Not an emergency--wryneck question

[LaurenRitz]

Adding here for record keeping. Her condition gradually deteriorated and she passed away after 2 weeks of isolation. I noted yesterday that one of her sisters was lethargic, and when I picked her up her head flopped to the side just like the other.

I brought her in, dosed her with ivermectin JIC and gave her vit E and half a b complex.

This morning her head is up but twisted slightly to the side. I wouldn't have noticed it if I wasn't looking. I gave her an E capsule in some scrambled egg and will give her another 1/2 b in the morning.

According to the label their food should contain plenty of both vitamins, but this bird prefers to forage and hardly touches the commercial food. The other bird also preferred to forage.

 

[Perris]

According to the label their food should contain plenty of both vitamins, but this bird prefers to forage and hardly touches the commercial food. The other bird also preferred to forage.

she passed away after 2 weeks of isolation

Sorry for your loss. I assume while she was in isolation she was only getting food you provided, so if the label is accurate, deficiencies should not be the issue.

Foraging may however be relevant as a potential explanation for infection (quite a lot of bugs have CNS symptoms) or unintentional intoxication (I think you said somewhere that your current birds are novice self-taught foragers).

 

[LaurenRitz]

Sorry for your loss. I assume while she was in isolation she was only getting food you provided, so if the label is accurate, deficiencies should not be the issue.

Foraging may however be relevant as a potential explanation for infection (quite a lot of bugs have CNS symptoms) or unintentional intoxication (I think you said somewhere that your current birds are novice self-taught foragers).

That's right. I have one experienced broody but any chicks she hasn't raised have been purchased or incubated. The JG mix, the one who started this thread, was raised by my broody.

What is CNS?

 

[Perris]

CNS = central nervous system; neurological issues.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Her head is still twisted slightly to the side, but she's upright. She's able to eat without a problem, but drinking seems problematic.

I begin to think this might be the result of an injury rather than a vitamin deficiency.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I heard a bird screaming and ran outside. She was lying in the corner in a heap, her head twisted around under her chest. For a minute I thought she was dead. I think she panicked again and flew into the wall. Once I straightened her neck out she was able to hold it up.

Whatever is going on, it's not going to be resolved if she keeps running head first into walls.

 

[LaFleche]

I heard a bird screaming and ran outside. She was lying in the corner in a heap, her head twisted around under her chest. For a minute I thought she was dead. I think she panicked again and flew into the wall. Once I straightened her neck out she was able to hold it up.

Whatever is going on, it's not going to be resolved if she keeps running head first into walls.

Do you have an aggressive rooster that does not like her?

 

[LaurenRitz]

It

Do you have an aggressive rooster that does not like her?

It's possible. I harvested 6 cockerels last week, but I still have 5. They can't get to her but she can see them if they get over to that area. I have closed off their primary point of access, so hopefully that will resolve that possibility.

 

[LaurenRitz]

The vitamins are ineffective. B, E, calcium with d3, no response. It feels like a vitamin deficiency, but I'm at a loss as to what vitamins.

When I went out this morning she was eating. I gave her some fish (salmon) and she dove into that. Possibly something she needs, but just as likely because of the moisture content. With her head twisted she can't drink easily.

The twist is slight, but whenever she relaxes her head drops entirely and she can't get it back up without help.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I was outside feeding her water in a syringe when I realized that she is crawling with what I think are mites. I checked when I isolated her and didn't see anything at the time, so I doubt they were the initial cause. But they're certainly not helping!

I dosed her when I put her in isolation, jic, and just did it again.

She can't hold up her head anymore. It took the other hen weeks to get to this point.