Hen has limp neck and lethargic

[Bigbluefrog]

My 2 yr old hen came back to the coop with her head down and really weak.
I don’t see any injuries but the fox did get another hen the same day. Shock?
I been keeping her separate. Today she did eat and drink but still keeps head down. How long should I wait? Thinking we should cull her.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Poor girl!

She may have suffered injury. It's up to you to determine if she's in pain/misery to the point of putting her down.

Wry Neck is a neurological symptom, some common causes are injury, disease and vitamin deficiency.
Keep her hydrated and eating. I'd give the vitamin therapy. 400IU Vitamin E, B-Complex and egg for selenium.

It's very hard to know if she will recover or not. Some chickens, given time and support can make a full recovery, it all depends on how badly she's been injured.

 

[azygous]

Looks like it could be wry neck. It can be caused by shock among many other causes. It can present in many different ways. Looking down and walking backwards are a couple in addition to the classic star gazing.

It hurts nothing to treat as @Tookie and @Wyorp Rock suggested.

 

[azygous]

If you haven't culled yet, and you certainly have the right to choose to do so, this condition is very treatable.

The problem we run into is to get the chicken's head in an upright position so they can swallow, as they need to extend their neck to permit gravity to help the food and water to go down the throat into the crop. You may need to enlist a second person to help do this.

It's crucial you give the correct dose of the vitamin E. It needs to be a full dose of 400iu people type E gel caps. Pry open the beak and stick the capsule in. Close the beak, extend neck so the chicken can swallow. You can do two such doses each day.

With adequate vitamin E, the chicken often improves in just a single day, and if it takes a little longer, it's usually not long and the chicken is back to normal again.

 

[Tookie]

I will read up on it! Is wry neck when they look upwards and are stuck? She is looking down- and just hangs her head like it is injured or weak.
Could be? The big concern is it happened right after attack so I thought shock. I do not see any bite marks to suggest neck injury from an attack.
I searched online what to do- so she is in a quiet place resting.
Trying to get her to drink a few times a day. I put her in the sick kennel by the other hens and she seemed more disturbed- she was cowering in the corner. So back to her luxurious suite in the house.

Wry neck was just a thought, I'm not sure if that's what she has. Keep keeping her in a quiet place in the house, giving her sugar water, the vitamin B and E, and selenium and see if she improves. I'll tag some more knowledgeable people and see if they can give you more advice. @azygous @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

 

[Eggcessive]

Make sure that you include human vitamin E 400 IU daily with her B vitamins and egg. It can take some time for wry neck symptoms to go away. I would treat for at least 2 weeks unless you decide to put her down. A vet might even prescribe prednisolone or another anti-inflammatory medicine. Here is a video of feeding a chicken with wry neck:

 

[Bigbluefrog]

Make sure that you include human vitamin E 400 IU daily with her B vitamins and egg. It can take some time for wry neck symptoms to go away. I would treat for at least 2 weeks unless you decide to put her down. A vet might even prescribe prednisolone or another anti-inflammatory medicine. Here is a video of feeding a chicken with wry neck:

Oh that hen has life in her mine is so weak it barely eats! Thanks for the video

 

[azygous]

If the chicken is too weak to eat or drink, you will need to syringe the food and water into the crop. You do that this way.

Notice the esophagus is on the chicken's right side of the throat. That is your target. The airway is in the center behind the tongue, and it must be avoided.

If the chicken coughs or gags, you have the syringe in the wrong hole. Withdraw it and try again. The chicken will not cough or choke when the syringe is placed in the esophagus.

A chicken needs around half a cup of feed per day and at least six ounces of water.

 

[Bigbluefrog]

Poor girl!

She may have suffered injury. It's up to you to determine if she's in pain/misery to the point of putting her down.

Wry Neck is a neurological symptom, some common causes are injury, disease and vitamin deficiency.
Keep her hydrated and eating. I'd give the vitamin therapy. 400IU Vitamin E, B-Complex and egg for selenium.

It's very hard to know if she will recover or not. Some chickens, given time and support can make a full recovery, it all depends on how badly she's been injured.

Okay, I will read up on this.
Never culled a chicken before- is there a kind way to do this?
I will give her some time before we do that though. Giving her lots of vitamins and water. She ate some today but not very much.

 

[Bigbluefrog]

Looks like it could be wry neck. It can be caused by shock among many other causes. It can present in many different ways. Looking down and walking backwards are a couple in addition to the classic star gazing.

It hurts nothing to treat as @Tookie and @Wyorp Rock suggested.

She does walk backwards! Wow this is all new to me. What an odd thing.