Help Floppy neck Silkie Chick!

[chickenzoo]

It is called Wry neck and can be common in Silkies or other topknot breeds. You need to give her vitamin E and poly visor or poultry nutri drench vitamins. You can get vit E gel caps from Wal and give her a drop two times a day until two weeks AFTER she gets better, if you stop too early it just reoccurs. It can also reoccur from time to time. I have one hen that gets it once a year. I have started using a vitamin E ,selinum gel for goats I get from Jeffers. They like the taste of it and it's only $6 for a tube of it.
Make sure to give a shallow bowl of water with vitamins. Scrambled eggs is good, also I use baby parrot hand feeding formula...has lots of good stuff in it. You can take duct tape and make a neck brace for her also....to help keep her head straighter....but remember lighter weight the better as they really go nuts with something heavy on their neck. Even fold a paper towl as a brace. The best thing with wry neck is patience and keeping the bird as unstressed as possible. Best Wishes

 

[Hopefulloflove]

Chickenzoo...I am really hoping that this is what is going on. Thanks for the recommendations. I will add the Vitamin E now...hopefully we will see some improvement. How can you make a neck brace? I don't want to hurt her...

Thanks!

 

[chickenzoo]

It pops up from time to time in my Silkies, some never get it again...others will have bouts with it from time to time. Injury to the top of the head can also cause similar symptoms, but you treat the same either way. I make a brace for the small ones out of a folded paper towel. Fold a section about the height of her reg. neck. Then cut it about the circumference of her neck. Wrap it somewhat snug but not tight. Take a piece of tape and secure it in place. You can also fold a piece of duct tape in half length wise, then cut to fit. You want to make sure she can eat and drink but the brace gives her some support and keeps her head from twisting under. It may take several attempts to find the right fit. Doing it at night while she is ready for bed might help stress her less. If she totally flips out, put her in a snug box that she can't flip around in until she calms down.... Massage her neck also helps. Someone posted that a person has experimented with Banimine for horses, and injected a small amount into the neck area. I have not gotten brave enough to try it yet.

 

[Hopefulloflove]

Thank you...I will try that...We have been wrapping here in a paper towel and just holding her a lot supporting her neck and rubbing it...she loves this and seems really content. She doesn't seem to be in any pain. My kids have been calling her our chicken burrito all wrapped in the paper towel...so cute. but I am sad that she is sick. I hope and pray that she will pull through this...I would be afraid to inject anything into her neck! I think I will stick with the vitamins, and prednison and see if she improves...I am giving her poly visol and vitamin e ...is that adequete? Do I need to be doing anything else? We are feeding her scrambled eggs, chick food, and little treats like apple and yougurt. Any other suggestions are appreciated. I just want her to be comforatable. Nice thing is, she slept all night long peacefully....

 

[chickenzoo]

Vitamin E and the liquid vitamin are the most important... And time. My first Silkie I ever had got wry neck. I called her Lookout because she was always looking sideways at the sky. She got really bad and I did everything I could. One day she looked so miserable.... I got up the nerve to put her down. When I opened the door to my room she was standing straight up, neck almost normal...peeping at me. She lived a shorter life because of other issues, but was a very friendly chicken, almost dog like. If you search Lookout on here you might fing her stories. My other Silkie with wry neck is five years old.mBest wishes for your baby.

 

[Hopefulloflove]

She is still the same as yesterday, except the swelling by her one eye is more pronounced. Any ideas? This is why I think she got a bump on the head...I'm not sure though. How long before we should start seeing improvement? She is still active and alert. Thank you so much for your help and encouragement!

 

[AmyTx101]

i have a 5 week old silkie doing the same thing.. looked her/him over and dont see anywhere she had been pecked.. the feed store said sounded like wry neck so i will treat mine with poly vi sol selenium and vit e.. i posted video but whats wierd she only does it when she is stressed or someone picks her up//

 

[sanders2778]

Hi, only news is no news. Dr. potter called asked how she was ,, said state has not called and she sent them another email . honey bun ( 3 months) old is stronger today and tries to stand but her head will not let her .the selenium I have is adult dose 200mcg and Dr said to crush up just a small piece and give every 2 to 3 days. Be leave it or not I was making tuna sandwich's for lunch and looked at the can and it said serving size 1/4 cup, selenium 80%; for day so i scooped out 1 tablespoon to add to her food a little at a time. do not know if this was wise or not but thought it could not get much worse . the vet did say that a lot of things can cause wry neck , and stress of hurricane, heat or many other things could cause these systems . I chose to remain hope full because all my other girls are running around as happy as can be like 4Th of July picnic . I will let you know if I hear of any thing else. sandy

 

[Hopefulloflove]

Keep us posted...my baby is still the same...

 

[Hopefulloflove]

Does anyone know when we should see improvement if it is wry neck?