Wry Neck?

[ReelFaster]

Two nights ago I went out to check on my chickens at bed time and noticed one of my hens not perched like she normally always is. I picked her up and put her on the perch not suspecting anything.

Last night after work I checked on them and let them out for a bit and noticed that same hen (plymouth rock) had a crook in her neck and was holding her head at a slight angle. She was walking ok, foraging and eating just fine but clearly noticeable. So just after dark I went out to check and see if she made it into the coop, but she didn't and was laying in the run. I picked her up and put her into the coop for the night for safety.

This morning I noticed she had trouble walking down the ramp out of the coop and just about fell off it but was ok. I use a nipple waterer so I got a tray waterer I have and put that down and filled both that and the nipple water with some rooster booster. She was drinking out of that just fine and was eating just fine as well. I also tried to give her some broccoli but clearly hindered and not as quick in trying to get some but I made sure she got some. I also added Selenium to the water.

Is this common for adult chickens? She will be 1yr in Nov. She's been super sweet and one of my best layers. She is on a good layer feed or at least what I thought was a good one. We give cracked corn as a treat from time to time along with table scraps. I know there is plenty of info out there that I tried to read but figured I'd share in case something I am missing something.

Is it possible she hurt her neck? I will say I added a poop board about 2 weeks ago. It's 16" wide board I mounted about 10"-12" under the 2x4 they perch on. Perhaps she hit this while trying to perch or get down, am not sure. But Thanks in advance!
https://youtu.be/QouB4Jd6PYs

 

[azygous]

Yes, it's most likely a very mild case of wry neck. One vitamin E capsule 400iu directly into her beak should snap her out of it. But continue with one capsule daily until you are sure she's back to normal.

Wry neck can show up in a number of forms, slight neck deformity to severe upside down contortions making it impossible to walk or perch or eat. It can even show up as walking backward. In each case vitamin E 400iu is the treatment and giving it with egg or selenium will help with faster absorption.

 

[ReelFaster]

Yes, it's most likely a very mild case of wry neck. One vitamin E capsule 400iu directly into her beak should snap her out of it. But continue with one capsule daily until you are sure she's back to normal.

Wry neck can show up in a number of forms, slight neck deformity to severe upside down contortions making it impossible to walk or perch or eat. It can even show up as walking backward. In each case vitamin E 400iu is the treatment and giving it with egg or selenium will help with faster absorption.

Thank you so much for the reply, greatly appreciated and I feel much better.

Just a quick question about the vitamin E capsule directly into her beek. Am I extracting the liquid out of the capsule I assume with a syringe and putting down her beek? Or should I look for a liquid form that would better to use. Thanks again so much, I did give them some eggs this morning as well.

Could I soak some bread with the vit e liquid? Thanks a bunch!

 

[azygous]

Why make it harder on yourself? Popping the capsule directly into the beak is easy, quick and safe. She won't choke. If you were dealing with a baby, chick, then yes, breaking open the capsule and drizzling the oil onto a bite of food would be better. But an adult will handle a pill quite easily. It dissolves inside the crop in minutes.

 

[ReelFaster]

Why make it harder on yourself? Popping the capsule directly into the beak is easy, quick and safe. She won't choke. If you were dealing with a baby, chick, then yes, breaking open the capsule and drizzling the oil onto a bite of food would be better. But an adult will handle a pill quite easily. It dissolves inside the crop in minutes.

Gotcha, I understand. I just didn't know or want the capsules to be to big. Some of those vitamin capsules are pretty big. I was looking to buy the Vitamin E capsules from amazon.

Thanks again for all your help and time with this. Much appreciated!

 

[ReelFaster]

Just a quick update!

Didn't get the Vitamin E until late last night so she's doing about the same. Having trouble getting in and out of the coop still. I find her stuck in there in the morning, which is benefiting me because I can easily grab her and give her the Vit E. And sometimes she can't make it into the coop at night, but lately she's been getting in ok.

Gave her 1st dose of Vitamin E this morning. Will continue daily until she's getting back to normal. She is eating and drinking just fine still and laying as well!

 

[ReneesRanch]

Yes, it's most likely a very mild case of wry neck. One vitamin E capsule 400iu directly into her beak should snap her out of it. But continue with one capsule daily until you are sure she's back to normal.

Wry neck can show up in a number of forms, slight neck deformity to severe upside down contortions making it impossible to walk or perch or eat. It can even show up as walking backward. In each case vitamin E 400iu is the treatment and giving it with egg or selenium will help with faster absorption.

i just had this happen, she was fine this am and I was like “omg did you break your neck”. So I am feeding good feed. Should I start regular supplements for her? Not sure what brought this on. Thanks!!!

 

[ReelFaster]

i just had this happen, she was fine this am and I was like “omg did you break your neck”. So I am feeding good feed. Should I start regular supplements for her? Not sure what brought this on. Thanks!!!

I've been treating my hen with 400iu of gel pill Vit E. I've been doing so for just about 2 full weeks. Just when I thought nothing is happening and if anything she seemed a tad worse yesterday huge improvement. When I went out in the AM to check her she was out of the coop by herself (normally I have to carry her out), her head wasn't as crooked and she seemed a bit more spunky. That evening I went out to put her in bed and she was in the coop all by herself!! Now she wasn't perched but HUGE improvement. Today out of the coop by herself again and spunky, harder to catch to give her the pill as well which is all good signs. She has improved so much taking the pill as well or maybe I got better at it but she is so much more cooperative. Initially it was a fight, but now she is calm and just down the shoot, couple of seconds, done!

 

[azygous]

@ReneesRanch if you mean multivitamin and mineral supplements, no, that is not necessary as long as you're already feeding a commercial feed. Just the vitamin E capsule as @ReelFaster pointed out.

 

[ReneesRanch]

@ReneesRanch if you mean multivitamin and mineral supplements, no, that is not necessary as long as you're already feeding a commercial feed. Just the vitamin E capsule as @ReelFaster pointed out

Thank you! Yes, gave her the E right after I read that. I also got a bit of the B complex in her and have been giving her scrambled eggs on and off all day. She takes a couple butes each time. How much water should I make sure she gets daily? That is my biggest question. I feel so bad, I have to be in MA tmro and she will have to go with me. I’m sure that will be stressful but I cannot find anyone to care for her here and I will be gone about 10 hours. I can’t leave her 10 hours with no food or water. I never have to be anywhere but this I cannot cancel. I’m just going to bring her in a carrier and keep her cozy, fed and hydrated. Poor thing. I feel so bad. She has had a rough life. The other hens nearly killed her back in July. I still cannot mix them unattended. I keep her and her Polish sister separated but in the same run and coop them separately at night. Building a new coop just so they can have their own space. Hopefully it will be completed this weekend.