Neck Issue

[Nicole_Hutchison]

My poor 11-12 week old pullet has an issue with her neck. Sone days her neck is all the way to the ground and she just looks sick/exhausted! What can I do to help?

I was going to give her vitamins but then I noticed this morning one of her toes on each foot is starting to curl. Is this a sign she is dying or a sign of another type of disease?

She is currently isolated.

 

[FeatherTay]

That’s wry neck. @Wyorp Rock can you help

 

[Nicole_Hutchison]

I see this suggestion in another thread : “Try vitamin therapy. Give 400IU Vitamin E, 1/4 tablet B-Complex and egg daily. This is in addition to her eating a nutritionally balanced poultry feed free choice.”

 

[Katanahamon]

My poor 11-12 week old pullet has an issue with her neck. Sone days her neck is all the way to the ground and she just looks sick/exhausted! What can I do to help?

I was going to give her vitamins but then I noticed this morning one of her toes on each foot is starting to curl. Is this a sign she is dying or a sign of another type of disease?

She is currently isolated.

Hmm..maybe more experienced ppl have seen this, if it’s vitamin related I’d give a double dose for a couple days, if you have any B complex I’d give that too.I wonder if it’s neurological..I initially clicked because..I thought with no good reason to that it was a human neck issue because I have three sets of hardware in my own neck..! Torticollis can be caused in chicks rarely by vitamin E or B1 thiamine deficienc..are they on medicated feed? That can prevent B1 absorption..it can also be caused by a blow to the head or neck..aspirin may be helpful..I’m getting this from Gail Damerow’s book Chicken Health Handbook..

 

[FeatherTay]

I see this suggestion in another thread : “Try vitamin therapy. Give 400IU Vitamin E, 1/4 tablet B-Complex and egg daily. This is in addition to her eating a nutritionally balanced poultry feed free choice.”

Sounds about right to me. Maybe @sourland can be of service?

 

[Nicole_Hutchison]

I love the quick, reliable feedback from this group. Thank you! And yes, she has had a mix of medicated and non-medicated feed

 

[Eggcessive]

She does seem to have wry neck. That is a neurological symptom that can be due to a head injury, vitamin E or B 1 thiamine deficiency, and is also seen in certain diseases. Toes curling under can be a sign of riboflavin (B2) deficiency, but wry neck and curled toes can also be an early sign of Mareks disease. Hopefully, she will improve with vitamins E 400 IU and B complex /4 tablet daily. Make sure that she is drinking enough water and eating, or she will need to be hand fed.

 

[Katanahamon]

As for the toe..
CURLY TOE PARALYSIS Other Names: Curled-toe Paralysis Curly toe paralysis presents as inward curling of the toes on the chicken's feet, which impairs their ability to walk. Affected birds may be seen walking or resting on their hocks. The condition occurs when the sciatic nerves are damaged. The two most common causes of this condition in chicks are Marek's disease and riboflavin (Vitamin B2) deficiency. Riboflavin is one of the vitamins most likely to be deficient in commercial chicken feeds. Only a few feedstuffs fed to chickens contain enough riboflavin to meet the requirements of young growing chicks or breeding hens producing eggs to be hatched. Feeds which utilize corn or soybean meal as the primary ingredient are more likely to be deficient in riboflavin. Riboflavin is easily destroyed upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays or sunlight. Therefore if chickens are fed outside the portion of the feed exposed to light won't contain much riboflavin. Chicks with curly toe paralysis will slowly develop progressive symmetrical paresis and weakness. Affected chicks soon become reluctant to move, followed by intermittent flexing and inward curling of toes. Without use of the legs, the muscles in the legs will start to atrophy and may eventually extend outward out from underneath the body of the chick. During advanced stages of this condition, chicks are seen more frequently resting on their hocks, trying to walk as little as possible. It is at this later stage that chicks are at high risk of death from starvation, due to inability to reach food or water sources, or from getting trampled on by other chicks.

See more at: http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/curly-toed-paralysis

Whether it’s all the same both neck and toes, vitamin related (better that than Marek’s..) or not, extra B vitamins can’t hurt, and can’t be overdosed as they are amongst the water soluble vitamins..

 

[Nicole_Hutchison]

She does seem to have wry neck. That is a neurological symptom that can be due to a head injury, vitamin E or B 1 thiamine deficiency, and is also seen in certain diseases. Toes curling under can be a sign of riboflavin (B2) deficiency, but wry neck and curled toes can also be an early sign of Mareks disease. Hopefully, she will improve with vitamins E 400 IU and B complex /4 tablet daily. Make aure that she is drinking enough water and eating, or she will need to be hand fed.

Will do. I think I have some B complex at home. Thx you!

 

[Katanahamon]

Will do. I think I have some B complex at home. Thx you!

And..so sorry..it’s really difficult to see the little ones suffer. I lost one of mine, the only yellow chick in my batch, a Buff Orpington to a failure to thrive starting about four weeks..it was awful..so, my sympathies. I hope ‘she‘ gets better..!