Wry neck

[Mmmccann]

I have a 9 day old peachick that was born with wry neck and it has only gotten worse. I have been feeding her liquid vitamin e mixed with egg yolk. Am I not giving her enough? The vitamin e is 180 mg mixed with the yolk and she eats every couple of hours. I have had trouble finding a dose chart without knowing how many grams she is and didn't want to give her too much.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi!

Vit E is given twice a day usually for minimally two weeks, maybe more. It wouldn't hurt to divide that between a few feedings though. The dosage you're giving is for an adult chicken, so I would think you could half it. Good luck!

Welcome to BYC!

 

[KsKingBee]

How soon did you begin giving the vitamin E? Usually if given within the first day or two it will cure the bend in the neck.

 

[FalseToast]

I have a 9 day old peachick that was born with wry neck and it has only gotten worse. I have been feeding her liquid vitamin e mixed with egg yolk. Am I not giving her enough? The vitamin e is 180 mg mixed with the yolk and she eats every couple of hours. I have had trouble finding a dose chart without knowing how many grams she is and didn't want to give her too much.

I haven’t had the opportunity of raising peafowl, but I also have a bird with wry neck.

I will agree with the other user that giving half the dose may suffice as well. I will also add that sometimes birds vary with how long it takes them to perk back up, but noting that it usually doesn’t take long. I’ve had my silkie chicken in the house with wry neck since February and still she is in the house because she won’t keep her head up—she eats and preens fine on her own, she just puts her head down often and seems stuck.

Since the peachick was born with wry neck, is it possible that it’s more than just a vitamin deficiency, such as it potentially developed improperly? Or developed with weaker neck muscles? I’m no expert by any means, but I like to consider all possibilities just in case.

All I can recommend from my experience is to encourage them any chance you can, to use their neck and build up their strength. Keep doing what you’re doing and have a little patience. Unless the chick is refusing food or is unable to eat, I don’t see why not to keep trying. Best of luck, though!

 

[Mmmccann]

I started giving it to her at 1 week. Initially I didn't think it was wry neck due to her being a huge chick. She had no air sac left in her egg and her tail was also all smushed and thought it was just being cramped, then the twist happened and I knew. I did finally notice a change today. Not a big one but she is holding it up more. I've never had any of my birds get it before and mom is fine as well.

 

[Mmmccann]

Thank you. She definitely wants to try and is full of life and attitude. I also thought it may be neurological but I will definitely keep trying as long as she is alive.

I haven’t had the opportunity of raising peafowl, but I also have a bird with wry neck.

I will agree with the other user that giving half the dose may suffice as well. I will also add that sometimes birds vary with how long it takes them to perk back up, but noting that it usually doesn’t take long. I’ve had my silkie chicken in the house with wry neck since February and still she is in the house because she won’t keep her head up—she eats and preens fine on her own, she just puts her head down often and seems stuck.

Since the peachick was born with wry neck, is it possible that it’s more than just a vitamin deficiency, such as it potentially developed improperly? Or developed with weaker neck muscles? I’m no expert by any means, but I like to consider all possibilities just in case.

All I can recommend from my experience is to encourage them any chance you can, to use their neck and build up their strength. Keep doing what you’re doing and have a little patience. Unless the chick is refusing food or is unable to eat, I don’t see why not to keep trying. Best of luck, though!

 

[KsKingBee]

All of the peachicks I have had that had bent necks were from having trouble hatching and usually had to have help getting out of the egg. The OP's chick was large and had no air sack because it was incubated with too high of humidity and did not lose enough weight during the process. Typically, they will also have toe and ankle problems as well but not always. The vitamin E asap for a couple of days and massaging can cure but really needs to be done within the first day or two to be effective.
I had one a few years ago I was not able to fix, we called it Quasi Moto, it lived free-ranging for a few months.

 

[FalseToast]

Thank you. She definitely wants to try and is full of life and attitude. I also thought it may be neurological but I will definitely keep trying as long as she is alive.

It may be a case like if a chick has splayed leg, or if a duckling has angel wing—just something they need to slowly come over as they grow and develop. I’m glad to hear she’s doing better! Any progress is good progress!

 

[Mmmccann]

All of the peachicks I have had that had bent necks were from having trouble hatching and usually had to have help getting out of the egg. The OP's chick was large and had no air sack because it was incubated with too high of humidity and did not lose enough weight during the process. Typically, they will also have toe and ankle problems as well but not always. The vitamin E asap for a couple of days and massaging can cure but really needs to be done within the first day or two to be effective.
I had one a few years ago I was not able to fix, we called it Quasi Moto, it lived free-ranging for a few months.

I had 3 other healthy normal sized chicks from the same clutch of eggs. All their air sacs were also normal size. I initially thought she was a bad egg taken over by bacteria inside but I was too paranoid to toss it (thank goodness). She was the biggest chick I have seen and her egg was on the smaller side with this being moms first clutch. None of the other babies I've hatched over the years came close to her size. I didn't have to help her hatch. She pipped and was out within a few hours walking around in the incubator. I kept my humidity at the same levels I always do, and I keep a secondary thermometer inside as a back up that tells both temp and humidity just in case the unit is ever wrong. I have been massaging her neck since she was born, she las learned that she likes it, lol, and she has been getting the extra liquid vit e steadily over the last week. But she is starting to improve and we will definitely keep trying and hope she makes it. My husband has named her Scooter.

 

[Mmmccann]

Yes it is. We will take our time. I definitely don't expect to wake up and she is normal. But she keeps trying.

It may be a case like if a chick has splayed leg, or if a duckling has angel wing—just something they need to slowly come over as they grow and develop. I’m glad to hear she’s doing better! Any progress is good progress!