Wry Neck

[Jessie22]

I have a bearded white silkie with Wry Neck. As soon as I noticed it I started feeding scrambled egg with water and the neck day I boiled an egg and chopped it up. She loved it. She can straighten her head out when she eats but afterwards it looks like she is moving her head around backwards. When first started the egg I was feeling her head and it seems she has a knot or swelling on the right side of her head, around the ear area. I separated her from the rest, they went to the chicken coop since its been unusually warm. I did leave 1 chick in with her for company. She is standing normally and walking around the cage even though her head, she seems to move it in circles. Everything else is normal including her poop. I am going to add sav-a-chick to her water. I can't get anything else right now, its not an option because of money. She seems well except for the Wry Neck and a little swelling or knot on her right side of her face, around by her ear. What else can I do? Any suggestions? She is 56 days old (8 weeks old).

 

[Eggcessive]

Wry neck (crook neck, torticolis, star gazing) is a neurological symptom more than anything. Head injury, vitamin E deficiency, heredity, and certain diseases can be causes. It may cause the neck distortion, walking backwards or in circles. It can be temporary or permanent. Since you see swelling, an injury may be possible, but look out for signs of ear infection. Poultry vitamins including SaveAChick, or other vitamins including E, can be used. Some give baby vitamins without iron 2-3 drops a day. Egg, tuna, and some nuts and seeds can be good sources of selenium (only a little is needed to help the vitamin E.) Selenium is found in leafy greens and seeds. She might need to be separated if she is being hurt or bullied, but if she is more comfortable with the flock, just watch her. Diseases such as Mareks disease, avian leukosis, and in end stages of bad respiratory diseases, one can see wry neck, but hopefully this is just a temporary problem. Silkies seem to suffer from it more often than some breeds. Here are a few links to read:
http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article/Crookneck/Crookneck.html
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/97121/lets-talk-wry-neck-crook-neck

 

[Jessie22]

Thanks for the info. I am giving boiled egg with sav-a-chick mixed in along with Vitamin E and going to add sunflower seeds to it to help absorb the vit E. Here is a picture of the swelling on the side of her head. It seems to be going down some.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thanks for the update. Let us know again how she is getting along.

 

[Jessie22]

She seems to have good days and bad days. I have put her in a separate cage so she would perk up because she can see and hear her buddy that is in the same room plus give her time to finish the mixture she eats. I have seen her eating regular food by her self. There are times she walks backwards. Poor thing, I hope she gets better. I know it will take some time. She would jump around when I would touch the swelling but now she seems like it doesn't bother her. She still tucks her head between her legs. I have thought of euthanasia but won't do it until I give her a fighting chance. Thank you so much for your concern.

 

[Eggcessive]

If you read through some of the threads on wry neck, it can take days or weeks for symptoms to go away.I have noticed that if people have the time, they may try the treatments for two weeks or so, and may consider euthanasia if no better. It always helps to get a necropsy by the state vet or poultry lab if the chicken is culled or dies, just to rule out certain diseases such as Mareks or avian leukosis. Since wry neck symptoms are of a neurological nature, it can be a symptom of many different conditions. I'm glad the swelling has gone down, and hope to see your little hen improve soon. Once or twice a day it might help to try and hand feed her a wet mash of feed, water with vitamins, and some raw or chopped egg mixed in. Here is a video to help:

 

[gummybear61]

my 7week old chick developed this symptom about a week ago... it freaked me out i took her to the only er that treats avion birds because her normal vet was closed for the weekend. the er vet was no help just told me to kill her and all my other birds. *** b4 i took her there i did read up on her symptom and was being hopeful.

well I DIDNT KILL HER NOr MY OTHER FEATHERY FAMILY. I instead went home with the antibiotic the vet gave me put more viatmin in her water kept her comfortable left a message with our normal avion vet and waited til he could see us. which was that monday morningwhen he saw her he knew automatically what it possibly was and asked if i was familiar with wry neck. only what i read but not really. he explaind that it could be vitamin deficiancy, genetic, metal toxicity or a disease. he too was hopeful and explain how he managed birds with this condidtion in large farms. and continued to stated he know this is not the route i wanted nor did he chose to fo that route. as i was there we had exrays to make sure nothing was broken or sprian he took fecal sample to rule out certain diseases and he call whike i was there a few of his collueges in other states who have delt with this symptom. again he was being hopeful. i have a very small city flock i treat them like part of the family so i want to make sure she is fine. she was vaccinated for merks and tested negative for a few other possible fatal diseases. he gave her a few shots of vitamims and sent me home with imstructioms as to how to care for her now...

with the vitamin he gave me i give her 3 drops of vitamin e and anit inflamitory med and antibiotic
i make sure she eats ... i kept her from her sisters for a few days but they were all miserable with out each other. they knew somethig was wrong. they do not pick on her so i desided to lut them back together. if she struggles they walk away or get closer to her still not pecking at her. we are hopeful. she has a follow up in a few days so we wilm see what the dr says. she eats fine runs around drinks and poos ok her eyes are clear no ear infection or anyother symptoms. so we will see. good luck with your baby

 

[Jessie22]

My feather friend with Wry Neck is doing pretty good. She still rings her neck around but not as much as before. Still working on her with vitamin e, selenium and vitamins. She is better though. I hope I can put her with all the others including my loud 10 guineas that were hatched from eggs.

 

[Jessie22]

How did the vet say to care for her?

 

[gummybear61]

the dr gave her an anti inflamitory medication and also an antibiotic
he gave her 3 shots that contained i forget the names. but in sure 2 or all three were some form of vitamin.
he gave me a bottle of powder vitamin which he told me to double dose and i was tols to give her 3 drops of vitamin E. they also did the xray and the test to make sure she is not diseased .....selenium is in her feed as sun flower seeds.... she has her follow up saturday and i must say she is doing great. her head is still tilted but at least now she can hold it up