Wry neck survivability

[K0k0shka]

Does anybody know what the survivability rate is for wry neck in hatchlings? I'm having a very hard time finding anything, either here or in Google. Just general information on what it is and how to treat it, or people's personal accounts. I'm trying to figure out if trying to save the chick is worth it and how likely it is that it can even be saved. I just hatched some chicks and one has severe wry neck. It wasn't that bad on hatch day, but the day after (today) its head is flopped all the way onto its back and it keeps falling over. Completely cannot do anything - walk, eat, drink etc. I gave it NutriDrench a few times throughout the day today and have a vitamin E + selenium combo arriving tomorrow (Tuesday), but the chick seems to be getting worse. It lies on its back most of the time, with its legs stretched out. This was a sentimental hatch mostly for my kids' sake and we currently have 6 chicks, of which we intend to keep 1-2 females. So it's not of utmost importance to save every last one, it would just up our odds of getting a female... So, at this point, is it worth trying to save it? Do they ever come back from this level of severity?

 

[BarredRockMom]

I'm afraid that I have no experience from which to draw, but any time you have the ability to help an animal, you should try.

I would encourage you to keep trying until you can no longer help, the chick gets worse & you have to euthanize or the little chick recovers, whichever comes first.

Thank you for trying.

 

[K0k0shka]

I'm afraid that I have no experience from which to draw, but any time you have the ability to help an animal, you should try.

I would encourage you to keep trying until you can no longer help, the chick gets worse & you have to euthanize or the little chick recovers, whichever comes first.

Thank you for trying.

I am trying. It's just sad to see the kids get sad over something that might not work anyway. So I'm not sure which lesson I want to teach. Help it at any cost, or mercifully end its suffering. The chick is not happy - it cries a lot and flops around helplessly. So I'm not sure I'm actually helping it... If the prognosis is good with enough effort, I'd totally do it, but if it's like a slim chance, then I'm not sure prolonging the inevitable would be the best thing to do for anybody involved.

 

[casportpony]

Hi there, sorry your chick has this. I have seen this three times in mine and each time what fixed them was some vitamin b complex for cattle. I think I gave them a drop or two each and within 48 hours they were 100% normal.

 

[K0k0shka]

Hi there, sorry your chick has this. I have seen this three times in mine and each time what fixed them was some vitamin b complex for cattle. I think I gave them a drop or two each and within 48 hours they were 100% normal.

Wow, that’s incredible! You may have just saved this chick’s life, because I was preparing to cull it. Thank you so much for responding! I ordered vitamin b complex drops and they’ll be here tomorrow. I’m afraid the chick is going to starve though, it’s been over two days since it hatched and it doesn’t look like it will be able to eat normal food soon. It is completely incapable of getting out of the upside down position. I read about giving them molasses, for calories in addition to whatever vitamins it has. Should I do that, or is there a better way to feed it something liquid?

 

[casportpony]

Do you know how to tube feed? Do you have a food scale you can weigh it on? Since it hasn't been able to eat or drink I think I would tube a small amount of fluids?

 

[aart]

Do you know how to tube feed? Do you have a food scale you can weigh it on? Since it hasn't been able to eat or drink I think I would tube a small amount of fluids?

Yikes...tubing a chick with a bent neck has got to be tough!

 

[CoopsNPoops]

Vitamin E is whats mostly recommended to treat wry neck. Its most of the time due to a Vitamin E deficiency. I bout mine at dollar general. The human kind in the liquid gels. The wry neck in mine started to get better within two days but unfortunately it had no many problems and i had to cull it. You need to hand feed and water it till it can eat on its own. Try some raw egg yolk. I just used a spoon, but most use a syringe or eye dropper.

 

[casportpony]

Yikes...tubing a chick with a bent neck has got to be tough!

It is very tricky.

 

[CoopsNPoops]

Vitamin E is whats mostly recommended to treat wry neck. Its most of the time due to a Vitamin E deficiency. I bout mine at dollar general. The human kind in the liquid gels. The wry neck in mine started to get better within two days but unfortunately it had no many problems and i had to cull it. You need to hand feed and water it till it can eat on its own. Try some raw egg yolk. I just used a spoon, but most use a syringe or eye dropper.

Bought*