Emergency sick red golden male

[birdmanmax]

Recently(noticed yesterday)one of my male red goldens is acting out of the ordinary. He seems to tilt his head up towards the sky and at times throws his head all around in circles. He doesn't run from me but attempts to get away. His diet is fine as I've raised pheasants for quite a few years on the same diet and water is easily available. All the other birds in the enclosure seem to be in good health. There are no other males pheasants with him and he is not picked on. Please help any responses are greatly appreciated.

Here are some pictures of what I'm dealing with:

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi @birdmanmax

I don't know a THING about pheasants(?)

From your description - possibly look into Wry Neck (Torticollis). I'm not even sure if that is something that affects them. Treatment is usually with Vitamin E, Selnium and B vitamins.

Just my thoughts

 

[Tony K T]

Could he have hit his head on the top of the pen?
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[birdmanmax]

Thanks both for the responses I'll look into wry neck. And it is possible he hit his head but he never roosts high and is overall a rather tame bird when it comes to pheasants.

 

[Tony K T]

It doesn't take much to spook even a tame bird.A hawk flying over really seems to get them going.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[007Sean]

It does kinda remind me of wry neck but usually they will have it from birth and not as a grown bird.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It does kinda remind me of wry neck but usually they will have it from birth and not as a grown bird.

This was what I was wandering if it was something common in pheasants. In chickens we do see it in birds of all ages - it is a neurological symptom of several conditions - head injury/trauma, Vitamin E deficiency and certain diseases (Marek's, Avian Lymphoid Leukosis, Newcastles).

I'm always trying to learn

 

[007Sean]

This was what I was wandering if it was something common in pheasants. In chickens we do see it in birds of all ages - it is a neurological symptom of several conditions - head injury/trauma, Vitamin E deficiency and certain diseases (Marek's, Avian Lymphoid Leukosis, Newcastles).

I'm always trying to learn

I've only seen wry neck in pheasants that have just hatched. Haven't had a grown bird develop wry neck, although, I guess it could be possible, I've never seen it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I've only seen wry neck in pheasants that have just hatched. Haven't had a grown bird develop wry neck, although, I guess it could be possible, I've never seen it.

LOL - o.k. so I have no clue about what you feed pheasants - I would assume gamebird feed.

Do you also at times provide extra vitamins for them? Wandering if it is Wry Neck if you can give vitamin E along with Selenium to see if there is any improvement. Vitamin E is in Poultry Nutri-Drench or some people squeeze 400IU daily into the feed. Selenium is found in egg and tuna.

Again, my thing is chickens - giving extra vitamins for a short period of time to see if they respond doesn't hurt - but for pheasants, I don't know(?)

 

[007Sean]

LOL - o.k. so I have no clue about what you feed pheasants - I would assume gamebird feed.

Do you also at times provide extra vitamins for them? Wandering if it is Wry Neck if you can give vitamin E along with Selenium to see if there is any improvement. Vitamin E is in Poultry Nutri-Drench or some people squeeze 400IU daily into the feed. Selenium is found in egg and tuna.

Again, my thing is chickens - giving extra vitamins for a short period of time to see if they respond doesn't hurt - but for pheasants, I don't know(?)

I feed a 24% protein feed from day one. Adult birds get the same. I add some essential vitamins and minerals and some grains to the feed,ie; selenium, L-Lysine, Vit E, Krill oil, Vit A and B12 complex, Black oil sunflower seeds, milo, flax seed, rolled oats, parched barley and red winter wheat to name a few.
I belive I get healthier chicks, on the whole, than I would if I used a commercial feed. I use Nutri-Drench in there water for the first week of the chicks lives. After that they get the same well water I drink. The few times I've had chicks hatch with wry neck, I was feeding a commercial feed.
Some people don't like corn as the main source of protein because of the GMO factor. I don't like Soy as the main source of protein. This is why I add the extra stuff to my feed, it's more expensive but then again I have some rare and expensive birds, which, I feel I owe them the best possible life and nutrition I can give to them in an enclosed environment.