HELP! Is this wry neck?

Abbkayx

Songster
Mar 23, 2018
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I’m not sure what’s wrong with my little australorp hen, she’s about 2 months old now. Yesterday when I went to her brooder to change her water she was standing up with her head almost between her legs, since then she hasn’t been able to lift her head or even get up and stand.

I’ve googled to no end, everything I could possibly find about what it potentially could be, but want opinions as well.

She has no other symptoms, she drinks fine (with my help), hasn’t eaten since yesterday, won’t stand, won’t walk or lift head up, she is alert though - not paralzyed; she moves her feet and wings when I pick her up, and she CAN move her head but she kind of circles it downward. She has a bit of watery poo, but I’m not sure if that’s from lack of food or not.

I thought maybe Newcastle’s, but she doesn’t have coughing, runny nose, or anything.


Could it be wry neck? I already started giving her the Vit E and polyvisol, so hopefully that helps but I don’t want her to suffer if it’s something more serious. (I’ve attached a photo but here I sort of have her head propped up.)

Thanks!
 

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When I go to touch her she responds, but it’s almost like she’s seizing, her head and neck start going downwards and left and a right/in circles under her chest quickly. Any ideas?
 
Wry neck (torticolis, crook neck) is a symptom of some contagious diseases, such as Mareks and others. More commonly, it is caused by head injury, vitamin E or thiamine deficiency, and some had a hereditary tendency for it. The biggest problem treating it, is to get enough food and water into them. I would give her a little chopped egg daily for selenium, and make a mash of chicken feed, a lot of water, and a tsp of plain yogurt for probiotics. Mix it daily, and help her eat by putting hit to her beek or holding her wrapped in a towel to get some into her at least 3 times a day. Chick vitamins may be cheaper than polyvisol in the long run. Just make sure they have vitamin B1 thiamine, E, and you can always give egg for selenium, but some have it as well.
 
Wry neck (torticolis, crook neck) is a symptom of some contagious diseases, such as Mareks and others. More commonly, it is caused by head injury, vitamin E or thiamine deficiency, and some had a hereditary tendency for it. The biggest problem treating it, is to get enough food and water into them. I would give her a little chopped egg daily for selenium, and make a mash of chicken feed, a lot of water, and a tsp of plain yogurt for probiotics. Mix it daily, and help her eat by putting hit to her beek or holding her wrapped in a towel to get some into her at least 3 times a day. Chick vitamins may be cheaper than polyvisol in the long run. Just make sure they have vitamin B1 thiamine, E, and you can always give egg for selenium, but some have it as well.



Thank you! I already purchased the polyvisol but also have chick vitamins on hand too. I don’t think it’s mareks, she doesn’t have any other symptoms aside from the neck. Still haven’t been able to get her to eat, even with very soft food. I guess I will try again in a bit. :) thanks! Just hope she’s okay.
 
Here are some better photos of how shes been holding herself. Got her to take a few bites of moistened food, she doesn’t seem as alert as she has been. She’s been drinking her drops of VIT E and polyvisol pretty well with my help. Still no standing or walking. Tried to get her to eat some scrambled eggs for selenium but she didn’t want those, will try again in a bit.

This could not be wry neck? I just don’t know. These are my first chickens and I’m so worried about her. :(
 

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Here is a good video of feeding a chicken with wry neck:


Thanks Eggcessive! That definitely helped me tons when I went to go get some food in her.

She is not nearly as alert or eager to eat as the chicken in the video, so it may be illness rather than the wry neck. I hope not but fingers crossed she gets better. Thank you for your help.
 
It looks like wry neck, but it is just a symptom, not an illness. I would keep up the good work and TLC. Try to get her drinking fluids as well. You can also make the feed really watery. I have mixed in raw egg into feed, but she should like the cooked too.
 

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