Let's talk Wry Neck/Crook Neck

[Daniel Lee]

Hi Everyone

I too have recently experienced Wry Neck in 2 out of 14 chicks I recently hatched in my incubator, 1 other had an extremely deformed leg. Im currently treating with x vitamins and selnium but so far not much sucess . Because these chicks are only 4 days old im thinking it is probably a genetic disorder but I was wondering if any one else has any other ideas or could suggest any other treatments.

 

[Tikkijane]

Hi Everyone

I too have recently experienced Wry Neck in 2 out of 14 chicks I recently hatched in my incubator, 1 other had an extremely deformed leg. Im currently treating with x vitamins and selnium but so far not much sucess . Because these chicks are only 4 days old im thinking it is probably a genetic disorder but I was wondering if any one else has any other ideas or could suggest any other treatments.

Even if it is genetic, you can try treating. I had good sucess treating injury (silkies are more prone ), fwiw. You can also try massage in addition to the protocol. Good luck!

 

[Tikkijane]

http://tikktok.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/its-broken/

Even if it is genetic, you can try treating. I had good sucess treating injury (silkies are more prone ), fwiw. You can also try massage in addition to the protocol. Good luck!

 

[Daniel Lee]

Thanks
I have continued treating and while I have lost one the other seems to be improving. I think Vit E and x Vitamins seems to help and I have started neck massages as you suggested.
Thanks for your help
Daniel

 

[TreesAndBrees]

My 4-week old Black Sumatra keeps walking around with her head facing to her left. It looks like her neck is bulging out on her right. I wonder if it is wry neck. I wonder if I can give her ground-up Brazil Nuts instead of medicine (I live in a place with no drug store) since Brazil Nuts have a ton of Selenium and Vitamin E. Hopefully it will get better, she is very timid and hardly goes for food or water when any of my other chickens are around...although she sure tries to get in there when I hold out a banana!

 

[Eggcessive]

My 4-week old Black Sumatra keeps walking around with her head facing to her left.  It looks like her neck is bulging out on her right.  I wonder if it is wry neck.  I wonder if I can give her ground-up Brazil Nuts instead of medicine (I live in a place with no drug store) since Brazil Nuts have a ton of Selenium and Vitamin E.  Hopefully it will get better, she is very timid and hardly goes for food or water when any of my other chickens are around...although she sure tries to get in there when I hold out a banana!

Yes it sounds like wry neck or torticollis. Vitamin B1 or thiamine is very important also. Some use Polyvisol without iron baby vitamins 3 drops daily. Eggs contain selenium as well, but too much selenium can be harmful. Poultry vitamins such as Poultry nutridrench contains most of those.

 

[ShaneandAsh]

Hi y'all,

After reading up the posts here and on other threads plus other sites we are pretty sure that our rooster has wry neck. He is very old which is odd since it looks like this condition affects chicks mostly.

It seemed to happen overnight; one day his neck was upright and then the next day it was completely flopped to one side. This was almost 3 days ago and he seems to be getting worse with each day. On the first day it was just the neck flopped over. On the second day he could barely walk (walking in circles) and he showed clear signs that he had lost his bearings (when trying to eat/drink, kept pecking the ground next to his food bowl). And today he was just lying on his side and not engaging just sleeping.

We have been keeping him separate from the other chickens in the flock. And have been trying to help him to eat and drink but I don't think he is getting nearly enough. Today it really looks like we'll have to actually put the food and water in him as he looks completely not able to do it himself.

We are going to start feeding him some eggs today and also add some B complex to his water. Will also see if we can look for E + sellenium that everyone else seems to be advising is best.

Is there anything else we can do? I do think he is on his last days (or maybe even hours *sob*) and we just want to keep him as comfortable as possible.

 

[arkansaschicks]

Shaneandash- how is your rooster doing? I have a 5 year old hen that has been very healthy and still laying eggs every other day and all of a sudden has come down with the same symptoms as your rooster. I am just stumped!! We have been on an antibiotic, all the vitamins everyone has suggested and steroid injections for a week now. She is at least standing up now but I am having to feed her. Any improvements with you?

 

[ShaneandAsh]

Shaneandash- how is your rooster doing? I have a 5 year old hen that has been very healthy and still laying eggs every other day and all of a sudden has come down with the same symptoms as your rooster. I am just stumped!! We have been on an antibiotic, all the vitamins everyone has suggested and steroid injections for a week now. She is at least standing up now but I am having to feed her. Any improvements with you?

Hi arkansaschicks,

Unfortunately, on that same day at around 10pm he passed away

Shane and I are absolutely devastated and for me personally I have just been in bits. Less than a week ago we lost another rooster (just disappeared without a trace) so that's two gone - suffice it to say, it's just been a very emotional past few days.

Looking back I think on that third day when I said he was just not engaging at all and just sleeping I think he was actually in a chicken equivalent of a coma. We did try to give him water that had B complex crushed up in it (via syringe) but I think by then it was too late. Think when he was in that coma he was slowly but surely drifting away. We buried him the next morning. He was very old so it's not like he was taken away too soon, he's led a good and long life, it was just so sad to see him go that way - completely incapable of doing the basic things you know?

I hope your hen is not going down this road and is feeling better?

 

[arkansaschicks]

I am so sorry for your losses!!! It is still devastating to me when I lose a chicken! They are my pets and I get very attached :-( Maybe you might find your rooster. I know someone who lost a hen for a week and they found her. She had gotten stuck under their tool shed and couldn't get out. For some reason she never made any noises. Somehow they found her and she was ok. Usually predator attacks like hawk, fox or dog you will find feathers. Good luck!
Well my girl is still the same. I have to feed her and make sure she gets water. I'm just going to wait it out because everyone says it takes a while to recover.