Wry neck?

[Moose Antler]

I have a year old spitzhauben hen that has suddenly developed apparent wry neck. She has lost control of her neck and her head just flops to the ground. She is the only hen in 10 years to do this, and I've been using the same feed (nutrena). Is this really a vitamin deficiency?? I'm unsure how to help her - I'm considering culling

 

[Wanderers tales]

I have a year old spitzhauben hen that has suddenly developed apparent wry neck. She has lost control of her neck and her head just flops to the ground. She is the only hen in 10 years to do this, and I've been using the same feed (nutrena). Is this really a vitamin deficiency?? I'm unsure how to help her - I'm considering culling

Get vitamin E gelatin capsules and selenium pills. Give 1 vitamin E capsule in the the morning per 1.5 kg of body weight and 1 selenium pill. Repeat the process during dusk. Double the vitamin E dose if the bird is above 1.5kgs body weight.
If the situation is severe and bird is too weak to drink and eat on its own. Then hand feeding is required. Keep up the treatment till bird recovers and keep it up even 2 days after recovery. Recovery time may take 3 to 32 days. Depending on the season extreme heat can cause this. Check for lice too lice will also worsen the case. Make sure she is given pesticides around the tail, under the wings and on the back of the neck for 3 nights if you find any lice or mites on her. It is fine to also provide her with the advised dosage of minerals and vitamins while using treatment for external pesticides. Keep in mind hand feeding experience and patience are required.



Edit!: I also nearly forgot to mention that the sick bird be immediately isolated for quarantine to avoid getting stressed further by other members of the flock “especially horny roosters”. It’s also recommended that the bird must be kept in a proper containment unit of proper size estimates and kept under supervision 3 times daily. If the containment unit or quarantine room is too large. The bird might get stuck in a corner or object. If the containment unit is too small bird might not be able to flex itself or groom properly, which may result in further stress and deformed limbs. This may result in the bird accidentally killing itself.
See video for visual illustration note that the language is not English but the images and video should be enough. https://www.facebook.com/groups/487471449766642/permalink/487537499760037/?mibextid=S66gvF

 

[Eggcessive]

Usually a 400 IU softgel of human E daily is enough for wry neck. Selenium can be overdosed, and only a small amout is needed for vitamin E uptake. A bit of scrambled egg usually provides enough selenium. A 1/4 tablet daily of human B complex can also be helpful for wry neck.

Wry neck, limp neck or torticolis can be a neurological sign of head or neck injury, a vitamin E deficiency, and is seen in certain diseases, such as Mareks and others. Could she have been hurt or injured? Do you know if she was vaccinated for Mareks disease? Make sure to help her drink water every 2 hours, and mixing a watery chicken feed mash with some egg should be held up to her to eat. I would hold her in a blanket or towel to feed her.

 

[Wanderers tales]

Usually a 400 IU softgel of human E daily is enough for wry neck. Selenium can be overdosed, and only a small amout is needed for vitamin E uptake. A bit of scrambled egg usually provides enough selenium. A 1/4 tablet daily of human B complex can also be helpful for wry neck.

Wry neck, limp neck or torticolis can be a neurological sign of head or neck injury, a vitamin E deficiency, and is seen in certain diseases, such as Mareks and others. Could she have been hurt or injured? Do you know if she was vaccinated for Mareks disease? Make sure to help her drink water every 2 hours, and mixing a watery chicken feed mash with some egg should be held up to her to eat. I would hold her in a blanket or towel to feed her.

Yes that is true selenium poisoning is a risk if the user does not use advised dosage. I have provided a video to help explain.

As for viral diseases it is possibly unlikely since the owner mentioned that this is a rather old bird and the only one with said symptoms. Therefore it’s likely a genetic/nutritional disease and does not spread.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes that is true selenium poisoning is a risk if the user does not use advised dosage. I have provided a video to help explain.

As for viral diseases it is possibly unlikely since the owner mentioned that this is a rather old bird and the only one with said symptoms. Therefore it’s likely a genetic/nutritional disease and does not spread.

I believe they said the chicken is about a year old. Mareks could still be an issue, but hopefully not. You recommended one selenium pill in the morning and again in the evening. There was no dosage, and twice a day would probably be too much. Only a small amount of selenium is needed, since too much is toxic. That is why I usually just suggest a little egg or sunflower seed daily.

 

[Wanderers tales]

I believe they said the chicken is about a year old. Mareks could still be an issue, but hopefully not. You recommended one selenium pill in the morning and again in the evening. There was no dosage, and twice a day would probably be too much. Only a small amount of selenium is needed, since too much is toxic. That is why I usually just suggest a little egg or sunflower seed daily.

Correct I will edit the original. Only double dosage for vitamin E not selenium.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Get vitamin E gelatin capsules and selenium pills. Give 1 vitamin E capsule in the the morning per 1.5 kg of body weight and 1 selenium pill. Repeat the process during dusk. Double the vitamin E dose if the bird is above 1.5kgs body weight.

What is the IU o the E capsules?
Dose of Selenium.

Facebook video? No video translation on my part and I don't do facebook, so please provide dosing in your post.
Thanks!

 

[Wanderers tales]

What is the IU o the E capsules?
Dose of Selenium.

Facebook video? No video translation on my part and I don't do facebook, so please provide dosing in your post.
Thanks!

This is a picture of the info on the can. As for the size of each individual selenium pill. They’re basically just medium sized pills by world wide standards not large nor small. So for its actual weight sadly the canister does not mention that part with details. These are some pictures of the back covers.
But when it comes to dosage. It generally depends on the size of the bird. If it’s below 1.5 kgs then it’s a small bird. 1 of each pill in the morning and 1 after dusk before sleep. If the bird is large like let’s say a turkey for instance or a shamo/Brahma rooster. I double the dosage. It’s what worked for me and I’ve using this method for 8 years now it works well but the quality of the brand and the way the bird is being supervised and cared for also play a role. Adding black sunflower seeds to their diet will also help. But ordinary food like sunflowers and eggs won’t cure a severe case of vitamin E deficiency. And even if it does it would take too long and too much effort and by the end of the condition the birds neck may become deformed due to it tilting to a certain angle for too long.
But fair warning ! If you can’t find the right brand here for the selenium can in the images and end up finding a different one. I’d recommend only using 1 selenium pill a day.
Although selenium poisoning is a thing. Out of the millions of fancy breeds I’ve raised over the decades I’ve never had selenium poisoning. But it’s better be safe than sorry.

 

[Eggcessive]

400 IU of vitamin E usually equals 180 mg. In the picture, the E is 400 mg, so is probably over twice the amount recommended for dosage to a chicken. That could be added to food and split into 2 or more doses. As far as the selenium in the supplement, I would just use a bit of scrambled egg, since the supplement has way too much selenium, plus other unneeded vitamins. Other good sources of selenium are nuts, sunflower seed, or tuna. Only a small bit daily is needed. Just my opinion.

 

[Wanderers tales]

400 IU of vitamin E usually equals 180 mg. In the picture, the E is 400 mg, so is probably over twice the amount recommended for dosage to a chicken. That could be added to food and split into 2 or more doses. As far as the selenium in the supplement, I would just use a bit of scrambled egg, since the supplement has way too much selenium, plus other unneeded vitamins. Other good sources of selenium are nuts, sunflower seed, or tuna. Only a small bit daily is needed. Just my opinion.

With all due respect. But I’m Pretty sure it won’t lead to any poisoning at least not with the same ones I use. I’ve been using this treatment for nearly a decade or more. Treated over 200 adult birds with this method. I also use a 3cc syringe and give 5 drops to chicks under 200 grams. And a small piece of selenium 1/4 the size of their beak. It works for chicks too. So again this is an academic method. I’m a breed inventor, I hatch hundreds of chicks of at least over 60 different breeds not just broilers, some are my own breeds, on a weekly basis especially during April where the laying rate is higher. My oldest hen lived for over 22 years. And oldest rooster lived till 8.
The average lifespan of most of my birds with all breeds included is 9 years for hens and 6 for roosters.
I latterly produce most of my own equipment, crops and feed. Even have my own insect and trash fish farms.
To put it simply I’ve been doing this for a long long time. With little room for error. Never had poisoning. Also raw unprocessed food doesn’t work for severe cases it rarely even works for slight cases. It’s also more expensive and time consuming. But the price depends from a country to another. The concentrated minerals and vitamins work faster before the birds symptoms worsen. This is coming form 18 years of experience and someone who raises more fancy breeds than anyone you’ve spoken to before. Last bird I remember tagging was N.1229. And that was the last of last years adults. I haven’t placed the ID number band on the new sub adults yet. And the process would take over 4 days to finish on my own 1 day if I let my workers handle it. So personally I believe it’d be wiser if he uses the selenium and Vitamin E instead. It should be cheaper faster and more effective, also less risky. The vitamin and selenium guarantee recovery in the recommended amount. But relying on seeds grains and nuts or hard boiled eggs won’t treat it. I’ve heard plenty of people do but they never mentioned the success rate. Tried it myself too and it had a low success rate.