Something wrong with my silkie. Head shaking and nervous tic, HELP !

[beameuplord]

Last week I noticed my silkie chick about 4 mos old was jerking it's neck to the right and shaking it's head. It is eating and seems healthy other wise. but this morning I noticed that the hen is starting to shake her head too. Could this be some sort of parasite?

TJ

 

[jeaucamom]

There is a common silkie issue called wry neck among other names. I believe it is mostly a vitamin E deficiency. Do a search using the button on the blue line above and you will find tons of info on it and lots of good advice for treating. Good luck, Suz

 

[beameuplord]

I'm an idiot. What blue button ? I can't find the link !
TJ

 

[dlhunicorn]

So the mama hen as well as the chickie is doing this? What are you feeding them? How do you have it stored? Just in case it is feed related I would get a completely new sack of feed and check around their housing and run for any damp (do you have them on straw or hay? is it really dry?
>>> also look for any loose or missed grains or crumbles of feed that might be old or damp ) Clean everything and replace bedding material if necessary (this way you eliminate that as a possibility for the neurological symptom)
Now that that has been dealt with here is my collected articles on crook neck symptom (first link) and the second link is the one direct to the treatment article when the symptom is caused by head injury (second link)
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=emergencies&action=display&num=1160928615

http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=casestudiesemergencies&action=display&num=1160927052

 

[beameuplord]

thanks so much dhlunicorn for the info and the really great link. I don't know if she has crook nick or not. Right now she will jerk her neck several times to the right several times like a nervous tic then shake her head.

I feed them a mixture of cracked corn, oats, and there is a white seed that I can't think of the name of that I mix in. they love table scrapes so they get bits of corn, green beans, sliced tomato, potatoes, cooked carrots, grits, cabbage, thins slices of lunch meat occasionally and sometimes a few bites of spam, livermush or other meat. It is never a lot. I have four chickens and I only throw out a handful of scraps several times a day. But there may be something I am giving them that is not good for them.

I do need to change their bedding. they sleep on a pile of hay/straw in my bunny lot and it has been so bitter cold her lately that I have neglected to change it this week. Perhaps she has pecked at some stale food that was spilled in the straw. And the rooster could have pecked her on the head and caused some damage.

I am not sure if the hen is doing the same thing but i justs noticed her shaking her head this morning and they are holding up one leg. I haven't noticed them doing that before but it could be because the ground is so cold?

thanks again for the info. I jsut can't stand when my babies are not normal. Animals are great until they get sick, then I am ready to give up.
TJ