Let's talk Wry Neck/Crook Neck

[chickcrack]

My one and a half year old also has Wry Neck. I think she was afflicted from a very young age. She never stayed with the others. She cried a lot. The wry neck came out about six months ago. Nobody knew what it was. I gave her vitamins in her water--a form of gatorade--and she seemed to recover. She has always been the big egg layer and the odd one out. Three days ago the Wry neck came back very badly. Again no one knew what to do. I should have gone online rather than ask at Tractor Supply.  Just at this time a hawk--I think--got my favorite hen: Goldie, the Rhode Island Red. Goldie was the glue that bound all the chickens together. She also came to me first and stuck close to me. She got along with everyone. She was not the leader, but, oddly, she kept the cogs moving. I cried bitterly when I found her eviscerated body. This was my first hawk episode.  I buried her in the corner of our yard.  In the meantime, Rocky, with her Wry neck, was getting worse. I got onto this site and bought a myriad of things: Poly visol. My Wal-Mart didn't have the one suggested but did have one w/o iron.  I had some prednisone left from a bad bout of poison ivy. I mixed 10 mg. in water. I first gave the Poly visol, but I got on this site and thought the dosage was far too small so I ended up with softgel vitamin E capsules. They came in IU counts so I looked up the approx. equivalent to mgs. which seems about .67. Anyway, I decided on one IU 400 a day. It was hard getting it in her mouth. This morning I squeezed it on scrambled eggs. She is still around. I had four hens. I have three. One is this Wry Neck hen.  The poor dears are all confused. The glue is gone.  They hide in the bushes. They often don't come when I call. They lay eggs not in the box but in their roosting shelter. The Wry neck hen lays her eggs in the corner of the pen. I haven't stepped on one yet. Oddly, her eggs are the largest. I, too, wander around feeling unhinged and unglued. People think chickens are chicken, but I think they are very brave given their predators and their vulnerability. I could keep my girls penned all day. They just seemed so unhappy.  I thought the plastic owl was working. Nothing happened last summer nor until this September, but fall is in the air; and I think birds are storing up food. I will let you all know about Rocky. She had a very tough early life. I nursed her through it. But she is a great fighter.

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss and your struggle with wry neck. Here's a good article to read if you haven't already found it.

http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article/Crookneck/Crookneck.html

Selenium is important to add to ensure the vitamin E is being absorbed. And i personally found the addition of B complex vitamins to be what finally cured my little guy. Wishing you all the best!

 

[frick01]

Thanks so much for answering me. How much selenium? And how much B complex? I started with Poly sol which had a lot less E than the 400 IU I then bought. I do have questions about the prednisone since I had an adverse response to it myself. I worry about giving a chicken steroids. I think something happened to her at birth; and the big egg production depleted her again although I got rid of it once. I can't spend a whole lot more since I'm retired, and I haven't even made winter quarters yet. Last winter the hens stayed at a friend's who has deluxe quarters. Since I raised her three from day old chicks, she took mine then. I don't think she'll do it again.

Also do you use the 400IU twice a day as the article suggested?

I appreciate your response.
Miriam

 

[chickcrack]

I understand your feelings on steroids. I personally didn't use it with my little guy (only because in all of my research I hadn't heard of it). Here's what I gave my guy:

2 drops polyvisol without iron
1/2 50mcg tablet selenium crushed
1 B complex vitamin crushed
1 400 IU vitamin E

I will add that he was a newly hatched chick so I would increase the polyvisol and possibly the vitamin E to double . My little guy hatched with wry neck and once his symptoms left I weaned him off of his meds and he relapsed several times. Which finally led me to continue to give him a dose of the above once a week. He hasn't relapsed in some time now...no idea if it's because of his once weekly dose but I'm not willing to tempt fate and take him off to see!

The B complex I gave him doesn't have a dose on it...here's some pics of what it contains:

I have read that excess vitamins are easily flushed from the system so I would just buy a human vitamin and give one a day. I crushed everything onto scrambled egg or moistened food (something you know will be eaten up). If symptoms are severe and she's having problems drinking I provided watermelon or halved cucumber to supplement water (also have sprinkled or dripped meds on them as they were a big hit). I hope something helps you. Fingers crossed and let us know how she's doing

 

[frick01]

Thanks so much. I will get the selenium tomorrow. I couldn't find the poly visol everyone talked about in the purple box so got another for kids starting foods and w/o iron. It seems to have a lot of B vitamins in it, so I'm not sure of the B. Stupidly I got the softgel of the E. At first I just thrust it in her mouth, but then I got the scrambled egg trick and spread it like melted butter over the egg. I have been holding her beak to water. Sometimes she closes her eyes and just about looks like she's having a heart attack. This breaks my heart, but I will keep trying. Once I had a cockatiel who also had an E deficiency and got a tumor. Seems that her seeds were not enough. We actually got it extracted at a vet's and, from then on, used fresh veggies along with the seeds. She also took a liquid dose of E. Everyone continues to hide in corners, and no one laid eggs today. Goldie's death weighs heavy on the chickens and on me. Having chickens is so much different than having a dog or a cat. It's like entering into a whole new territory. I say this after a year and a half, laugh when I think of waiting for that first egg. Now I have given boxes away and have made more quiche, puddings, breads, omelets than I care to think about. Well enough. AGAIN, THANK YOU! Have a good night.

 

[chickcrack]

You sound like an awesome chicken mum
I know how frustrating it is...one day at a time. I hope your girls all recover quickly. A death in the flock seems to unbalance some. I swear my top hen is still grieving the loss of her sister 3 weeks ago they used to cuddle together every afternoon on the back deck...

Now she comes and lays up against my feet each afternoon to cuddle with me. I know many would say that an emotion like grief is giving a chicken too much credit but a best friend's absence (or worse witnessing their death) definitely has an impact.
Best wishes and keep us updated.

 

[Yukidongo]

After reading, I am sure my Polish pullet has wry neck. She didn't have, but I accidentally hurt her. I started a little physical therapy, but will supplements help her? She flew roo the coop to the ground. Some stray cat ran across the yard, spooking her, and I grabbed her, and she twisted, already scared, and I noticed her walking with her has tilted to one side. Will she get betyer? Eating ok. Head actually in normal position when she stretches it out.

 

[chickcrack]

After reading, I am sure my Polish pullet has wry neck. She didn't have, but I accidentally hurt her. I started a little physical therapy, but will supplements help her? She flew roo the coop to the ground. Some stray cat ran across the yard, spooking her, and I grabbed her, and she twisted, already scared, and I noticed her walking with her has tilted to one side. Will she get betyer? Eating ok. Head actually in normal position when she stretches it out.

How long has she been like this? If it were me I would start the vitamins because they certainly won't hurt. Also extra protein either with scrambled eggs or canned fish or a higher protein food like grower may help her heal. I hope she improves.

 

[Yukidongo]

I am feeding start n grow. She is only about 2.5 months old. Will add more protein, and supplements, as you suggest. Injury is two days old.

 

[DirkDiggler]

After reading, I am sure my Polish pullet has wry neck. She didn't have, but I accidentally hurt her. I started a little physical therapy, but will supplements help her? She flew roo the coop to the ground. Some stray cat ran across the yard, spooking her, and I grabbed her, and she twisted, already scared, and I noticed her walking with her has tilted to one side. Will she get betyer? Eating ok. Head actually in normal position when she stretches it out.

To be clear, no injury causes wry neck. If it is related to an injury than the neck is hurting and wry neck which is from a lack of vitamins is not the reason. However I agree with ChickCrack that some extra vitamins won't hurt and very well could help your chicken heal. You're definitely doing the right thing giving nutrients.

 

[Eggcessive]

To be clear, no injury causes wry neck. If it is related to an injury than the neck is hurting and wry neck which is from a lack of vitamins is not the reason. However I agree with ChickCrack that some extra vitamins won't hurt and very well could help your chicken heal. You're definitely doing the right thing giving nutrients.

There are cases of wry neck or torticolis that have occurred after an injury or attack. Many of these have been witnessed in threads on BHC. Anything that causes brain inflammation, such as injury, certain diseases, or a vitamin injury, can cause wry neck. VitamIns including vitamin E and selenium should always be given with wry neck, just in case.