What in the world is wrong with her neck?

[diverkell]

I have a young hen with a strange neck. She's about 7 months old and just a couple days ago she stayed in a nesting box all day. I noticed her but thought it was one in the morning and another of the same breed in the afternoon. I saw her again the next day in the box. An hour later I went to check again. This time I pulled her out. Her neck is in an S shape. Head down on the shoulders, front of the neck poked out. She seems to not be able to move it on her own. I can move it, straighten it out. She does not seem to get upset when I do this. She has been staying in a lot but does go outside with everybody else. It looks like she cannot eat. She walks up to the food or scratch and bends down to look but does not pick anything up. I've seen her drink once, it was awkward. Her crop is empty. She does not have bad breath. I pried her beak open and put a piece of food in to see what she would do. She just spit it out. She walks slowly and looks weird because her head is resting on her shoulders. What could be wrong with her? I don't see any injuries.

 

[Meghalu]

Possibly wry neck. If you do a search there should be many threads discussing this problem.

 

[ThePamperedPullet]

Sounds like she might have Wry Neck which is brought on by a vitamin deficiency. I believe it is vitamin E that you have to give them but you can do a search on BYC for Wry Neck under Emergencies and there will be lots of helpful information

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

I don't know anything about it, but I hear that there is something called Wry Neck... use the Search here on BYC to search for that for more info.

Do you have a rooster... if a rooster mated with her, he could have broken her neck. But, she doesn't seem to be hurting.

Death by rooster does happen. I had a bantam rooster, a frizzle that was a horrible rapist... when he broke the neck of (and killed) my small Rhode Island Red pullet mating with her, when she didn't want him.. he became soup for a neighbor!

At seven months, it's possibly time to worm everyone if you haven't. Search worming with Valbazen.

She will die if she doesn't or can't eat and drink... Chickens lift their heads, like birds to drink. You may have to give her water until you figure this out and get her better... and she may die. If you give her water, be careful not to get it into her windpipe.. open her mouth and see the windpipe behind the tongue... you want to hold her head up and put water on your finger and let her drink it drop by drop off.. or eye dropper or syringe water in the back to the side of her throat.

You might be able to feed her some watered down yogurt ... or that chick saver -- the green "jelly type" feed for baby chicks.

If you can afford it, you could take her to a veterinarian that sees and treats birds / livestock.

Hopefully someone who knows more than I do will chime in here with some advice.. do use the Search here on BYC... it can help to find the right info.

 

[Lisa0318]

My 5 month old barred rock has the same problem and she does want to eat but when she takes a nibble her neck moves in a funny way .