wry neck improving but will recovery be full

[henhubble]

Thanks, my son is about to make a chick chair so she can move around without us half holding her. she jumps and leaps a lot, but of course it is when we hold her, as she can't walk by herself yet. Progress is slow, but she is a lively gal

 

[Shadrach]

There is vit E in the poultry vitamins, but no selenium. I did crush some selenium and add it but I am unsure of dosage so have not added more. We are starting to take her for physical therapy walks while holding her upright. Her legs move correctly and she can stand for a bit. Will this 'learning to walk again' therapy help ?

Hello henhubble.
It took me over two months to rehabilitate a hen from complete paralysis to fully mobile.
Physical therapy plus proper nutrition seemed to be the key.
Not many people are prepared to put the amount of time and effort required.
Here is the story of one such experience.
My thoughts on chick chairs are a bit like my experience on crutches. They will help you get about but don't do much to teach the legs how to respond to normal activity.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/shadrachs-stories.1263724/#post-20314661

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks, my son is about to make a chick chair so she can move around without us half holding her. she jumps and leaps a lot, but of course it is when we hold her, as she can't walk by herself yet. Progress is slow, but she is a lively gal

Is she able to walk at all?
Do you happen to notice any swelling of the joints too?

If you have a video of her actions that may be helpful.
The sling may help her, but she will need to be monitored closely if she is lively and tries to jump about. Some birds don't tolerate slings well and can flip out of them and get hurt.

 

[henhubble]

She can balance and stand for a bit, but she half crouches and keeps her head low. Her legs make great walking...or running at times...motions, but she lacks the balance to do it all on her own. I have never noticed any swelling. At first she had her head all crooked under and so we think wry neck.
I will try to get a video. Her posture is a bit like a hobby horse that is slightly curved to one side. We did have her in a sling earlier and she was okay most of the time but then would manage to flip about, but never got hurt.
Two months, well, it is over a month now with her but she is lively and ready to go, just can't keep upright, poor sweet thing.
Thanks, I will read Shadrach's story

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sure you have done all this - massage the legs daily too.
You're giving vitamin E and B-Complex and she's getting chick starter or an all flock feed that is 18-20% protein? Just revisiting everything to see if something "clicks".

It must be frustrating. It's so hard to know if it's from disease like Marek's or even genetic/developmental.

 

[henhubble]

Interesting that stress caused paralysis. I will continue my efforts, redouble them, although my full time job limits my time. Oh, this hen (Stephanie) can move her legs quite well, left , right, left, right. It is her balance that is off, with the slight crook of her neck and body.

 

[henhubble]

I'm sure you have done all this - massage the legs daily too.
You're giving vitamin E and B-Complex and she's getting chick starter or an all flock feed that is 18-20% protein? Just revisiting everything to see if something "clicks".

It must be frustrating. It's so hard to know if it's from disease like Marek's or even genetic/developmental.

We give them dried meal worms and egg yolk. Right now we switched from chick starter to start and grow. The feed had vitamin E, although I got some gel caps to add extra. We have been adding B complex to the water. I haven't been massaging the legs but I have massaged her a bit. Pushing on the neck lightly prompts the preening response in her and she reaches as best she can to get those quills. I will check the protein content but with the dried meal worms it should be fine. Perhaps selenium?
Thank you

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would give the vitamin E - 400 IU daily as suggested in previous post. Egg has selenium, so does the feed, I would not add extra of that.