Wyrick neck

[jofoster]

Can my chicken be allergic to the multivitamin I give him...to treat wyrick neck? Because when I give it to her she seems to go into a seizur,or is that a part of the illness?e

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. I hope the ER experts can help

 

[LynnaePB]

When a chicken with wry neck becomes stressed it will often trigger an attack (neck curling down and under the breast and then jerking side to side while under the chicken). The chicken may try to back up during this and may roll over or become stuck on its back. If that is what is happening when you give your chicken the multivitamins it is likely just causing an attack due to being stressed from being forced to take the vitamins.

Of course certain vitamins can be dangerous if overdosed so it may be possible giving the multivitamin could be causing something. Wry neck caused by deficiencies is usually caused by a vitamin E or a vitamin B deficiency from what I've heard. I treat with a vitamin B complex (half a pill crushed once a day), vitamin E (400 mg or higher per dose, ideally twice a day) and a very small bit of selenium which helps the chicken absorb the vitamin E (around an 8th of a 200 mg pill once a day). Selenium is the most dangerous if overdosed so you have to be much more careful about the amount given.

Wry neck can be neurological as well (an injury to the head can cause it). I always treat as if it were a vitamin deficiency just in case. It usually takes at least a week to clear up and more often a couple weeks. You'll need to treat until symptoms subside. I would guess if it takes more than 3 weeks to improve it is more likely a neurological issue. If it gets bad enough tube feeding may be required until the chicken has recovered enough to eat on its own.

I've never lost a chicken to wry neck, though I have had several that needed at least a couple weeks of tube feeding up to a month. I've heard sometimes they won't recover but thankfully I haven't experienced that myself.

Another common treatment that I've heard works well is selenium and vitamin e gel for goats. I can't quite recall if it was a pea sized drop once or twice a day but I'd probably go with once a day since too much selenium can be dangerous. Of course I don't have personal experience with this treatment, if I were to try it I would still include the B complex in case it is a vitamin B deficiency.

Good luck with your chicken, I hope it makes a quick and full recovery!

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Hello! Welcome to BYC!! I hope everything works out with your chicken.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens this is great place to explore

 

[jofoster]

When a chicken with wry neck becomes stressed it will often trigger an attack (neck curling down and under the breast and then jerking side to side while under the chicken). The chicken may try to back up during this and may roll over or become stuck on its back. If that is what is happening when you give your chicken the multivitamins it is likely just causing an attack due to being stressed from being forced to take the vitamins.

Of course certain vitamins can be dangerous if overdosed so it may be possible giving the multivitamin could be causing something. Wry neck caused by deficiencies is usually caused by a vitamin E or a vitamin B deficiency from what I've heard. I treat with a vitamin B complex (half a pill crushed once a day), vitamin E (400 mg or higher per dose, ideally twice a day) and a very small bit of selenium which helps the chicken absorb the vitamin E (around an 8th of a 200 mg pill once a day). Selenium is the most dangerous if overdosed so you have to be much more careful about the amount given.

Wry neck can be neurological as well (an injury to the head can cause it). I always treat as if it were a vitamin deficiency just in case. It usually takes at least a week to clear up and more often a couple weeks. You'll need to treat until symptoms subside. I would guess if it takes more than 3 weeks to improve it is more likely a neurological issue. If it gets bad enough tube feeding may be required until the chicken has recovered enough to eat on its own.

I've never lost a chicken to wry neck, though I have had several that needed at least a couple weeks of tube feeding up to a month. I've heard sometimes they won't recover but thankfully I haven't experienced that myself.

Another common treatment that I've heard works well is selenium and vitamin e gel for goats. I can't quite recall if it was a pea sized drop once or twice a day but I'd probably go with once a day since too much selenium can be dangerous. Of course I don't have personal experience with this treatment, if I were to try it I would still include the B complex in case it is a vitamin B deficiency.

Good luck with your chicken, I hope it makes a quick and full recovery!

Thank you so much...I love this little Swedish Bellflower hen...she's about 5 month old,but still a bit underdeveloped.
I treated her with poly-vi-sol, before, when she did not take the heat well ( even with all safty precautions) and would not eat...she took it well. But now...she has this wry neck...I got the vitimin E & selenium...I gave her a dose...let's see how she takes it.
Also when she is resting on my chest ,she gets no seizures, just wen I put her in her basket., with a cuddle toy...since I took her inside

 

[LynnaePB]

Thank you so much...I love this little Swedish Bellflower hen...she's about 5 month old,but still a bit underdeveloped.
I treated her with poly-vi-sol, before, when she did not take the heat well ( even with all safty precautions) and would not eat...she took it well. But now...she has this wry neck...I got the vitimin E & selenium...I gave her a dose...let's see how she takes it.
Also when she is resting on my chest ,she gets no seizures, just wen I put her in her basket., with a cuddle toy...since I took her inside

Aww it sounds like you are taking good care of your girl. I'm sorry to hear she is having issues, I hope the vitamin E and selenium helps her.

The silkies I've had who have come down with wry neck seem to be stressed by being picked up or put down and more likely to have an attack at that time. As it progresses it comes on more randomly and more often and eventually ends in where they pretty much constantly have their head underneath them. Just be prepared it could potentially get worse before it gets better. Many times they won't progress to where they keep their heads under them all the time and they can still eat and drink on their own or with a little help. I hope this is the case for your girl and the wry neck stays mild before subsiding. Perhaps your little one feels more secure and calm on your chest and it helps to lessen the likelihood of wry neck symptoms coming on.

It's good she is inside, a smaller area can sometimes be helpful as they have better access to walls to brace against. If you haven't already I'd remove water from her enclosure if she is having many attacks and it is close to or on the ground. I've heard of birds drowning themselves when having attacks. She should be fine without it as long as you offer it to her several times a day while you can monitor her and make sure she doesn't get into trouble.

It's always hard seeing them struggling, luckily wry neck is usually very treatable from what I've experienced. It sometimes just takes a while to get them better and occasionally the tube feeding will be required to get them through it if it's an especially bad case.

 

[viggo63]

I've been treating a leghorn pullet since a few days old for wry neck. I give her Rooster Booster Poultry Cell vitamins 3x day. It has the Vit. E and selenium she needs. She also looked like she was having a seizure when I gave it to her, her eyes hut and her head fell over. After several days there was great improvement, though. The advice and support I got from forum members here has been invaluable. Most importantly, symptoms get worse before they get better, and don't stop the vitamins even if she looks better. It's been a long haul, but I have hope she'll be OK. Good luck with your little girl and don't give up!

 

[jofoster]

Aww it sounds like you are taking good care of your girl. I'm sorry to hear she is having issues, I hope the vitamin E and selenium helps her.

The silkies I've had who have come down with wry neck seem to be stressed by being picked up or put down and more likely to have an attack at that time. As it progresses it comes on more randomly and more often and eventually ends in where they pretty much constantly have their head underneath them. Just be prepared it could potentially get worse before it gets better. Many times they won't progress to where they keep their heads under them all the time and they can still eat and drink on their own or with a little help. I hope this is the case for your girl and the wry neck stays mild before subsiding. Perhaps your little one feels more secure and calm on your chest and it helps to lessen the likelihood of wry neck symptoms coming on.

It's good she is inside, a smaller area can sometimes be helpful as they have better access to walls to brace against. If you haven't already I'd remove water from her enclosure if she is having many attacks and it is close to or on the ground. I've heard of birds drowning themselves when having attacks. She should be fine without it as long as you offer it to her several times a day while you can monitor her and make sure she doesn't get into trouble.

It's always hard seeing them struggling, luckily wry neck is usually very treatable from what I've experienced. It sometimes just takes a while to get them better and occasionally the tube feeding will be required to get them through it if it's an especially bad case.

Yes, and look at her now...She is much better...I put her with her boddy this morning, and she packed up on food, I just gave her her dose of Vitamin E & Selenium, a bit egg yolk & honey...but would u not agree to put her back inside? At least until the sun goes down a bit?
I got there cadge on my back porch with the fan going, but I'm afraid she is going to collapse again.

 

[jofoster]

Yes, and look at her now...She is much better...I put her with her boddy this morning, and she packed up on food, I just gave her her dose of Vitamin E & Selenium, a bit egg yolk & honey...but would u not agree to put her back inside? At least until the sun goes down a bit?
I got there cadge on my back porch with the fan going, but I'm afraid she is going to collapse again.

Thank you so, so much for your support & information. You help save my bird..