Twisted neck appeared in 3 week old chick, still twisted but functional at 6 weeks. Doesn't seem as severe as wry neck. Please help. He's beautiful.

[halefamily_flock]

I have a 6 week old cockerel who seemed normal for 2-3 weeks, although he did seem to be a little shy or deferential to other chicks (maybe it was just a slightly crooked neck that made it look like he was "bowing"). Then, I noticed his neck was twisted, making his head point to the right. He has struggled a bit with balance, and sometimes misses the mark when trying to fly up to a roost. But he's eating and drinking, even challenging other cockerels to chest bump-type challenges from time to time. He is cautious, but free ranging with 40 other chicks (none of whom are showing any similar symptoms). The chicks have all been roosting (vs. cuddle puddling) for the past 3 nights. The first night, he was the only chick that stayed on the ground. The 2nd night he flew up and got sort of stuck on some hardware cloth I have up to keep the chicks out of nesting boxes, so I picked him up & placed him on a roosting bar. Tonight, he selected one of the lower roosting bars and got up there himself. I have been observing him closely the last few days, and when he preens, he can move his neck to the left occasionally, with some effort. Other than looking like a hunch back and moving his whole body in circles, rather than turning his neck to see what's around him, he's acting mostly like a normal chick.

Any thoughts on what might have caused it or what can be done? He's been eating chick starter and also free ranging (for the last week). I found articles on wry neck that talked about vitamin deficiencies. But how could he be the only one with such a deficiency, if he's getting a full crop and none of the other 40 chicks are affected?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I do think it is likely wry neck and needs to be treated with Selenium and Vitamin E. (Search BYC for dosages).

It is easy for one to be affected. That hen may have been marginal in her vitamins with that particular egg, so he was likely hatched a bit deficient.

His body might not process the vitamins as well as the others.

At any rate, it is well worth treating as wry neck to see if that is possibly what it is. Otherwise, it may be a deformity from hatch. Sometimes if they take a bit long to hatch, their neck bones can fuse in a twisted shape.

My thoughts.
LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

...and I just re-read and saw this didn't crop up until 3 weeks (not from hatch position).

Definitely consider wry neck with vitamin deficiency.
LofMc

 

[halefamily_flock]

...and I just re-read and saw this didn't crop up until 3 weeks (not from hatch position).

Definitely consider wry neck with vitamin deficiency.
LofMc

Thank you for the reply! I looked at natural sources and it looks like Cinnamon would be a great supplement and would be really easy to add to starter crumble.

 

[halefamily_flock]

My little guy seems to be doing better. I've added cinnamon to several of the chick feeders for extra vitamin E, although I think he had already started to recover, based on nutrition from free ranging.

These videos were taken a few days after the above photos. His neck is twisted to the right, and he tends to go in clockwise circles to look around. He basically does everything a normal chick does, including roosting (on one of the lower rungs) and picking fights with other little cockerels (only if they are low in pecking order). He just looks like a hunch back and spins to the right a lot. I've named him Spinner.

He is preening to the left now, with some effort.