What would cause sudden, Consistent Wry Neck in flock

[hollandhens24]

Hi there, I was able to successfully hatch 3/4 batches of chicks last year. They hatched without problems, are healthy and vigorous, and great layers now. However my 4th batch resulted only two chicks hatching normally and their siblings that assisted were stargazing/ seemed to have wry neck(?) and died within 12 hours of hatching.

I have just hatched my first chick of the year, and he admittedly didn’t have the easiest start. I tipped my incubator on day 21 and gave the eggs a good jostle, cracked two eggs, and basically had very little hope. One chick hatched on its own this morning, day 23. I haven’t candled the rest but I’m not hopeful. The chick that hatched seems to have his neck kinked to the left. I have dipped his beak to drink, but in just a few hours he seems to have gotten worse. I plan on going to the store this morning to get vitamin e/selenium so any recommendations are appreciated.

How could this happen with a rooster I’ve hatched from before and hens I’ve hatched from before and had perfectly normal chicks? They are on a layer feed— is this a problem for my rooster and I need to switch to all flock? Trying to troubleshoot.

 

[MROO]

Stargazing can be caused by a vitamin deficiency in your flock. Treat any birds, chicks included, that show symptoms with a good poultry vitamin individually and make sure your flock gets a boost, too. You can add it to either their food or water, but I've gotten better results through the water. I think that's due more to the fact that everybody drinks the medicated water, but they may not all get the same dose through feed.

 

[hollandhens24]

Stargazing can be caused by a vitamin deficiency in your flock. Treat any birds, chicks included, that show symptoms with a good poultry vitamin individually and make sure your flock gets a boost, too. You can add it to either their food or water, but I've gotten better results through the water. I think that's due more to the fact that everybody drinks the medicated water, but they may not all get the same dose through feed.

Could there be a deficiency in the adult birds even if they don’t present with symptoms?

 

[MROO]

Could there be a deficiency in the adult birds even if they don’t present with symptoms?

If it's causing issues in your hatches, it's likely present in your adults. A vitamin supplement shouldn't hurt them. Depending on how many you have, you can give them an individual dose to start, then add it to their water periodically. I generally add a vitamin supplement every other scrub-out during the winter and every water change during molt.
Most flocks don't really need it during the spring/summer/nicer weather, but I'll add it every now and them, just to make sure their immune systems are strong. My yard carries a very heavy coccidia load and we're in a flood plain that gets new "deposits" pretty regularly. We used to fight coccidiosis every summer, but now outbreaks are few and far between, so it must be working.