NEWBIE! NEED HELP! Wry Neck in 6 week old???

[laurenm83]

Hmm... I think I will try these vitamins polyvisol tomorrow. I hop I can help this guy. The only difference between the stories I've read and this guy is that he doesn't walk or stand up AT ALL. If you set up up and let go he just falls over to the side and freaks out. His neck sounds just like this wry neck, though.

I really hope I haven't taken too long to find this remedy for him...

He is only 3 days old though, but I don't know much about chickens.

 

[emilyweck]

I'm a newbie too and what I did is just get some vitamin E softgels (200IU). I cut the gel tab at the end and actually squeezed it on her beak. Do a little at a time so they can swallow it when it runs down the beak. I did this 2-3 times a day, but for your little guy I would do a little less. Glenda Heywood is like the chicken guru and she even had a recipe for this with a polyvisol (sp.) vitamin used with a dropper. However, I didn't use that but two times since I got information that the Vit. A countered the Vit. E.

If you do a search for Wry Neck, I think Glenda's info will pop up. However, the Vit. E really did the trick for me.

Good luck and keep us posted on how it goes.

 

[ZooMummzy]

This is my little girl Ava with her neck in the twisted under position:

And how she looks when she pulls herself out of it:

I can tell she still holds it differently than before the neck problem started, but her neck twists a lot less now and she is able to pull herself out of it quickly. I would say after 3 days of vitamins (squirt of B, selenium and 3 vitamin E gel caps a day + avia charge) she is at 90+%. She spent last night with her brooder friends and did just fine. She cannot roost on the pole, which infuriates her, but she is doing much better being with them. When she was separated, her neck twisted a lot more and she seemed way more agitated. Maybe the two are related? I don't know, but vitamins definitely helped her.

 

[ZooMummzy]

Had a set back last night so feeling a little down this morning. Last night when we checked on Ava, she was happy but holding her neck twisted and not able to pull out of it. I have separated her again and am just going to have to leave her separated I guess. I don't think it is anything the others did to her, just the ups and downs of this problem. She is still eating and drinking so I am thankful. I so want her to live a normal chicken life. It is just killing me.

How is everyone else doing?

 

[emilyweck]

Quote:
I'm sorry about that! I think you're right. She probably just got stressed being in the big girl environment. Mine is still separated, too. I tried last night but the minute I walked away from the coop there was massive feathers flying and the alpha was all over her. I moved her back inside, GRRRRR. I feel like she'll never fit in with them. Maybe I'm too attached to her. Like today we were outside and I had food in my hand. I knelt down by her and she started eating out of my hand. Then Barbara, my 15 week EE, came up behind her and starting picking out her feathers. I shooed Barbara away and picked up Squirt. Am I messing too much with the pecking order? Every time I try and let them free range together, Barbara will peck and pick at Squirt and Squirt just comes running over to me. Even if I'm clear around the corner. I think I'm kind of in trouble with this whole thing. Seriously.

Ava looks adorable! I have no doubt she will live a normal chicken life. If you look at the big picture, it's only been 4-5 days of vitamins. Doctors make us take our med's atleast that long. Just keep up the routine and hopefully she'll pull out of it to a point where she is as functional as she wants to be. You're doing great!

 

[ZooMummzy]

Thank you, I guess I needed a pep talk this morning

Yes, it has only been 4-5 days and so many others say it has taken weeks, even a month or more. I just get too impatient. I am not too worried about the pecking order yet as she is only 7 weeks old and only been in with her brooder mates. The real test will be if she does pull through this how she is treated by my already established flock when they all go outside next month. It is so hard seeing her not be able to roost and peck for very long without her neck twisting. She was the first one to figure out how to roost and was so proud of it.

I knew I was in trouble the second day with this one, lol. I already have a house chicken, a banty with a spraddled leg from last season, so it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but I really wanted her to go out and enjoy the world. If anything, I am diligent and do not give up, so I will keep trying.

Thank you for the pep talk. It helped! Is your girl's neck still as wry?

 

[emilyweck]

Currently Squirt is not as bad. She had a set back, too. Actually it was just two days ago she was dang near her original state. I just continued the routine and when I got back from work she was fine again.

I was cracking up hearing about your "house" chicken. Oh my gosh! You remind me of myself!

 

[ZooMummzy]

I just noticed we are neighbors

I am glad your girl is doing better. I think I did a bad thing by thinking she needed to be with the others. It probably was too much stress even though she was happier than being just alone. One day at a time. I have two cats on meds now too, so she has just become part of my morning and night med routine, lol.

I am a total sucker for the hard luck cases. I even told my local feed store if any come in with bad legs etc, just to call me if no one else in the area will take them. There are a few of us who do each year. Here are the threads of my Quincy girl. She thinks she is a cat since that is the only animal she has lived around her whole life

It's funny, they will start crying and meowing and she will start her chirping, trying to mimic them.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=53673&p=1

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=57228

 

[emilyweck]

We are neighbors...didn't even see that.

Your Quincy is so ADORABLE! She actually rings a bell? I read the other posts you had and saw that. That's really funny that she hangs with the cats. Your "zoomummzy"name fits you to a T!

Glad you have a supportive hubby!

 

[NotTheMomma]

Eeyore is about the same. I haven't seperated her from the gang. She has two chicks she hangs around with and does her thing. I've noticed she lays down a lot though. Continuing with the Vit E and liquid vitamins with hope that it will help. I give her physical therapy twice a day. Gently massaging her neck and back muscles until the neck is straight. It goes back crooked though. Doesn't twist the neck onto her back or under her. Just in that darn Z shape which makes her look the the left all the time. I was hopeful two days ago when I saw her move the head to the right and preen her feathers on that wing! She spent 15 mins cleaning the right side of her body!!! That was something she hasn't been able to do. Also noticed that one wing is lower than the other, but I'm sure it's coming from the twisted vertebra.

Why if its vitamin related would she be the only one out of 31 chicks to have this? I keep thinking it might be better to cull her.