Why is my hen holding her neck in? Looks like she has no neck? She doesn't seem very happy, her rain is down, but she is still eating and drinking. Yesterday I saw her stood up with her head tucked under her feathers.
I don't know much about wry neck but I don't think it could be that because her neck is not twisted or hanging down??
Any advise appreciated, thanks
Could you post a photo? Birds that tuck their head in and walk around droopily usually have something wrong with them.
First of all, how old is she, and is she laying? If she is laying, then I would suspect that she is egg bound or internally laying. I would grab her, lubricate your finger with petroleum jelly/Vaseline, and then feel around in her vent for an egg. You could also give her a 15-30 minute soak in warm water to relax her muscles. For egg bound birds, you can also give calcium (in the form of a human calcium pill, crushed egg shell, etc.) to strengthen the oviduct muscles.
Coccidiosis or worms are other possibilities. What do her droppings look like? In the case of Coccidiosis, purchase some Corid 9.6% liquid or 20% powder from a livestock supply store (its usually sold for cattle). The Corid liquid dosage is 2 teaspoons liquid per gallon of water, and the powder dosage is 1 teaspoon powder per gallon of water. Treat for 5-7 days; replace the water daily and do not give vitamins during treatment.
As for worms, you could purchase a broad-spectrum wormer, such as Valbazen, SafeGuard, or the Worminator (contains Flubenvet and is what I use). Don't use Wazine or Ivermectin, as those are ineffective on most types of worms. Most of those wormers can be found at a livestock supply store, or ordered online. The Worminator can be ordered from here:
http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=584
In any case, I would isolate your hen in a clean, warm place. Try to minimize stresses (loud noise, predators, etc.), and just observe her for a while. Encourage her to eat and drink by giving treats such as moistened feed, mealworms, fresh fruit, applesauce, and wet cat food. Perhaps put some poultry vitamins/electrolytes (such as Sav-a-Chic) in her water to give her an extra boost.
