Wry neck in chick?

[craychickladay]

Sorry for such a long post, I am just at my wits end with a poor little chick and want to explain it properly. I am a student teacher at an elementary school, and one class hatched out chicks. Out of the 17 that were in the incubator, three hatched fine on their own. One got helped out (I said they should probably let it try longer, but some woman went a head and got it out of the egg). That chick had a crooked neck, he could still eat, drink and walk on his own, and I instructed the teacher to begin treating it for wry neck. However, he was like a half to a third smaller than his siblings almost right away. At the end of the week, the three healthy ones went to a home, and I kept the crooked one as I have chickens and wanted to care for him. I knew he would not survive without the proper care. He was so motivated to survive. So, I set him up a brooder and a heat lamp at my house. Continued with the vit. e and selenium. Making sure he was getting his food. After a little less than a week, his neck got worse and now, at almost three weeks old and me having him for almost two weeks, he cannot walk, his head/neck are almost completely doing a 360. He spends the day (when I am not holding him), laying on his side, once and a while flipping around. He cannot feed/water himself. If I hold him up and straighten his neck in my hands, he can drink and pick up food on his own if it is right in front of his face. But as soon as I let go his neck whips right back around. I have started him on a tiny, tiny, tiny bit of prednisone as I read that may help, along with the usual treatment. His neck feels tighter today. And almost like it there is a bend in it, but I think it could be the muscles tightening from being in the same position for days. I want him so bad to improve and live. He is such a little fighter. He spends his waking hours chirping, but I don't think he is in pain because when I put him in front of food he devours it. But he is clearly frustrated and uncomfortable even if he isn't in pain. Is it possible that this isn't even wry neck? I know it can take weeks and even months to improve. I was just wondering if anyone had any advice or similar experience.

 

[Thyme4Chickens]

Poor little chick! I don't have advice, but if you post photos (or maybe even a video - would have to use youTube, etc, and link it here) maybe more experienced people could help.

 

[emmyn74]

I always heard that wry neck is caused by a vit e deficiency but I have never had a case of it myself...are u feeding medicated starter? If it was me...I would get the chick started on polyvisol-no iron or nutridrench if u haven't already...and maybe add some extra vit e to the mixture. Or try one of the two vitamin mixtures I listed probably three times a day...and if u don't see improvement within 24 hrs..then add some extra vit e to it and see if there is any improvement with that.

 

[emmyn74]

Sorry I just read ur post again and it seems as if u r already doing that....hopefully someone else can come up with an alternative...

 

[Ldeal]

I just came across this and know its an old post but what ever happened with your chick? I have one doing the exact same thing and I've been fighting along with her to get her past this but she's just getting worse it seems. Started as a curve and now she twists it all the way 360.....

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I just came across this and know its an old post but what ever happened with your chick? I have one doing the exact same thing and I've been fighting along with her to get her past this but she's just getting worse it seems. Started as a curve and now she twists it all the way 360..... View attachment 1699859

The poor thing.
Do you have any Poultry Nutri-Drench? I would give her 2drops direct dose of that.
Get some Vitamin E capsules - 400iu - pierce it and squeeze out the oil - get that into her as well. Do this once a day.

She needs to be hydrated - are you able to get fluid into her? Once you get some water into her, see if she will take a wet slurry of chick starter.

She does need to be more upright if you can do that - put her in a chick chair, you may need to prop up her neck.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/


Sorry to say this, but evaluate her frequently throughout the day/night, if she does not improve in a few days or if she appears to be in pain, then consider putting her out of her misery.

 

[Ldeal]

The poor thing.
Do you have any Poultry Nutri-Drench? I would give her 2drops direct dose of that.
Get some Vitamin E capsules - 400iu - pierce it and squeeze out the oil - get that into her as well. Do this once a day.

She needs to be hydrated - are you able to get fluid into her? Once you get some water into her, see if she will take a wet slurry of chick starter.

She does need to be more upright if you can do that - put her in a chick chair, you may need to prop up her neck.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/


Sorry to say this, but evaluate her frequently throughout the day/night, if she does not improve in a few days or if she appears to be in pain, then consider putting her out of her misery.

She's started to improve a bit after starting poly vi sol. I feed and water her every couple of hours and massage her little neck muscles. She's started to hold it straighter with some help and can hold it upright for a few seconds now. One step at a time I'm really hoping she pulls through. She's a little fighter so I'll keep fighting with her.