Hen has a limp neck and trouble walking

[jeannieo]

any change in your girls condition?

my girl Precious is in the same shape. I have her in the house in a box and am giving her a crushed selenium with vitamin e twice a day with 3 drops of polyvisol with cornbread, plain greek yogurt, scrambled egg, chopped grapes, not all at the same time. I started this on 5/15 with no change. She is one of my favorites (of course!)

are you giving her a B complex? if so, how much and how often? I hope your girl improves!

I'm also giving her chick starter crumbles which she gobbles down.

 

[mamasunseri]

Hi there,

I'm sorry to report that I had her euthanized yesterday. She was not improving at all, and could only walk a few steps before collapsing with her head under her body. She couldn't eat or drink unless I fed her by hand. I feel awful. The vet said it could be anything from lesions on the brain from an infection or hereditary. I'm putting my money on an infection from the prolapsed vent she had a few days earlier. Either way, she said usually if they are to improve from something like this, they will in the first day or two. I wish I had better news. I did give mine B complex drops. Just about three drops per day. And I did increase it to a half a dropperful on the second day to see if it would help.

I hope your girl gets better! Why is it always the sweetest ones?

Take care and give us an update.

 

[jeannieo]

I'm so sorry!

Precious is still eating but not drinking. I try to get a few drops of water into her a few times a day. Take care.

 

[vtfarma]

If it is/was crookneck you can crush prednisone too - do a search on here for the dosage. My little lady had the same general thing, I did all of what you did and added the prednisone. She is a silky bantam and a full size roo got after her in the pen (he can't get to them anymore!) and it made the brain swell. She would roll around almost like a donut at her worst and if she were really excited. She had one relapse with it but is doing very well now.

I'm sorry you had to put your lady down. It is always the sweet ones it seems. Its heartbreaking too.

On precious - put cut up moistened spinach leaves or moisture on your finger to her beak will encourage. A slurry of grain and water so she gets moisture there. We were sure she wasn't getting anything to drink but she did fine with the moisture from the other sources. Also you could try a bit of corn syrup in the water to encourage her to drink. It seemed to help Cere (for Cerebellum - it seems the reason bantam silkies have issues is the have only a tiny strip of protective bone across the top of their skull like a walnut and their cerebellum swells when the male grabs the brain to mate instead of skin!) My 19 yo dd named her.