Wry Neck

[LivingCanvas]

Don't get discouraged...it's not always an over night fix. When I was going through this I read so many stories about miraculous cures in a matter of days. My experience wasn't like that. These guys need a calm environment (sudden noises and lots of activity seems to worsen symptoms) and I did find that gentle neck rubs occasionally helped to relax those muscles. Is your girl in the coop at night?

She is in a pet taxi. So she's separted but still I n the coop. I'd been told that I needed separate her so she doesn't get trampled or pecked at. During the day, I move the taxi into the run & at night, it gets moved into the coop. She seemed more stressed out when she was away from them. When they're all in the run, the others will hang out around her, sitting on the ground around her or one will sit on top of the taxi, lol.

For the last two days, I would get home from work & let all of them out to roam the yard (including Genny). She was keeping up with everyone else. No one picked on her, she was scratching with the group & the only problem she had was not being able to jump up on our raised garden beds with them. She was eating out of the feeders & what not.

Then this morning, it's just awful. She's not getting the vitamin supplements because I couldn't straighten her neck out for more than a couple seconds, nor get her to eat/drink...

I feel like an awful chicken owner because all I could do at this point was leave some moistened food in the kennel for her because I had to go to work. For the last couple days, my neighbor has gone over to check on her & give her some water but I can't expect her to do that everyday because she has her own things to do, ya know?

 

[chickcrack]

I will try to Find the same one you got and how do you give it to her is it water vitamin? Do I put it in eggs

I would crush 1 whole pill into either moistened chicken food or eggs (whichever is more likely to get completely eaten). This bottle doesn't say how many mcg it is that's why I took a pic of what each pill contains. If she seems to be having a hard time drinking (my guy couldn't at all) then provide halved cucumber or watermelon. It seemed to encourage him to have moments of normal and meant I didn't have to syring water as often.

 

[chickcrack]

She is in a pet taxi. So she's separted but still I n the coop. I'd been told that I needed separate her so she doesn't get trampled or pecked at. During the day, I move the taxi into the run & at night, it gets moved into the coop. She seemed more stressed out when she was away from them. When they're all in the run, the others will hang out around her, sitting on the ground around her or one will sit on top of the taxi, lol.

For the last two days, I would get home from work & let all of them out to roam the yard (including Genny). She was keeping up with everyone else. No one picked on her, she was scratching with the group & the only problem she had was not being able to jump up on our raised garden beds with them. She was eating out of the feeders & what not.

Then this morning, it's just awful. She's not getting the vitamin supplements because I couldn't straighten her neck out for more than a couple seconds, nor get her to eat/drink...

I feel like an awful chicken owner because all I could do at this point was leave some moistened food in the kennel for her because I had to go to work. For the last couple days, my neighbor has gone over to check on her & give her some water but I can't expect her to do that everyday because she has her own things to do, ya know?

You are not an awful chicken owner. A person can only be stretched so far. There's some great YouTube videos on feeding a wry neck chicken that may help. Or another option is tube feeding (which in the long run would be much faster for both of you and all meds could go directly through the tube with food and water) If you are interested in looking into that search "go team tube feeding" on here for very detailed instructions. I think your set up in the coop is ideal...with the flock but protected. Give her some watermelon or cucumber (could even drip/sprinkle additional meds on them if it seems she has pecked at it so she's getting something. You are doing all you can so please don't beat yourself up.

 

[Isaac 0]

She Is favoring her right side when walking is that normal

 

[chickcrack]

She Is favoring her right side when walking is that normal

Do you mean she's limping?

 

[Isaac 0]

No just walking at a slant

 

[chickcrack]

No just walking at a slant

If her neck is tilted it makes sense. When my little guy could finally walk he only managed circles in the direction his head tilted.

 

[Isaac 0]

Yeah i will be posting pics of her soon

 

[LivingCanvas]

You are not an awful chicken owner. A person can only be stretched so far. There's some great YouTube videos on feeding a wry neck chicken that may help. Or another option is tube feeding (which in the long run would be much faster for both of you and all meds could go directly through the tube with food and water) If you are interested in looking into that search "go team tube feeding" on here for very detailed instructions. I think your set up in the coop is ideal...with the flock but protected. Give her some watermelon or cucumber (could even drip/sprinkle additional meds on them if it seems she has pecked at it so she's getting something. You are doing all you can so please don't beat yourself up.

I've looked at the tube feeding thing & I just don't think that's a practical thing for me. I'm actually going out of town next Thursday - Sunday night.

But I will try the cucumber or watermelon slice thing. I put the crushed up pills into the water, which is poured over her food, hoping that she would get some of it that way.

My fiancé doesn't quite get where I'm coming from. I was in tears & feeling like a horrible chicken mom, dreading that she's going to die because I can't make her better or get her to eat/drink. He just tells me that it isn't my fault but it feels like it is. She's the only one that seems to have this problem but it doesn't stop me from worrying about the rest of them.

 

[chickcrack]

I've looked at the tube feeding thing & I just don't think that's a practical thing for me. I'm actually going out of town next Thursday - Sunday night.

But I will try the cucumber or watermelon slice thing. I put the crushed up pills into the water, which is poured over her food, hoping that she would get some of it that way.

My fiancé doesn't quite get where I'm coming from. I was in tears & feeling like a horrible chicken mom, dreading that she's going to die because I can't make her better or get her to eat/drink. He just tells me that it isn't my fault but it feels like it is. She's the only one that seems to have this problem but it doesn't stop me from worrying about the rest of them.

I get it. When I have an ill one it feels like the weight of the world on my shoulders and like I'm somehow supposed to know all the right things to do. Reality is you are not a vet and many times even an expert can't fix everything. When my little guy couldnt even stand on his own I had to go away for an entire day/evening and felt sure that I would come home to a dead chick. He was in a small brooder with towels around the edges as he would roll around and spasm in his frustration trying to stand up and I was worried he would get stuck somewhere away from the heat lamp and get too cold. I had sprinkled food everywhere on the floor of his brooder and left cucumber and watermelon in hopes he would be able to get something. When I got home he was out of his brooder, standing and pecking at the small container of extra chick starter on the floor. The second he saw me he fell over and starting flapping and rolling around lol. I guess when he got hungry enough he figured it out...even if it was brief. So your girl may manage to get something in her today. Try again tonight with her wrapped in a towel and head supported. Scrambled eggs may encourage her and you could put her meds on them. Let us know how she's doing.