i dont know whats wrong with me hen ...

[moomoodiddy]

the other day i noticed my silkie hen was holding her head sideways but i thought it was just because it was dark and she was looking into the light but today she is still doing that it looks like she is holding her head sideways and looking up at the sky please tell me if it is a symptom of an illness or injury or what i am so upset because she was gonna be a project hen for this spring and she gonna be breedable or will it pass on to her offspring, please help this is making me so upset!!!!

 

[cowcreekgeek]

the other day i noticed my silkie hen was holding her head sideways but i thought it was just because it was dark and she was looking into the light but today she is still doing that it looks like she is holding her head sideways and looking up at the sky please tell me if it is a symptom of an illness or injury or what i am so upset because she was gonna be a project hen for this spring and she gonna be breedable or will it pass on to her offspring, please help this is making me so upset!!!!

Hi, and your signature made me smile ~'-)

Mine is gonna give a girl like you many headaches, as it's gonna lead you to a better knowledge of poultry and, hopefully, a proper diagnosis of, and treatment for, your silkie hen.

But, before you begin that? If you have a plastic waterer, clean it up and refill it with an 'astringent solution' that you make by adding 4 teaspoons of Apple Cider Vinegar to each Gallon of water (that's one teaspoon to the quart). Do NOT put this or any other acids in galvanized metal waterers (use some other plastic containers, instead).

This does a bunch of good things for chickens. The tannin in Apple Cider Vinegar helps to 'cut through' the mucus and other coatings in the mouth, throat and intestines, which increases uptake of nutrients/vitamins and any medication(s) you may have to give. It also aids in the removal of toxins produced by botulism, algae, yellow jasmine or other manner of poisoning. See the 'Solutions Used for Poultry' link below for some verification of this, and I can provide you with my extensive research, and the studies of others, if you wish.

And, speakin' of those links? The next one for you is Diagnosing Poultry Diseases Based Upon Symptoms link ... skim the entire document first, before you even consider her symptoms. There's many other potential causes than listed therein, but those are the most common. Also, this gives a much better idea as to what you're lookin' for. You can then follow up by posting that additional information, and lookin' it up in the Merck Vet Manual (again, below).

And, speakin' of gettin' a much better idea? There's a *great* online presentation of the Anatomy of the Chicken: >>peck here<< to open an introduction to it (in a new window ~'-)

So, I hope this helps, and you be sure 'n update this thread ... I'll check in every now 'n then, just in case you have more questions.

 

[LilyLovesBugs]

I think that she has wry neck, just a guess but what you are describing sounds like it.

 

[moomoodiddy]

yea thanks yall im pretty sure she has a wry neck too does anyone know the best way to treat it? thanx again yall and do yall know if she should be breed or are thier permanent damages

 

[cowcreekgeek]

yea thanks yall im pretty sure she has a wry neck too does anyone know the best way to treat it? thanx again yall and do yall know if she should be breed or are thier permanent damages

Yup ... wry neck (limberneck) is a condition most usually caused by an accumulation of toxins w/in their systems, hence the urgency in starting the Apple Cider Vinegar, so as to ... well ... rather than repeating myself? Follow the instructions w/in my first post, for the reasons stated therein ... if you haven't started it already? You need to, immediately. Once the mucus has been thinned, you can then follow w/ the epsom salt flush, as directed w/in the "Solutions Used for Poultry" link (w/in my signature).

Many will suggest just giving vitamins, but this does not remove the toxins that are most probably responsible for the condition. The vitamins, however, would be an excellent follow-up to the espom salt flush. As to recovery? If, indeed, this is the result of toxins? It mostly depends on how quickly you remove the toxins.

See http://www.poultry.msstate.edu/extension/pdf/Botulism.pdf ...

 

[moomoodiddy]

Yup ... wry neck (limberneck) is a condition most usually caused by an accumulation of toxins w/in their systems, hence the urgency in starting the Apple Cider Vinegar, so as to ... well ... rather than repeating myself? Follow the instructions w/in my first post, for the reasons stated therein ... if you haven't started it already? You need to, immediately. Once the mucus has been thinned, you can then follow w/ the epsom salt flush, as directed w/in the "Solutions Used for Poultry" link (w/in my signature).

Many will suggest just giving vitamins, but this does not remove the toxins that are most probably responsible for the condition. The vitamins, however, would be an excellent follow-up to the espom salt flush. As to recovery? If, indeed, this is the result of toxins? It mostly depends on how quickly you remove the toxins.

See http://www.poultry.msstate.edu/extension/pdf/[COLOR=FF0000]Botulism[/COLOR].pdf ...

ahh this is all so confusing so i need to give acv and epson salt and vit in a gallon of water at once and for how long?

 

[cowcreekgeek]

ahh this is all so confusing so i need to give acv and epson salt and vit in a gallon of water at once and for how long?

No, ma'am ... not all, at the same time, but in steps ~'-)

Start, right now, by giving them that Apple Cider Vinegar (but not in galvanized metal waterers) -- all of your birds, at the rate of four teaspoons full to each gallon of water you give them (if you put two gallons of water in the waterer, put in eight teaspoons of water, for example). Do this for the next three days. I'd replace the water now.

Look in the bird's mouth, 'n see what it look like for reference. Make sure she's drinking the water w/ ACV in it. Check your bird's mouth in the afternoon, 'n see if the coating is gone, and that the mucus is thinner ... that would the right time to give her the internal flush.

Do only ONE of the following two laxative treatments, preferably by using an eyedropper, and being sure to get it into her crop:

Either give her ...

1 teaspoon of Epsom Salt dissolved into 1 fluid ounce of water.​

OR give her ...
1/2 ounce of Castor Oil.

DO NOT DO BOTH of these laxative treatments, and I suspect the Epsom Salt would be best.

 

[moomoodiddy]

No, ma'am ... not all, at the same time, but in steps ~'-)

Start, right now, by giving them that Apple Cider Vinegar (but not in galvanized metal waterers) -- all of your birds, at the rate of four teaspoons full to each gallon of water you give them (if you put two gallons of water in the waterer, put in eight teaspoons of water, for example). Do this for the next three days. I'd replace the water now.

Look in the bird's mouth, 'n see what it look like for reference. Make sure she's drinking the water w/ ACV in it. Check your bird's mouth in the afternoon, 'n see if the coating is gone, and that the mucus is thinner ... that would the right time to give her the internal flush.

[COLOR=0000FF]Do only ONE of the following two[/COLOR] laxative treatments, preferably by using an eyedropper, and being sure to get it into her crop:

[COLOR=FF0000]Either[/COLOR] give her ...

1 teaspoon of Epsom Salt dissolved into 1 fluid ounce of water.

[COLOR=FF0000]OR[/COLOR] give her ...
1/2 ounce of Castor Oil.

DO NOT DO BOTH of these laxative treatments, and I suspect the Epsom Salt would be best.

ohh thanx so much

 

[cowcreekgeek]

ohh thanx so much

No problem ... remember that time is of the essence with many problems your animals and birds may have. Be sure 'n check your feed for spoilage, and remove decomposing materials, and eliminage any source(s) of algae, just to make sure that exposures to these potential toxins are minimized.

 

[moomoodiddy]

No problem ... remember that time is of the essence with many problems your animals and birds may have. Be sure 'n check your feed for spoilage, and remove decomposing materials, and eliminage any source(s) of algae, just to make sure that exposures to these potential toxins are minimized.

i think it may have came from an injury cauze nothin has changed lately she is the only one that this has happened to and i have her parents thye havent done this before either aghh i pray its not contagious,k i just gave them the acv and friday i am gonna give her the epson salt oh and i looked in her mouth and nothin was n there aghhhhh!