- May 8, 2012
- 11
- 1
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Hey all, I was hoping that someone might be able to give me a little more specific info about how to treat wry neck. One of my 3-week old chicks started showing symptoms yesterday. Doing some research here and on Google in general, I believe it to be wry neck. I've read many threads on this forum on the subject. From what I've read, our best bet is to administer Poly Vi Sol in conjunction with Selenium and Vitamin E, perhaps even with electrolyte powder too. (Except for one member who seemed to suggest the excess of Vit A in Poly Vi Sol will inhibit the proper absorption of E and Selenium when taken together, so who knows?)
Problem is, no one gives any specific dosage information. Seeing as how most people probably bought vitamins formulated for humans (and with the exception of Poly Vi Sol and electrolytes, adult humans at that), I'm surprised by the very casual language used when discussion their treatment regimens.
I bought Vit E in 400 IU softgels, Selenium in 200 mcg tablets, a box of 8.5g packets of Pedialyte electrolyte powder, and a 50 mL bottle of Poly Vi Sol with a 1 mL dropper. The Poly Vi Sol is not the kind packaged as "With Iron," however the ingredients list does mention "Ferrous Sulfate (as a stabilizer for vitamin B12)." Since the mention is just in the "Ingredients:" list and not in the "Supplement Facts" table, I'm assuming this iron-based ingredient is minimal and not harmful to the chick.
Does anyone have any specific recommendations as to the dosage of each substance, as well as advice on how best to administer it? Can anyone at least confirm or deny that it is possible to kill a 3-week old chick by feeding them too much of any or all of these treatments?
Without any better idea I plan on mixing 800 IU of vitamin E (2 capsules), 400 mcg Selenium (2 tablets), and the whole 50 mL Poly Vi Sol together. Then mixing roughly .5mL of that concoction with about .5 1 mL of water (that's one full dropper-ful, half water) and administer it as close to inside the beak as possible, 1 or 2 drops at a time until gone, 2 or 3 times a day. (The idea being that most of that 1 mL will not be consumed, as the chick doesn't seem either willing or able to take it all in).
Additional info: I have isolated the chick from the other 6. I have my one heat lamp pointed halfway in the 6 chicks' box, halfway toward the little cage the sick chick is in, so it can get some of the heat. However, I have a blanket covering most of the sick chick's cage because I read that light can cause stress.
This chick runs the range of condition severity, from neck being so wrenched that the head lies completely under the belly and cannot lift it to eat or drink, walking akwardly backwards, to being able to walk forward completely upright and eat and drink on its own. I'd like to say the posture and behavioral improvements follow within a few minutes of administering vitamins, but it may just be that that is when I am paying the most attention to her.
I can't thank this community enough, as without you I wouldn't even have the rough guidelines I have now to try and save my little chicky. But please don't respond unless you have more specific dosage info or have some other ideas based on the information I've given. It would be helpful to the whole community here that my post either gather more specific data, or remain inactive so that it doesn't rank high on search engines.
Problem is, no one gives any specific dosage information. Seeing as how most people probably bought vitamins formulated for humans (and with the exception of Poly Vi Sol and electrolytes, adult humans at that), I'm surprised by the very casual language used when discussion their treatment regimens.
I bought Vit E in 400 IU softgels, Selenium in 200 mcg tablets, a box of 8.5g packets of Pedialyte electrolyte powder, and a 50 mL bottle of Poly Vi Sol with a 1 mL dropper. The Poly Vi Sol is not the kind packaged as "With Iron," however the ingredients list does mention "Ferrous Sulfate (as a stabilizer for vitamin B12)." Since the mention is just in the "Ingredients:" list and not in the "Supplement Facts" table, I'm assuming this iron-based ingredient is minimal and not harmful to the chick.
Does anyone have any specific recommendations as to the dosage of each substance, as well as advice on how best to administer it? Can anyone at least confirm or deny that it is possible to kill a 3-week old chick by feeding them too much of any or all of these treatments?
Without any better idea I plan on mixing 800 IU of vitamin E (2 capsules), 400 mcg Selenium (2 tablets), and the whole 50 mL Poly Vi Sol together. Then mixing roughly .5mL of that concoction with about .5 1 mL of water (that's one full dropper-ful, half water) and administer it as close to inside the beak as possible, 1 or 2 drops at a time until gone, 2 or 3 times a day. (The idea being that most of that 1 mL will not be consumed, as the chick doesn't seem either willing or able to take it all in).
Additional info: I have isolated the chick from the other 6. I have my one heat lamp pointed halfway in the 6 chicks' box, halfway toward the little cage the sick chick is in, so it can get some of the heat. However, I have a blanket covering most of the sick chick's cage because I read that light can cause stress.
This chick runs the range of condition severity, from neck being so wrenched that the head lies completely under the belly and cannot lift it to eat or drink, walking akwardly backwards, to being able to walk forward completely upright and eat and drink on its own. I'd like to say the posture and behavioral improvements follow within a few minutes of administering vitamins, but it may just be that that is when I am paying the most attention to her.
I can't thank this community enough, as without you I wouldn't even have the rough guidelines I have now to try and save my little chicky. But please don't respond unless you have more specific dosage info or have some other ideas based on the information I've given. It would be helpful to the whole community here that my post either gather more specific data, or remain inactive so that it doesn't rank high on search engines.
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