Wry Neck Trouble

[Watermeat]

So, one of my Easter Eggers has wry neck. I've been treating her for two weeks. The first week went by very smoothly and she showed a lot of improvement- She stopped loosing her balance and started turning her head straight if she put in the effort to. It's week two, and she stopped accepting her vitamins. I used to squirt the vitamin gel onto foods she likes and she ate it with no fuss. Now she absolutely refuses to eat from me, and her condition is getting worse again. Today I even made her a special vitamin water, and she refused that as well.

I'm about to just whip out a syringe and force her to take it at this point. Would this be the best option for her or are there other methods to try first?

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

The syringe might be the best way to go if she refuses it any other way. You are administering vitamin E right?

 

[Watermeat]

The syringe might be the best way to go if she refuses it any other way. You are administering vitamin E right?

Yes, vitamin E. And egg yolk with it to get her some selenium too.

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

Maybe if you tried giving the vitamin in something a little different, like a scrambled egg.

 

[Watermeat]

Maybe if you tried giving the vitamin in something a little different, like a scrambled egg.

I've tried to give her the vitamins with water, watermelon, boiled egg, scrambled egg, two kinds of baby food, and lettuce. Nothing has worked.

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

Good grief! It's a shame that critters don't understand that you're trying to help them. Well then, I do believe I'd try the syringe. Good luck!

 

[christwodog]

I have administered the vitamin E liquid on a piece of bread and also mixed in a little bit of cooked rice, with good success. Good luck with her!

 

[clucky mom]

I’m still having the same wry neck problem in my 3 yr old polish, Daphne. What mixture with vitamin e do you put in a syringe and what amounts? My babies do well with syringe feeding. I have the multivitamins in all waterers. Poor little thing. I feel pretty helpless.

 

[christwodog]

My faverolle still has bouts of wry neck, she is almost 18 months old. I guess it just doesn't go away completely with some birds. I give her vitamin E about 3 times a week and either selenium or some hardboiled egg twice a week. I buy the vitamin E oil in the dispenser bottle and place drops on pieces of bread or cooked rice, usually about 10 drops. Not an exact science by any means, but this dosage for her seems to really help. She really only has issues with wry neck if I have to leave town and she doesn't get her vitamin E for several days. Then when I get back and start her on the vitamin E, it's like you flipped a light switch. My chicken vet even made up some syringes with vitamin E and selenium if she gets really bad, then I use one of those (intramuscular).

 

[clucky mom]

A BIG thank you Christwodog. I appreciate your giving the amount of vitamin e and frequency. I’ll do that today. I syringe feed my babies. Just put it to the side of their beaks, and they drink. Is there instruction on giving intramuscular?