Wry neck...Treat or euthanize?? UPDATED with GREAT results!!

[Fancychooklady]

I'm so glad I found this post and it's still being accessed by members. I read all 13 pages and have learned alot. Sadly we have one silkie hen who has wry neck and I believe it be our fault. We'd bought layer feed than hatched chicks so we switched to grower/finisher. we stored the 2 bags of layer in a metal can for like 5 months! I did not know the vitamin in the feed could oxidize. We're now feeding fresh 22% protein feed that I bought to help with egg production that was likely also effected by the old feed. I feel awful, naturally I know the stored feed wouldn't be "fresh" but I had no idea is could harm them. I saw Delilah with a tilted head on Monday 1/2/17 I assumed her crest was a little heavy because it was dirty. When I picked her up for inspection she did the dreaded upside down head thing. it looks terribly painful. We had Poly vi sol on hand and have been treating 2-3 times per day. She has no issues eating but I do worry about water. She'd been eating snow but it's melted right now. We'll add eggs and yogurt to help with fluids. Will be adding the Rooster Booster Poultry Cell, tonight.

Oh it's so hard to see them like this, but the truth is many poultry issues are feed related. Once you start the poultry cell you would be best to cease the infant drops. Many poultry vits have molasses in them to make them more palatable, but it can also act as a bit of a laxative so don't be alarmed by loose movements. Mine like a little cooked rice with raw egg and the vitamins stirred through. Good luck with your little hen, she looks like a darling.

 

[Hrhchazman]

How is she doing? We have been treating one of our girls for almost three weeks now. She doesn't seem to be getting any better, and it's painful to watch her. She seems to do best when we put her in an enclosed pen where she can peck at, and eat some grass. We give her vitamin E, 2 - 3 times a day, a couple of drops of NutriDrench, and a couple of drops of PolyVisol. We can get her to eat sunflower seeds, and sometimes scrambled eggs with water softened layer feed mixed in, but she seems to be losing interest in that. The other three girls are fine.
I'm starting to wonder if we're doing this more for us, than for her. Yesterday she started losing feathers at a pretty good rate. And to make matters worse, now she's broody.

 

[Fancychooklady]

How is she doing? We have been treating one of our girls for almost three weeks now. She doesn't seem to be getting any better, and it's painful to watch her. She seems to do best when we put her in an enclosed pen where she can peck at, and eat some grass. We give her vitamin E, 2 - 3 times a day, a couple of drops of NutriDrench, and a couple of drops of PolyVisol. We can get her to eat sunflower seeds, and sometimes scrambled eggs with water softened layer feed mixed in, but she seems to be losing interest in that. The other three girls are fine.
I'm starting to wonder if we're doing this more for us, than for her. Yesterday she started losing feathers at a pretty good rate. And to make matters worse, now she's broody.   
      

I personally would check the labels of the Nutri drench and polyvsiol, decide which one has the highest thiamine level and stop the other. Over supplementing can be as problematic as any deficiency.
Loss of appetite is common have you tried katee baby bird food. I've found poly aid plus is great for restoring appetite , but once again when using these products you need to adjust or cease using other supplements.
Most pelletised feeds contain fish meal and that too effects thiamine levels so it might be worth while trying her on cooked rice with raw egg stirred through.

http://www.thebirdcottage.com/s-poly-aidplus.asp

 

[Hrhchazman]

Thank you for the reply.
Her symptoms don't seem to fit the description for a thiamine deficiency as much as they do a case of wry neck. That's what we have been attempting to treat her for, and tomorrow we will talk to our aviary vet to see what she thinks. One thing that does seem a little encouraging is, I have noticed when she's sleeping at night she keeps her head tucked in towards her side, not down on the coop floor...

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thank you for the reply.
Her symptoms don't seem to fit the description for a thiamine deficiency as much as they do a case of wry neck. That's what we have been attempting to treat her for, and tomorrow we will talk to our aviary vet to see what she thinks. One thing that does seem a little encouraging is, I have noticed when she's sleeping at night she keeps her head tucked in towards her side, not down on the coop floor...

Wry neck is a thiamine deficiency.

 

[Eggcessive]

Wry neck (torticolis, twisted neck, star gazing, crook neck) is a neurological condition. Some types may be caused by a thiamine deficiency (note the star gazing in the link above,) but other types may be caused by vitamin E deficiency, head injuries, and in advanced stages of infectious diseases, such as respiratory diseases, Mareks, fowl cholera, and avian leukosis. A multivitamin for poultry, plus a small amount of selenium to help vitamin E absorption, is a good approach. Eggs, tuna, and some crushed nuts are a good source of selenium.

 

[Hrhchazman]

Didn't know about the tuna or crushed nuts. Thank you.

Charlie

 

[Fancychooklady]

Wry neck (torticolis, twisted neck, star gazing, crook neck) is a neurological condition. Some types may be caused by a thiamine deficiency (note the star gazing in the link above,) but other types may be caused by vitamin E deficiency, head injuries, and in advanced stages of  infectious diseases, such as respiratory diseases, Mareks, fowl cholera, and avian leukosis. A multivitamin for poultry, plus a small amount of selenium to help vitamin E absorption, is a good approach. Eggs, tuna, and some crushed nuts are a good source of selenium.

True, there are other possible causes , but most cases can be traced back to diet. In the event that it is a thiamine deficiency I wouldn't recommend feeding tuna.

 

[Hrhchazman]

I'm no expert, and I could be wrong, but I don't think it's diet related because the other three girls are doing just fine. They all eat the same things every day.

 

[Eggcessive]

It still would not hurt to at least give the vitamins a try--it surely will not do harm. Many people see wry neck in only one chicken. Canned tuna with water is what I would use for selenium, but only a small amount is needed. Egg also has selenium, so that may be even more convenient to use.