Head upside down / vertigo / can't walk

[Ravenclaw]

Greetings - New here and desperate for help. Cuckoo Maran healthy and normal this morning found down in fenced chicken yard this evening. Has small non-lethal wound on small of back (seems incidental) which I treated. More significant is she tries to turn her head upside down and no coordination to walk. Have her wrapped like a burrito to prevent her from flopping and hurting herself more. She eagerly takes water from a syringe. Could she have just knocked herself silly and will be better soon? Or, is maybe something more serious?

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like she has wry neck which is a symptom of head injury, a vitamin deficiency, or a disease such as Mareks disease and others. It's possible she has been injured in a fall or an attack. Isolate her in a crate or box for peace and quiet since stimulation makes it worse. Vitamins B1, E, and selenium may help. You can use chick vitamins in the water or PolyVisol baby vitamins 2-3 drops daily. Here is some info: http://oureggbasket.blogspot.com/2013/04/wry-neck-or-crook-neck-understanding-it.html

 

[Eggcessive]

Did she have a Mareks vaccination when you got her? It is possible that she is showing signs and may have gotten pecked on her back. I hope it is nothing serious.

 

[Ravenclaw]

My mistake for not saying earlier - but - yes she was vaccinated.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are 2 informative threads on wry neck experiences:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/97121/lets-talk-wry-neck-crook-neck
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/630079/wry-neck-confused-about-treatment

 

[Ravenclaw]

Wry neck sounds like as good a diagnosis as any. Started increasing her vitamins yesterday (powder from hatchery) but will look into polyvisol and vitamin E tomorrow. When not agitated she can stand tall and stretch her neck out, get some water, and eat normal feed. But when she is agitated or in a hurry she flips her head upside down (to the right) and walks backwards. Weird. So low stimulus environment is good. I have her in a small cage off to herself - but in sight of the other ladies. She did not like being solo in a box. Thanks for all your help. Will let you know how it goes.

 

[realsis]

Be patient wry neck can take up to a month to heal. I've gone through it before and am unfortunately going through it again. I just pray I am as successful as I've neen in the past. My treatment plan that's been successful and that I'm following again is alan stanfords wry neck treatment. His site is browneggblueegg. com. I've been fortunate to speak with him personally about wry neck and treatment. Basically my treatment includes vitamin B vitamin E polyvisol liquid children's vitamin without iron and the steroid predinsone. The treatment will work without the predinsone. But I've been very successful using it. I wish you the best and remember to have patience it takes a good month to heal. Best of luck. GOD BLESS

 

[Ravenclaw]

Update... Hen is out of "sick pen" and with other chickens. Eating well. Moving well for most part. Gets off balanced when going through door ways. Seems to have a visual disturbance. Does fine once through door. Getting better daily though. Thanks everyone for help.