Twisting Head and Rocking

[Llg681]

Well she’s been struggling for hours. You can loosen it a little and hold her in a reassuring way and talk to her so she knows you’re trying to help.
She should settle down.


What do you mean by heaving.
Breathing heavily or vomiting?

Breathing heavily

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My hen is a barred rock, she is about 9 months old. This has been happening since Tuesday but getting worse. We have been to two vets and BOTH have no idea what's wrong with her. She drinks water with help, and some food with the water. Her poop is semi regular, yellow diarrhea and normal mixed. Does not make a sound. Breathing out of her mouth. None of my other chickens are ill. Too weak to hold up her head, can control her wings and legs, but too tired to stand. View attachment 1666965

Her neck is extremely contorted. I try to help her straighten it and it just knots itself up again. Twists around and goes into her chest, then she lays on it. The vet said it's not mareks disease

The site will not let me post video for some reason. No moldy feed. We have really warm weather here all of a sudden so our best guess was she got into something with bacteria, but her stool came back clean from vet.

I forgot, vet said she has an upper respiratory infection, she definitely could have eaten something from water.

Ok I swaddled her. She freaked out at first and stretched her neck for the first time trying to get away, but shes laying now. Her breath is kinda noisy. She seems like shes gasping

Shes heaving now....

You swaddled her, but now she is heaving? Can you explain that a little bit more?
A photo of how you have her swaddled would be good.
You can't make it too tight, she needs to be able to breath.

The vet said she had a respiratory infection? Can you tell us what antibiotics were prescribed? Did the vet find infection in the ears too? Any canker inside the beak?

I agree, she has Wry Neck, but that is a symptom from an underlying condition. Treatment would be as described in previous posts. Vitamin E and B-complex.

If being swaddled is distressing her, then undo it. Place her in a box, with some rolled up towels to prop her up - see if that helps.

You can try holding her as shown in the video to get water and feed into her.

 

[staceyj]

You’ve done an awesome job so far.
You’ve been super brave.
She knows you love her.
I know it’s very hard when they are sick. It makes us feel helpless.
Sometimes making sure they feel safe and secure is the best and only thing we can do for them unless you feel like the best thing to do is to end her suffering and either feel comfortable doing it yourself or have someone who could do it for you.

If you can wait until morning I know your vet would help to with that.

No one would judge you here either way. We are here to support.

Personally, I would hold her, gently swaddled for a while and see what happens. If she settles down and falls asleep you can try to prop her in a position similar to how you were holding her.

If she makes it tonight, I’d call your vet in the morning and ask to talk to him/her about wry neck in addition to her other issues. He may be able to give her something faster acting than the treatments typically suggested here.

 

[micstrachan]

I’m so sorry she’s having so much trouble.

Does anyone think it might be good to try making some sort of soft collar to help hold her head up so she can rest? Like a piece of foam or a rolled up sock like people use to make big hair buns?

Having suggested that, I think if she is weak, stressing her out could make things worse.

Thoughts?

 

[micstrachan]

Sorry, and I forgot to say, I agree a soft, loving, reassuring touch and soothing voice would probably be best for her right now.

 

[WunnySharbit]

Do you have/have you had raccoons near your coop? Baylisascaris infection can cause brain edema. This symptom is rare, and, I think, can only be diagnosed with a blood test. Most animals are asymptomatic.
(It is zoonotic)
If she passes , you could have her examined by a local vet university, or ??? Others watching this thread have more experience with this info.

 

[staceyj]

I’m so sorry she’s having so much trouble.

Does anyone think it might be good to try making some sort of soft collar to help hold her head up so she can rest? Like a piece of foam or a rolled up sock like people use to make big hair buns?

Having suggested that, I think if she is weak, stressing her out could make things worse.

Thoughts?

I see where you’re going with that. Like a neck donut!
I really like the idea but don’t know if it would make her panic worse.

 

[azygous]

Can I butt in here real quick?

I'm going to suggest to the OP that they pop a vitamin E and a B-complex tab into her beak right away on the chance that it might start to have a mitigating effect on her twisted neck issue, thus reducing her panic.

 

[staceyj]

Can I butt in here real quick?

I'm going to suggest to the OP that they pop a vitamin E and a B-complex tab into her beak right away on the chance that it might start to have a mitigating effect on her twisted neck issue, thus reducing her panic.

I agree if she has it on hand, and if she can get her to swallow it.
Fingers crossed.
Any suggestion there @azygous ?
I just got the “lights-out grumpy face” from DH.

 

[micstrachan]

I see where you’re going with that. Like a neck donut!
I really like the idea but don’t know if it would make her panic worse.

Right. And if she’s on the edge, OP does not want to push her over. Hard to know.

But if she could rest easier...