Weird Twisted Neck on Adolescent Chick / Cannot Stretch Out Neck

[VA from WV]

Get the B-complex and put a LOT in her water. B will flush through their system and out if not used, so it is not dangerous like fat solubles like D and E.

If you can give her a sub-cutaneous shot of the stuff, you'll get it there faster, but I pull it out in a syringe and shoot it into the water supply too.

 

[htollvr]

Thank you. Based on the picture, does it look like that's what she has? The thiamine deficiency? Also, is there a reason she might have it but the other two don't? I've got two males and they're fine — healthy as anything.

Can I use a human vitamin? The Tractor Supply doesn't have anything but a chicken multi-vitamin.

I'm stalling because, in addition to everything else, both of my girls have H1N1, and my husband isn't with us here. So I can't just run out and get what I need. Very frustrating.

 

[The Chickens' Maid]

Have you tried threehorses? She's very good in chicken medical issues!

 

[ruth]

Give her Poly-Vi-Sol (liquid baby vitamin/supplement) and Vitamin E capsule. Cut the top off a Vitamin E gel cap and squeeze out the contents for her to eat. Give Poly-Vi-Sol drops, 2-3 drops twice a day or add a dropperful of Poly-Vi-Sol to a shallow dish of water (I use jar lids).

She looks and sounds like my Ruth who had a horribly twisted neck but recovered.

 

[htollvr]

Thanks. I will try that. I did buy regular B1, crushed it, and put it with water in a dropper. I force fed her that this morning, so we'll see how she does. I'll see when I can get out to get the other vitamins. It's tough with two girls with H1N1. Can't get out and run around like I'd like to. How long did your chicken have the twisted neck before you treated her? How long before the treatment started to take effect?

Thanks,

Heidi

 

[ruth]

You'll probably have to give the vitamins and E for about a week, maybe a little longer to see results. Then you'll need to continue it for a week at least to be sure she's over the hump. Also feed scrambled egg, diced up fresh spinach, shredded cheese - all rich in vitamins - especially any diced up greens (real greens not lettuce) which are rich in vitamins.

Best of luck.

Ruth was only about 4 weeks old when I found her "dead" and being trampled by the other chicks. There's a page about her on my personal pages and a thread as well. Her neck always had a little turn to it but she could straighten it.

 

[htollvr]

Thanks. This gives me a lot of encouragement. Goldie is much older, probably about three months now, but since I forced the B1 into her, it seems that perhaps she's puffier. I bought a heating pad and put it under a cat carrier with hay inside for warmth, then put her outside under the rabbit cage top to protect her from the boys.

She does noticeably better when she's outside with them. She really perks up, even when she was at her sickest. I think she misses them. There were times, with other injuries, when I'd put her in the cat carrier and put it against their cage, and when I'd check on her, she'd be leaning against the front of the carrier, against the door, as if she were trying to be as close to Kevin and Domino as she could.

She still spends more of her time hunched down, but I saw her walking taller today. I actually saw her ankles. So maybe she's starting to respond. That would be so wonderful. Thanks so much for your help. I'll check back in tomorrow with a progress report.

 

[ruth]

When I have to isolate a bird I try not to remove it from the flock/coop but instead will use a dog kennel inside the coop in which to place them so they can see everyone and everyone can see them. If not, they do get sad and lonely and seem to lose the will to live.

 

[htollvr]

I want to report that Goldie seems to be doing better. I haven't been able to find Poly-Sol yet, but I've been alternating between dissolving a B1 and grinding up a multi-vitamin and forcing feeding them to her. (Well, half the multi.) I added in E, too, and I definitely notice that her neck is more flexible. She's still not very active, but especially when I take her out of her cage and let her walk around the yard (hobble), she is now starting to reach around and preen her feathers in the back. Before, I didn't see her moving her neck at all. Now, she can twist her head side to side, preening different sides.

She's also eating on her own, standing up and eating corn and, in the yard, whatever else she can find. I can see her ankles when she walks now, so she's standing up straighter. I don't see her drink very often, but I have seen her drink on her own, too. Lately, when I hold up the water to her, she refuses it, which suggests that she's drinking at other times. Before, she'd gulp it down as if she hadn't had any since I last gave her a drink.

I've been doing the B1 thing for about two weeks. Assuming that it has been a B1 deficiency, how long does it take to fully recover?

Heidi

 

[fanky570]

Hi, I know this thread is from six years ago, but what ever happened to your chicken????? We have one in a similar situation???? did she make it???? Hope she did