Wry Neck ? - added pic

[schnebbles]

can wry neck be more like a 'zag' in the neck - kind of bent so neck goes to one side? Or does it have to be the hook?

trying to determine if my d'uccle has that or it's a symptom of mareks (which we have).

thanks!

 

[Ramblin Rooster]

can wry neck be more like a 'zag' in the neck - kind of bent so neck goes to one side?  Or does it have to be the hook?

trying to determine if my d'uccle has that or it's a symptom of mareks (which we have).

thanks!

Not really getting your description, can you post a picture? When you say "not sure it its a symptom of mareks, which we have" do you mean your flock has it?

 

[schnebbles]

yes, my chickens have it __|--- is how her neck is but take off the top portion of the middle line. does that make sense? I'll try to get a pic.

 

[Wyandottes7]

yes, my chickens have it __|--- is how her neck is but take off the top portion of the middle line. does that make sense? I'll try to get a pic.

A picture will help.

Wry neck can either be on its own (caused by a vitamin deficiency/injury to the head), or it can be a symptom of a disease. Wry neck can be caused by Marek's, Newcastle disease, and several other diseases.

Determining the exact cause of wry neck can be difficult. With your bird, I'd start giving her vitamins (either special poultry vitamins or Poly Vi Sol infant vitamins), as this should correct the problem if its a vitamin deficiency. Unfortunately, as you probably already know, there isn't much you can do if its caused by Marek's.

If you want to save the bird, you could look into using St. Johns Wart to "treat" Marek's. It (according to some people) actually treats the disease, getting rid of tumors/lesions. Others say that it is only a temporary fix, and doesn't really cure the disease (this, to me, is more believable). Still, if the bird is valuable, or you want to try to save it, try the St. Johns Wart. Here is a link to its use in treating Marek's Disease:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/135247/st-johns-wort

 

[BravewingTheHen]

Yes a picture would be helpful. My little silkie has wry neck right now and over the last three days I've been giving her a quarter of a syringe of Vitamin E Oil a day. Today when I went out there she actually eagerly drank it all down! I was surprised on how well she's been doing.

 

[schnebbles]

here is how she sits.


I've been tube feeding kaytee exact with vitamin e, selenium every other day, nutri-drench and put some of their drinking water which has extra B (for the mareks). When she gets her tube food, it seems to energize her to eat on her own. She was doing really well last night, walking around the house (normally she sits on the couch). Today I fed her this morning and when I got home I don't think she'd eaten much, could be because I put her in another room and she wasn't familiar, and she hasn't been up much so I just fed her again.

I just don't know if this could be wry neck or if mareks has attacked something. Her neck is a little better than it was in this pic from about 2 weeks ago.

 

[schnebbles]

Wyandottes, you're the first one who has actually said it could be mareks which is definitely what I have suspected. ughhhh..

I don't think I buy much into the sjw, I got some for the last bird, I can start adding it to her mix, it can't hurt. I've read that thread too.

I got poly visol but not sure if she needs that in addition to the drench. Their water always has vitamin/electrolyte mix in it. I think I'll add pedialyte too.

 

[schnebbles]

bravewing - how big is your syringe?

 

[BravewingTheHen]

The syringe is 5.5 ml but I only give my chicken 2 ml of it. So, about the size of a Vitamin E capsule.

 

[schnebbles]

thanks - she is breathing thru her mouth and I know that's bad news