Polish chick with possible wry neck

[jsullivan704]

So i have some polish and silkie chicks right now, around 8 weeks old. Back when they were around 2 weeks I had a polish chick that almost died, like it wouldn't even lift its head up refused to eat or drink. I spent days nursing it back to health, expecting to find it dead every time I would check on it. Somehow it pulled through. Then about a week ago that same poor chick now is twisting its head backwards and walking in a circle. I looked up all about wry neck, im assuming thats what it is but it doesn't ever twist its head upside down only backwards. Like an owl. It walks around and eats and drinks fine, it'll twist its head the right way to look around and everything else. But then itll twist its head right back behind.

I've given it vitamin E tablets all week, separated it to reduce stress, and even attempted to massage its neck like some people suggested... I thought it was getting better but it hasn't. I just don't know what to do, I don't want it to get worse and it to die. I've spent so much time taking care of this poor chick, i couldn't stand to lose her. Any suggestions?

In the picture you can kind of see what it does, most of the time it's even more backwards than that. It walks in circles. But it never like turns its head upside down like i see other peoples chicks with wry neck doing. I have to assume its from injury? I don't know what to do at this point.

 

[azygous]

It's likely wry neck, and vitamin E oil capsules 400iu minimum one per day with a sliver of selenium is the treatment.

At 8 weeks, chicks no longer need a heat source. If you still have them under a heat lamp, I suggest you turn it off now.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sometimes thaimine or B1 deficiency is a cause of wry neck, so in addition to the E, I would give a vitamin that contains B1 thiamine, or use some B complex tablets 1/4 daily crushed onto some food. Selenium is easily given in some cooked egg, tuna, or sunflower seed, and only a small amount is needed to help with the E utilization. Wry neck is a neurological symptom, and can be a sign of head injury, can be hereditary, vitamin B1 or E deficiency, and is sometimes a symptom of certain diseases, such as Mareks and some others.