Help? What's wrong with Henny Penny?

[TopangaMom]

My chicks are almost two weeks old. I just went out in the middle of the night to check on them in the garage and Henny Penny (a sweet little Delaware chick) was in an unusual mound in the corner. She is resting with her head upside down?? The flock got her to run...but her head looks funny? Is her neck broken? How? I am so careful with my babies!! Did she get roughed up by other chicks? Is that something that happens?
Please, help if anyone knows what could be wrong with her... They had scrambled egg for dinner (they've had it once before and all went well.)
I am a first time chick mom and I adore them -- especially my Henny
If anyone knows anything that could help....thanks in advance.

 

[TopangaMom]

Did some research...does she have crook neck/wry neck? Do I have to separate her?

 

[Fancychooklady]

Yes it sounds like wry neck . It's a thiamine deficiency so you will need to start her on something like nutri-drench. If you have some poly - visol infants drops they will suffice.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/216/vitamin-bi-deficiency

 

[TopangaMom]

Thank you so much for your reply! Can I add the poly-visol to everyone's drinking water? Are my other chicks going to get it? Is this because I've been feeding them un-medicated crumble? I am starting treatment immediately...what about vitamin e and selenium? Should I keep her separate? No one is picking on her...

 

[Fancychooklady]

A couple of drops directly into the beak morning and night. Nutri-drench or a general multi vitamin would be beneficial for the entire flock. Another way of administering it is to mix it in some water a mix it in with the food to make a mash. A vitamin E capsule may help with absorption.
I don't think that this is a result of feeding non medicated feed in fact amprolium is a thiamine blocker. I would however consider changing feeds . It is usually best to separate them to prevent anyone from stepping on the head or neck and causing more problems but sometimes the separation causes more stress .
Here are some vitamin products.

http://www.jefferspet.com/products/avian-super-pack-4oz

http://www.jefferspet.com/products/...84af9fa2600f00000499/533884b09fa2600f000004ae

This article explains in depth the cause and effect of vitamin deficiency
Pay particular attention to the paragraph on thiamin B1 and vit E.

http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou..._poultry/vitamin_deficiencies_in_poultry.html

 

[TopangaMom]

Just wanted to update my thread regarding my sweet Henny Penny (a three week old Delaware) who came down with wry neck 12 days ago...she is fully recovered and doing just fine, now.
I treated her with poly -visol drops (no iron) and vitamin e mixed in yogurt or feed every 8 hours for 5 days. She also received lots of electrolyte tea and kind words from my 3.5 DD. She doesn't lift her head as high as the other girls anymore, but that's alright...
Thanks for your advice FancyChookLady all the way on the other side of the world
I read and reread a lot of posts about treating wry neck when it happened to my chick -- so I wanted to add my positive story.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I'm so glad to hear that your Henny Penny has come good. Keep up the good work and now that you know that she may be predisposed to thiamine deficiency I would consider changing her feed and adding a multi vitamin to the water on a regular basis.
Nice to see a happy ending.

 

[TopangaMom]

I've been regularly mixing in vitamins and immediately changed their feed

 

[Fancychooklady]

I've been regularly mixing in vitamins and immediately changed their feed

Good job!