Ten month old JG pullet with wry neck

[Eggcessive]

There are a lot of cases of wry neck with head injuries, but many cases in chickens under a year old can be a symptom of Mareks disease. Vitamin deficiencies that cause wry neck are usually seen more with incomplete diets, or in young chicks after hatch. Can you tell us how she is doing? Is she walking around or still having balance issues?

 

[ronott1]

There are a lot of cases of wry neck with head injuries, but many cases in chickens under a year old can be a symptom of Mareks disease. Vitamin deficiencies that cause wry neck are usually seen more with incomplete diets, or in young chicks after hatch. Can you tell us how she is doing? Is she walking around or still having balance issues?

There is a lab test for mareks. Feathers are sent in for the exam.

This place has some tests

fecal float test: https://www.statelinetack.com/item/...epperjam&publisherId=21181&clickId=2464987830

Contact a lab that is close here to see if they will do a mail in test for mareks:

http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm
Thread with lab links: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/mareks-testing-in-living-birds.1206105/

 

[Eggcessive]

There is also a blood serum test here for about $20 here:
http://www.vetdna.com/This is a good thing to do if you want to know if Mareks is the problem before deciding to cull or not.

A necropsy in CA is a very good value, because they can test for other diseases besides Mareks. Chickens with Mareks often have problems with immunity, and may be more prone to common infections and diseases since they have low white blodd cell counts.

 

[Trevorusn]

She was ambling around actively this morning, no limb paralysis and she flaps her wings well. She only moves awkwardly due to how her head and neck are. I see no discharge from her eyes, beak, anywhere.

 

[Trevorusn]

There are a lot of cases of wry neck with head injuries, but many cases in chickens under a year old can be a symptom of Mareks disease. Vitamin deficiencies that cause wry neck are usually seen more with incomplete diets, or in young chicks after hatch. Can you tell us how she is doing? Is she walking around or still having balance issues?

So given our winter weather, lack of sun and lack of outside foraging, and possible genetic disposition being a hatchery chick, has made me hopeful that this is just a deficiency. Could a rough mating have caused this?

 

[Trevorusn]

I also read on past posts here about injections healing wry neck incredibly quickly, any substance to this??

 

[Eggcessive]

What kind of injections? You might try some aspirin 81 mg once or twice a day orally or in some food for it’s anti-inflammatory effects. A vet might try some prednisolone if you could take her in. Any kind of an injury could be possible. There is no way to get an answer for what caused it, except that it is also seen in some infectious diseases.

 

[Trevorusn]

What kind of injections? You might try some aspirin 81 mg once or twice a day orally or in some food for it’s anti-inflammatory effects. A vet might try some prednisolone if you could take her in. Any kind of an injury could be possible. There is no way to get an answer for what caused it, except that it is also seen in some infectious diseases.

I know, just that I hear Marek's and I start getting nervous. I believe the injections were Vitamin B I'll dig up the links tonight and post them here. Aspirin, didn't think of that, thank you! I'll try it tonight or tomorrow, as for the prednisone that may be difficult as I am not sure where, if any, poultry vets are nearby. One more thing to research!

 

[Eggcessive]

Well you are giving vitamin B complex tablets daily, so the injectable would not do anything more in my opinion.

 

[Trevorusn]

So this is what she looks like. She gets tired eating but once on her legs will move and even try to preen herself and straighten her neck. I started giving Bayer chewable aspirin, and she even ate several sunflower seeds with assistance versus me putting them directly into her mouth. She even crushed them in her beak! We added some water to the applesauce/egg mix, she ate a spoon and a half vigorously tonight, and ate roughly 2 or three this morning with some gusto. Praying she is on the path to recovery.