Month old Rhode Island Red with wry neck not being receptive to food or water, not even entirely sure if it’s wry neck

[rla15]

I have six Rhode Island Red chicks who are about five weeks old. Monday, I notice one hen seemed to be super focused on her feet (I.e keeping her head down to her chest and rubbing her head back and forth) but after a couple of minutes, she straightened up and I didn’t see her doing it again. Tuesday, she gets into the food dispenser twice while I’m at work. She does it again when I’m home and I’m able to lift her out and set her back on her feet. She falls over on the ground with her head trapped under her body. I help get her back on her feet and she now can’t stand up straight at all. She keeps her head down to her chest, almost between her feet, and walks backwards. I figured it was wry neck, and as it was around 10PM, I broke open some selenium and vitamin e capsules I had on hand and put some in her food and created a mash. She would not eat the mash off of a spoon and I couldn’t get her to take any water from a dropper/syringe. I put her in a trap cage so the other hens couldn’t peck her, but that seemed to stress all the hens out as they started making a sound that really sounded like a scream and kept pecking my ankles. She walks around the food and water that’s in the chicks enclosure but I have no idea if she’s eating or drinking. I plan on buy nutridrench after work, but do y’all have any tips on how I can get her to take food and water?

 

[Wicked Storm]

I have six Rhode Island Red chicks who are about five weeks old. Monday, I notice one hen seemed to be super focused on her feet (I.e keeping her head down to her chest and rubbing her head back and forth) but after a couple of minutes, she straightened up and I didn’t see her doing it again. Tuesday, she gets into the food dispenser twice while I’m at work. She does it again when I’m home and I’m able to lift her out and set her back on her feet. She falls over on the ground with her head trapped under her body. I help get her back on her feet and she now can’t stand up straight at all. She keeps her head down to her chest, almost between her feet, and walks backwards. I figured it was wry neck, and as it was around 10PM, I broke open some selenium and vitamin e capsules I had on hand and put some in her food and created a mash. She would not eat the mash off of a spoon and I couldn’t get her to take any water from a dropper/syringe. I put her in a trap cage so the other hens couldn’t peck her, but that seemed to stress all the hens out as they started making a sound that really sounded like a scream and kept pecking my ankles. She walks around the food and water that’s in the chicks enclosure but I have no idea if she’s eating or drinking. I plan on buy nutridrench after work, but do y’all have any tips on how I can get her to take food and water?

If you lightly press on her beak in between your two fingers, it opens their mouth. You may need someone to hold her or her head, and slide it down her throat, make sure it’s on the left side so it does not hit the trachea which is where they breathe. I’m not sure if it’s wry neck, I can do a little research and try to help you on that too

 

[rla15]

If you lightly press on her beak in between your two fingers, it opens their mouth. You may need someone to hold her or her head, and slide it down her throat, make sure it’s on the left side so it does not hit the trachea which is where they breathe. I’m not sure if it’s wry neck, I can do a little research and try to help you on that too

I feel absolutely terrible cause I couldn’t get any food or water down her last night and it’ll be this evening before I’m off work and I’m able to try again, I hope she’s been able to eat some on her own. This is the first time I’ve ever had this happen to a chick so I’m not entirely sure how much it’s affected her ability to eat and drink

 

[Wicked Storm]

I feel absolutely terrible cause I couldn’t get any food or water down her last night and it’ll be this evening before I’m off work and I’m able to try again, I hope she’s been able to eat some on her own. This is the first time I’ve ever had this happen to a chick so I’m not entirely sure how much it’s affected her ability to eat and drink

Don’t feel terrible you tried! Most people don’t recommend shoving a syringe down a birds throat (unless it’s an emergency) if they’re unsure of what they’re doing because it’s dangerous because of the trachea. Hopefully she’s eaten some

 

[rla15]

Don’t feel terrible you tried! Most people don’t recommend shoving a syringe down a birds throat (unless it’s an emergency) if they’re unsure of what they’re doing because it’s dangerous because of the trachea. Hopefully she’s eaten some

Kind of an update, I really appreciate the advice and feedback! Vet didn’t have high hopes for her, but after the visit, I got her back into her own box with Nutridrench for chicks in her water and vitamin e and selenium in her food. She was doing super well and holding her head up and eating on her own, but as soon as I turned the lights off (they’re still inside) she started tucking her head and walking backwards. Vet thought she could go outside as long as I kept her in her own space so I’m hoping maybe getting some direct sunlight will help. I’ve got them set up by a window with a lamp for additional lighting but maybe they’re getting too much artificial light

 

[Wicked Storm]

Did the vet say what it could possibly be?

 

[rla15]

Did the vet say what it could possibly be?

He thought potentially something wrong with her vestibular system or just wry neck that presented super weird. He actually called another vet to get his opinion and if she dies, I’m supposed to send her to a pathologist at a university. The other vet hadn’t seen wry neck present like that either

 

[Wicked Storm]

He thought potentially something wrong with her vestibular system or just wry neck that presented super weird. He actually called another vet to get his opinion and if she dies, I’m supposed to send her to a pathologist at a university. The other vet hadn’t seen wry neck present like that either

It does sound strange being that it happens when the lights off instead of when the light is on

 

[rla15]

It does sound strange being that it happens when the lights off instead of when the light is on

I tried looking it up but can’t find anything where light would affect her considering wry neck is usually a vitamin deficiency. I may see about giving her some vitamin d since I can’t really let her loose in the run safely. I’m really hoping she pulls through, she’s moving around with her head up and eating during the day but at night she goes back to stumbling around