silkie is twisting over backwards and upside down, udate Please help:(

[luvarabhorses]

Hi Marla, I guess based on what has worked for other people it isn't a bacterial infection like a botulism that would cause paralytic side effects?? I guess when I gave my hen doxycycline pills I thought that was the reason. She is ameracauna /cochin so I can't relate it to her bone structure. Just throwing this out there in case someone wants to try it down the line. I gave her 1 100mg pill twice a day for a week. this is a ton of antibiotics for her size.
Also, i know what you mean about communication with men, I work things out in my head before I speak and Phil just says them. I instantaneously tell him why (most of the time) his thought won't work. Love the man, he puts up with me!!!
Lisa

 

[dlhunicorn]

Here is the link to several articles listing the various causes of this symptom:
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=emergencies&action=display&num=1160928615

When you have a crested breed (particularly silkies) then it is often due to head injury which sometimes necessitates the use of prednisone (to reduce inflammation of the brain) ... Alan Stanfords article (and some additional info) is listed as "... due to head injury"

 

[M@M@2four]

Sorry...just came across this post and not sure if this is too late, but wanted throw in my 2 cents. Silkies are known for "wry neck" which is a vitamin deficiency. I own lots of silkies and have had this happen before a couple times--twisting neck, flipping over on back, etc. This can be easily treated with Poly-Visol Drops for infants--you can buy these anywhere--walmart, Rite-aid, grocery store, etc. I move the chick/chicken away from the others so not to get trampled on while in this state and then hold the head up right and administer a half a dropper full 2x a day for the first day and then a half a dropper full for about a week or until symptoms are completely gone and they are standing upright again. Sorry if this is too late!!! Good luck!

 

[MarlaKaye]

no not too late, Susie is doing much better, and your post is just what I needed to bring all my experience and research together with a conclusion. I believe Silkie Susies problems are just exactly as you say. I have been administering vitamins and they seemed to do the trick. I wll get the poly Vit next time I go to walmart, or send someone for them asap. I want to have it on hand should this happen again. This has been miserable, yet quite the learning expecience for me.

Also for those of you who are fimailar with the crainial abnormality in Silkies... What do you think about mixing silkies in the yard with my other bantams? Will they peck on thier heads and is this dangerous for the silkies? Has anyone had Silikes turn up dead after integrating them with the small backyard flock?
Grateful for all your input, MarlaKaye

 

[M@M@2four]

Quote:
Oh, glad to hear it! I got worried when I didn't hear back from you! Yes, keep up with the vitamins until all is clear and she is standing upright and acting normal again(as normal as a silkie can be, of course!)

The polyvisol is something I always keep on hand. The only thing is you have to be careful when dripping it down the throat to hold their head upright so they don't choke or it doesn't go down the wrong pipe!

As fas as free ranging yoru silkies, unfortunately they don't free range well because of their fluff. This makes them a perfect snack for an overhead predator. They also tend to get picked on and pecked at by other kinds of chickens. I am in the process of building a small outside pen for them that's enclosed--something that they can go out to, but will keep them protected from predators and other chickens. I plan to get aviary netting or some sort of substitute to drape over the top of their pen to keep anythin from swooping down.
Hope this info helps! Good luck!

 

[kycklingmamma]

Hi MarlaKaye,

i am so sorry to hear about your silkie, but there are treaments to be had. We just went through this with our Runner Duckling and couldn't find any info on it.
In my despair I decided to call Dr Peter Brown at First State Vet ( I google that) and he told me that it si not very common with ducks, very common however with Silkies. It is called Wry Neck, and they get it from vitamin deficiency, especially Vitamin E. I was told to give our duckling 1) 400 i.u capsule of vitamin E 3-4 times daily. Just punture the tip of the capsule with a needle and squirt the contents into her mouth.
We started this friday night and did 4 treatments yesterday and her neck is almost straight...amazing. She was so bad off that if I put her in a tub of water her head was halfway submerged under water. a very scary sight, she wouldn't/ couldn't walk straight, only walked in circles.
I hope this gives you some info that might be helpful, give it a try, it won't harm her.


Kindly, Petra

 

[dlhunicorn]

borderline deficiencies are often present without anyone being the wiser... it is only when something else comes along (environmental, parasitic, disease or injury) that the deficiency becomes symptomatic. There are also several non-deficiency related factors that can produce neurological symptoms (of which crook/wry neck is the most common) and the vitE/selenium/vitB will help prevent permanent damage (as well as treat any present deficiency). I think it is necessary to supplement their feed with a general complete and balanced (so all is in the correct ratio to each other) vitamin/nutritional supplement regularly irregardless of whether they are showing signs of deficiency or not.
For those who are dealing with a head injury and have found the prednisone necessary be warned that you MUST very very slowly ease off the amount given till you can stop. If stopped too quickly the symptom will come back worse than before. Dont expect your bird to recover within a short time (like a week or so) On average it will take at least six weeks and sometimes even a couple months. If you are dealing with a malabsorption issue (several things can cause the bird to be unable to absorb the nutrients from the feed properly) then supplements may be needed for a half year.