OEGB Roo acting odd

[mrwoodboat]

Today I was given a small mixed flock of chickens and there is an OEGB roo that has what I believe is wry neck- it seems to get around fine if it does not see you watching- I saw it drinking and eating ok, but when you get close, it drops and starts twisting its head around on its back.

I have the flock in quarantine before I introduce them to my flock. My question is this just a genetic defect with the one bird or is this something that could be commutable to my flock. I feel that I should cull this bird but would like some input first.

All birds are 2014 hatch and appear to be healthy except this one roo- its a shame too as he is a beautiful silver duckwing color...the other OEGB roo is nice but not as pretty as the one with the neck twisting.

 

[StephensonC]

Sometimes a vitamin deficiency can cause wry neck. Do you have any poultry vitamins? It comes in a powder form, and most feed stores carry it. If it is just a vitamin deficiency, it is easily fixed.

Also, I'm trying to picture the way you described he is moving his neck. Do you mean his head drops in close to his body and face turns around as if facing his tail? Sometimes, they will extend their neck out and back (don't know how else to describe it), in order to move food down to their crop. My OEGB does this when he eats bread.

 

[mrwoodboat]

He throws his head straight back (like it is resting on his back) then begins go around in circles. During this time, he is laying flat on the ground. I will add some vits and some electrolytes tomorrow and see if there is any improvement. Thanks

 

[Eggcessive]

The most important vitamins for wry neck or torticolis, are vitamin B1 (thiamine,) vitamin E, and selenium, a mineral found in eggs, meat, tuna, salmon, nuts, and sunflower seeds. Wryneck can be asign of vitamin deficiency, head or neck injury, or from common poultry diseases that can causeinflammation in the brain. Look up "crook neck chicken" on Google, and red both the brown egg blue egg and the our eggblogspot links for info.