Wry neck - tube feed?

[schnebbles]

I'll start off with my flock of 5 has been exposed to mareks, have lost 3 already.

A d'uccle pullet seems to have wry neck now. I don't know if it's anything mareks related or not.

I can feel the bend in her neck. I've been giving vitamin e, selenium and was giving a small dose of prednisone but quit when I read it's bad for immune system.

She has not been eating at all and I don't think drinking. She got a little drink with the vitamins but not much.

Brought her in last night and only saw a tiny amount of urates overnight. Fed her a little kaytee bird food out of a dropper.

Fed her a little more tonight, it's hard to get much down her. Gave her some drinks in between food.

Should attempt tube feeding? I'm really hesitant her neck being crooked.

I got some nutri-drench today and added some to the food mix, with vitamin e and selenium. I'm careful not to overdose the selenium too.

Any ideas? Should I try a neck brace? She can sit, but doesn't walk and tucks her head back in energy saving mode.

thanks!

 

[schnebbles]

well, I was dropper feeding her and not getting much in so tonight I decided to try the tube. I got a decent amount in her.

I was then out in the kitchen and my DH said wow, your chicken is out here eating like crazy! She's still eating over 1/2 hour later. and drinking.

I put nutri-drench in the mix and I wonder if this could be the extremely sudden burst of energy? I have never used it before.

I'm so glad to see her moving! she was totally lethargic for the past few days and losing weight because she wasn't eating at all.

I hope I'm not excited for nothing. I've seen sudden bursts of energy only to have animals die shortly after.

I feel like maybe she needed that energy just to be able to eat.

here's hoping!

 

[Imachicklvr2]

I just wanted to wish you well in treating your girl, I am glad she has perked up! I know how stressful it can be to take care of a bird with wry neck. I have a Silkie chick that I am treating at the moment. Fortunately he is still eating well but he can only eat and drink if I hold him. Otherwise he has his head between his legs and his bottom pushed up in a corner. I really haven't seen much improvement yet but then we are only on day 4 of baby vitamins, Vit E and Selenium. I will give it another 10 days or so and then may consider prednisone if I haven't seen any improvement on vitamins alone. I have been reluctant to leave water in with him because I am afraid he will get his head stuck and aspirate or even drown. Poor guy, it had to be our most skittish chick too...

 

[casportpony]

I'll start off with my flock of 5 has been exposed to mareks, have lost 3 already.

A d'uccle pullet seems to have wry neck now. I don't know if it's anything mareks related or not.

I can feel the bend in her neck. I've been giving vitamin e, selenium and was giving a small dose of prednisone but quit when I read it's bad for immune system.

She has not been eating at all and I don't think drinking. She got a little drink with the vitamins but not much.

Brought her in last night and only saw a tiny amount of urates overnight. Fed her a little kaytee bird food out of a dropper.

Fed her a little more tonight, it's hard to get much down her. Gave her some drinks in between food.

Should attempt tube feeding? I'm really hesitant her neck being crooked.

I got some nutri-drench today and added some to the food mix, with vitamin e and selenium. I'm careful not to overdose the selenium too.

Any ideas? Should I try a neck brace? She can sit, but doesn't walk and tucks her head back in energy saving mode.

thanks!

You know what I'll say, lol. I've tubed a couple with neck issues and you do them the same, just give them a little less more often.

-Kathy

 

[schnebbles]

I've treated (well tried) 3 with mareks and they all died.

For all I know, what she has could be mareks related but I don't know. Her neck isn't down, it's more bent in a zag to the left in her neck going to her left side.

I haven't found any articles that say wry neck could be a symptom of mareks. But I question how on earth she could have a deficiency. They get the chicken vitamins and electrolytes in the water all the time and they were eating purina flock grower so I'm sure they should be nutritionally ok.

I hope your little guy improves and I'd agree no water, you'd feel terrible if something happened with it.

Today marks a week since I've been giving Priscilla vitamin e and selenium.

my chicken experience has been awful so far, getting mareks just really sucks. Just got my kiddos in the spring and have lost 3 I sure love them though!

 

[schnebbles]

Kathy - I thought of asking you last night. It went ok - not as easy as a weaker chicken but I got enough down and with the nutri-drench, I'm really glad I tried it! It's so much faster than dropper and not knowing what they get.

 

[casportpony]

Glad it worked for you... For me it's kept several of my Marek's, pox and blackhead patients alive, that's for sure. Which reminds me, lol, it's time to tube them again, two Marek's, three wet pox and one blackhead.

-Kathy