Extreme case of Wry Neck

[Debbie292d]

I appreciate you responding. She hasn’t shown major improvement, but I’m trying to be patient and give it time. She will eat out of my hand now so I no longer have to force feed her but she can’t function in her own. I do have to force her to drink water and give it to her via syringe being careful not to aspirate her. It’s been rough

At least that is an improvement, though. Normally, wry neck takes a few weeks, sometimes longer.

 

[Khalpers]

Hi there. Just checking in to see how your hen is doing. Mine started with it this morning, and it is very distressing for all of us. She is inside and I am able to position her to eat by holding her. But I think she just gets exhausted and gives up. So I let her rest a while and try again. Were you giving a vitamin E pill? Aren’t they quite large? Did you crush it? Thank you.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi there. Just checking in to see how your hen is doing. Mine started with it this morning, and it is very distressing for all of us. She is inside and I am able to position her to eat by holding her. But I think she just gets exhausted and gives up. So I let her rest a while and try again. Were you giving a vitamin E pill? Aren’t they quite large? Did you crush it? Thank you.

Give the Vitamin E pill whole, it's a gel cap with oil in it, it won't crush.
Also give B-Complex. You can find both Vitamin E and B-Complex at Walmart, CVS, etc.
See the 2 posts below.

You must give one whole 400iu E capsule. Pop it into her beak and extend her neck and she will swallow.

When a chicken has wry neck symptoms, I usually advise human Vitamin E 400 IU, along with 1/4 tablet of B complex (not B12,) and a bit of scrambled egg which has plenty of selenium. Mixing a mash of watery chicken feed and water, with the small amount of egg, it can be fed to her several times a day while holding her. Wry neck is a symptom, which can occur with a vitamin deficiency, a head or neck injury, and can also be a symptom of a few certain diseases that affect the brain. Mareks, avian influenza, and certain respiratory viruses are some of those. It can take weeks to see improvement. Silkies are especially prone to wry neck.

In my original message I said I’m giving vitamin e with selenium paste pea sized amount 3x a day and poultry cell 1cc 2x a day. I also syringe feed egg yolk/water with a little b12 added - about 1/2 a CC.

Sorry if those amounts aren’t clear, I was following instructions someone else had given me.

@Friskybinx can you give an update on how your pullet is doing?

If you are giving Goat paste and she's not improving, then I would highly recommend that you follow the suggestions by the previous posters, getting a bottle of E and B-Complex and dosing her.

Giving a "Pea Size" of anything is not a dosage.

I keep seeing Goat and/or Sheep paste being used and for the life of me I can't figure out who is suggesting it or why. Surely a BYC member is not suggesting this...

Goat paste at 2ml will only provide 200IU Vitamin E, which is not enough E. It does however provide 23.2mcg Selenium which is on the upper side of max dose for a chicken.
SO...if you did try to give 400IU Vitamin E of paste, then you are WAY over the Selenium.

Poultry Cell. Even at 2cc per day, it's lacking...

 

[SilkyPa]

I appreciate you responding. She hasn’t shown major improvement, but I’m trying to be patient and give it time. She will eat out of my hand now so I no longer have to force feed her but she can’t function in her own. I do have to force her to drink water and give it to her via syringe being careful not to aspirate her. It’s been rough

Hi
I wanted to follow up and see if there is any update with your silkies condition using the therapy's suggested

Thanks!

 

[Friskybinx]

Hi
I wanted to follow up and see if there is any update with your silkies condition using the therapy's suggested

Thanks!

I tried for about a month and a half with the above methods and hand feeding my silkie. She never showed an ounce of progress and didn’t make it. I wish I had a better outcome to report

 

[SilkyPa]

I tried for about a month and a half with the above methods and hand feeding my silkie. She never showed an ounce of progress and didn’t make it. I wish I had a better outcome to report

Thank you for your reply and sorry for your loss. We have a 8 month old silky hen who started showing symptoms of Wry Neck about 2 days ago and have been using the suggested therapy above as well. She responded with a slight improvement energy wise within 24 hours, but still returns head to curled under position and shakes her head back and forth as well. She has short periods of holding head up, and loves her egg and oatmeal with molasses feedings. Have to use syringe for the poultry cell and squeezing of vitamin E.

Wondering if the occurrences of this condition are increasing above a normal expectation statistically but not sure where to find data to determine that

Thanks!

 

[Eggcessive]

I tried for about a month and a half with the above methods and hand feeding my silkie. She never showed an ounce of progress and didn’t make it. I wish I had a better outcome to report

Sorry for your loss.

Thank you for your reply and sorry for your loss. We have a 8 month old silky hen who started showing symptoms of Wry Neck about 2 days ago and have been using the suggested therapy above as well. She responded with a slight improvement energy wise within 24 hours, but still returns head to curled under position and shakes her head back and forth as well. She has short periods of holding head up, and loves her egg and oatmeal with molasses feedings. Have to use syringe for the poultry cell and squeezing of vitamin E.

Wondering if the occurrences of this condition are increasing above a normal expectation statistically but not sure where to find data to determine that

Thanks!

There can be several causes of wry neck. Injury to the head or neck, vitamin E or thiamine deficiency, or sometimes seen in certain diseases, such as Mareks, Newcastles, avian flu and others. Silkies can have vaulted skulls, and are more prone to head injury. Sometimes it can take days to weeks to see improvement if it happens. Welcome to BYC.

 

[SilkyPa]

Sorry for your loss.

There can be several causes of wry neck. Injury to the head or neck, vitamin E or thiamine deficiency, or sometimes seen in certain diseases, such as Mareks, Newcastles, avian flu and others. Silkies can have vaulted skulls, and are more prone to head injury. Sometimes it can take days to weeks to see improvement if it happens. Welcome to BYC.

Thank you!

I dont think she was injured, but a possibility, she has 7 other hens 5 are siblings, and one excellent rooster who fathers to them very well and 2 mother hens who are great with them all. Noticed the lethargy 2 mornings ago and the head going down and shaking when I put them out to the open foraging area

I'll follow up with results of Gigi's therapy as it progresses

 

[SilkyPa]

Thank you!

I dont think she was injured, but a possibility, she has 7 other hens 5 are siblings, and one excellent rooster who fathers to them very well and 2 mother hens who are great with them all. Noticed the lethargy 2 mornings ago and the head going down and shaking when I put them out to the open foraging area

I'll follow up with results of Gigi's therapy as it progresses

Update:
Gigi lost the battle yesterday. She will be missed. Thank you all for the info on the treatment

Pa