Wry neck?

[Mel Lloyd]

What are the symptoms? Our hen keeps cocking her head sideways and almost upside down! She's eating, just acting odd. Just noticed last night when it was time to put them up, she was fine all day. We kept her separated from the rest overnight. This morning she's still doing it, although doesn't seem as bad. Do we continue to isolate her? HELP! New chicken parents!

 

[getaclue]

Vitamin E, and Selenium. Yes, keep her isolated for now, since stress doesn't help any. Get Nutri Drench from TSC, or your local feed store. The sooner you start treating, the better.

 

[azygous]

Wry neck is also called "star gazing" due to the position of the head being cocked back and staring up at the sky. It can come and go. But it's often caused by a vitamin deficiency and can worsen without treatment. As @getaclue states, vitamin E 400iu is the treatment with selenium tossed in to help absorption. How old is this hen? If it's a chick just a few days or weeks old, it can be also be caused by genetic abnormalities.

 

[red horse ranch]

I also have a rooster with Wry Neck. I have vitamins in all the water jugs but I haven't separated him from the flock because that seems to stress him out even more. When he is stressed the spasms get pretty bad.
What I'd like to know is if anyone has had a chicken recover from this? How long does it take? I had a rooster last year with the same thing and he got so bad that I finally put him down. I'd like to save this rooster if I can since I kept him to use as a purebred breeder.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thiamine or vitamin B1 is also helpful in the treatment of wry neck, as well as vitamin E with selenium. Since wry neck is a symptom of several possible illnesses or deficiencies, it is wise to use B1, plus E and selenium together. Some common causes are head or neck injuries, hereditary tendency, vitamin deficiency, and certain infectious diseases that affect the brain (Mareks, Leukosis, fowl cholera, and end stage respiratory diseases.) A general approach is needed, including a calm, quiet environment, supplements, and help in eating and drinking enough.

Thiamine Deficiency


Polyneuritis in birds represents the later stages of a thiamine deficiency, probably caused by buildup of the intermediates of carbohydrate metabolism. Because the brain’s immediate source of energy results from the degradation of glucose, it depends on biochemical reactions involving thiamine. In the initial stages of deficiency, lethargy and head tremors may be noted. A marked decrease in appetite is seen in birds fed a thiamine-deficient diet. Poultry are also susceptible to neuromuscular problems, resulting in impaired digestion, general weakness, star-gazing, and frequent convulsions.

Polyneuritis may be seen in mature birds ~3 wk after they are fed a thiamine-deficient diet. As the deficiency progresses, birds may sit on flexed legs and draw back their heads in a star-gazing position. Retraction of the head is due to paralysis of the anterior neck muscles. Soon after this stage, chickens lose the ability to stand or sit upright and topple to the floor, where they may lie with heads still retracted. Thiamine deficiency may also lead to a decrease in body temperature and respiratory rate. Testicular degeneration may be noted, and the heart may show slight atrophy. Birds consuming a thiamine-deficient diet soon show severe anorexia. They lose all interest in feed and will not resume eating unless given thiamine. If a severe deficiency has developed, thiamine must be force-fed or injected to induce the chickens to resume eating.

Thiamine deficiency is most common when poorly processed fish meals are used, because they contain thiaminase enzyme. In such situations, adding extra thiamine may be ineffective. There is no good evidence suggesting that, unlike in some mammalian species, certain Fusariummycotoxins can increase the need for supplemental thiamine. In otherwise adequate diets, deficiency is prevented by supplements of thiamine up to 4 mg/kg.

 

[red horse ranch]

Thank you Eggsessive. I checked out the infectious diseases that you mentioned and my young rooster doesn't have any of those symptoms. He hasn't had any injuries that I'm aware of. He is 6 months old and most of the time he acts like a normal young rooster with hormones raging. But under stress his head falls back and rubs his back in the stargazing position. So I'm thinking it probably is a vitamin deficiency causing the Wry Neck. He is the lowest on the pecking order of my 6 other roosters and it's possible that he isn't getting enough food. I'll keep the vitamins in the waterers and hope he improves.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

He is 6 months old and most of the time he acts like a normal young rooster with hormones raging. But under stress his head falls back and rubs his back in the stargazing position.

He is the lowest on the pecking order of my 6 other roosters and it's possible that he isn't getting enough food.

I agree with the other's posts. Offering him extra vitamins/nutrition may be helpful.

You mention his symptoms present when he is under stress - the other roosters - are they all 6months old as well? That's a lot of hormones.

He may do better if you can separate him for a while to ensure he is eating/drinking well or add another food/water station or 2.
May I ask about your chicken keeping goals- are you growing out the cockerels for breeding, butchering etc. How many girls do you have?

 

[HfgChicken]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/help-roo-with-wry-neck.1203896/

 

[red horse ranch]

I agree with the other's posts. Offering him extra vitamins/nutrition may be helpful.

You mention his symptoms present when he is under stress - the other roosters - are they all 6months old as well? That's a lot of hormones.

He may do better if you can separate him for a while to ensure he is eating/drinking well or add another food/water station or 2.
May I ask about your chicken keeping goals- are you growing out the cockerels for breeding, butchering etc. How many girls do you have?

You asked about my other roosters, only 2 of them are his age. The others are 3,5 7 & 8 years old. I only keep roosters that are non aggressive and get along with the other roosters so the young rooster in question is not harassed by the other roosters.
If a rooster causes problems he becomes supper.

I have around 40 hens with maybe 25 of them being breeding age. My hobby for the last 10 years is hatching chicks and guinea keets. I live in a small town of around 4000 people and the nearest town is close to 40 miles away. The only way to get chicks is to order them from hatcheries or buy them at the feed stores in March. A lot of people don't want to fool with raising babies so I sell newborns and a lot of fully feathered chickens and guineas. That's why I end up with so many chickens. (actually it's a good example of chicken math!)

All of my 57 birds free range thru the day and there are a lot of feeders in different places so there is access to food and water at all times. I have the vitamins in all the main water jugs.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You asked about my other roosters, only 2 of them are his age. The others are 3,5 7 & 8 years old. I only keep roosters that are non aggressive and get along with the other roosters so the young rooster in question is not harassed by the other roosters.
If a rooster causes problems he becomes supper.

I have around 40 hens with maybe 25 of them being breeding age. My hobby for the last 10 years is hatching chicks and guinea keets. I live in a small town of around 4000 people and the nearest town is close to 40 miles away. The only way to get chicks is to order them from hatcheries or buy them at the feed stores in March. A lot of people don't want to fool with raising babies so I sell newborns and a lot of fully feathered chickens and guineas. That's why I end up with so many chickens. (actually it's a good example of chicken math!)

All of my 57 birds free range thru the day and there are a lot of feeders in different places so there is access to food and water at all times. I have the vitamins in all the main water jugs.

Sounds great! I was just wandering since you mentioned his symptoms worsened when he was stressed, so wasn't sure if he was being picked on, etc. - so reducing stress could be helpful until he recovers. Seems like you have a good setup.

It's possible with his age, that he may have an underlying illness or genetics could be playing a part in his having troubles. If he drastically improves with the vitamin therapy mentioned in previous posts- then I would suspect that he was not getting enough food/water for some reason. Some birds are just more timid or chased away.