural but I can only tell you this, Carefully put her in a box with a towel in the bottom and take her to a vet that accepts poultry immediately.

 

[lennonsdumb]

Chicks and juveniles should NOT be eating layer feed.. the excess calcium can stunt growth and delay development..

we feed our chicks that are 6 weeks and under chick feed, we currently have 3 silkie chicks. after they are done on chick feed they are switched to laying crumbles. is there any chicken food i can feed in between chick food and layer feed? she has probably been eating layer feed for almost 2 months now. we have 4 hens that havent begun laying yet that also eat layer feed.

we use the vitamin and electrolytes with lacto bacillus rooster booster. we follow the directions on the back of the container. shes been suffering from torticollis for 2 days now. we dont currently have any vitamin b2 but we are going to order some along with nutri drench today.

 

[lennonsdumb]

Your chicken may have Wry neck It normally occurs in chicks but another reason is your chicken could of ate something poisonous. Or have a head injury. Your chicken might also have a genetic disorder. I'm not a natural but I can only tell you this, Carefully put her in a box with a towel in the bottom and take her to a vet that accepts poultry immediately.

we've considered taking her to a poultry vet but there's very few within less than 20 miles of us and they're all fairly expensive.

 

[DaisyBuff]

we've considered taking her to a poultry vet but there's very few within less than 20 miles of us and they're all fairly expensive.

In the mean time I would consider her get plenty of rest and take in fluids and food.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

we feed our chicks that are 6 weeks and under chick feed, we currently have 3 silkie chicks. after they are done on chick feed they are switched to laying crumbles. is there any chicken food i can feed in between chick food and layer feed? she has probably been eating layer feed for almost 2 months now. we have 4 hens that havent begun laying yet that also eat layer feed.

That's way to young.. and as someone who bred them for a number of years, I'd be surprised to see Silkies come out alive under that plan.

This IS the root of your problem, but possibly not the entire issue. Definitely a good place to start!

The vet will charge you and you won't really get any different answers.. so you do what's within YOUR resources and comfort level!

You can use starter feed only.. all the way until everyone is laying as long as you put oyster shell on the side free choice once you have layers. OR you can use any flock raiser, all flock, grower, etc.. The main difference in all of them aside from brand is protein (amino acid) and calcium content. Don't go below 18% protein for them Silkies. And not more than 2% ish calcium when not in lay.

With a mixed age, gender flock.. the best choice is one of those. I use Purina Flock Raiser with oyster shell on the side for active layers.. I never switch feed (to layer) or worry about different ages. Using something that's available regularly with a mill date under 6 weeks prior (good turn over) is one key since nutrient oxidize and diminish with time.

Throw a hail Mary.. give her liquid yolk, if you got.. that's what get's chicks going when they come out of the egg and sustains them for 3 days.

I'm not sure the nutrit drench is the best choice in THIS instance.. Just wanted to know what you had on hand or available (please review nutrient and make an informed choice) Rooster Booster makes a couple other products that are superior to the one mentioned.. Poultry Cell and Poultry Booster.. But I would likely mix the one you have now at it's maximum dose and use over the next day or so.. she won't starve but hydration is KEY.. how are you getting things in her? This link has some suggestions.. including that it might be thiamine and not riboflavin that I should have have been asking about..
https://www.raising-happy-chickens....as 'twisted neck,backwards or towards the sky.