Tucking head way under and walking backwards

[ice329]

Hello everyone, I am new to the board. I am also very new to chickens. I will tell you what has happened and hopefully someone can help. She is a 8 or 9 week old RIR hen. I incubated her and her sister. About last week i did a few things and i am hoping what i did is not the cause but either way here it is.. Both hens were just great up till last week. I did a few things, I began to change there food. They were on 28% gamebird medicated, then I mixed up some of that, 16% grower and some scratch and began to give that to them. Up to this point i have not given them any grit.. I basically didnt think i had to. I also fed them grass clippings and clover in a seperat bowl, and i allowd them to roam loose while i was there but i was not watching there every move so she could have ate something. These things I am sure of, so what is going on may or may not have anything to do with what she is doing.

She is twisting her head way under to where her crop is, she is twisting her head in crazy motions and she is walking backward. Something is odviously wrong.

Here is what I did so far to try to help her. I put her back on the 28% gamebird that she was on. I offered her some grit which she ate some. I mixed olive oil in her food and fed it to her 2 days. Something else i did was take the food away at night and checked her crop in the morning and it was down. After she eats compared to her sister, hers is much bigger and harder after they eat. I have massaged it. I wrapped her in a towel and looked down her throat thinking maybe something was stuck there. Her poop seems to look fine. The feed store suggested putting her on duramycin 10 and vitamin which I also did.

I weighed her she is 1 pound 6 oz and her sister is 1 pound 12 oz. I dont know what else to do for this poor bird. Has anyone had this happen or any ideas about it. Thanks Joey

 

[Kittymomma]

I haven't dealt with it myself, but it sounds like she could have wry neck. Try typing wry neck into the search box and check out some of those threads to see if it matches what you're seeing with your pullet. Good luck with her. It's hard when our babies get sick.

ETA:

Sorry it's under such crummy circumstances.

 

[zowieyellowflame]

I think maybe it sounds like wry neck too. My chicken, now named "Rye" is a barred rock and she did the same thing. It was almost like spasms and it looks awful. You can you tube it.
I guess the primary treatment is vitamin E with selenium added, 400 mg of E, twice a day. Also a quarter tablet of vitamin b. It is supposed to be caused by a vitamin deficiency, head trauma or in some cases, bacteria.
In some cases people treat with prenizone or even antibiotics, but I am no expert! I have just been dealing with wry for nearly 4 weeks now. She is still not 100% but better. Read lots about it, there is tons of advice and any treatment you give is supposed to take a while to work. And you are supposed to treat for a while after she is better. By the way, what is her bedding/coop like?

 

[AHappychick]

Quote:
I agree but would not try the predizone I would do the vitamin e selenium with b first and see what happens. The steroids are best if it is head trauma (which happens to vaulted scull birds most often) It will take a few days to take effect. as long as she can eat and drink she should have the ability to recover once the meds take effect.

Good Luck

 

[ice329]

Wow I feel a little better. I was sick about this for a few days now. She is such a sweet bird. I never knew a chicken could be so nice. Her sister is friendly but the sick one is just a little doll. Maybe I am on the right track then with the vitamins. I will read the packet tomarrow and see what is in it and if not what you all suggest I will go get it for her. The vitamins are mixed in the water that i got. So maybe taking her of the 28% gamebird and the mix of 28%, 16% and scratch cause it? maybe? Its just been a few days so hopefully she will recover. Thank you all and I will prob be asking more questions, I never had a chicken... Joey

She is in sort of something like a rabbit hutch, it has 1/2 wire mesh on the bottom and sides and is in the garage. I have been keeping them in there untill there big enough to roam free all the time except at night.

 

[zowieyellowflame]

I think they say that scratch should just be a treat, an occasional treat. It does not have the nutrients that the feed or grower would. I dont know about game bird food.
The multi vitamins likely wont give enough vitamin E that is suggested for the treatment of this condition. Just go to the drugstore, buy vitamin E that has selenium added if you can. It should be in a capsule form, poke a hole and squeeze the proper amount out onto a spoon (400 mg) and then wipe it up with a piece of bread, cooked egg or melon and feed it to your little one.
Another cause of this disorder can be toxicity. Any chance she got into something poisonous?

 

[ice329]

I really think I can rule out toxic. There really is nothing she could have got. I cant rule out her eating something?? Plastic or who knows what plus the grass with no proir grit..I first thought her crop had a problem but now i am feeling this wry neck might be it. After reading all these posts I kinda feel the changing of the feed might be the cause. That Gamebird 28% is strong food and I am sure packed with vitamins. Dropping it to about 1/3 of it and 1/3 grower and 1/3 scratch may have did it to her. Not to mention they pick out the scratch first. Plus right around the same day I have them the big bowl of grass clippings. I will keep her on the multi and also go get the other ones suggested. I guess at this point I will keep her on the duramycin 10 also for a few more days. You have no idea the loss of sleep i have had thinking I may have to put her down. I hope this works and I feel good it will. Thanks again.

 

[M@M@2four]

Separate her and give her food and water and poly-visol(without iron) drops. Sounds like wry neck or a head injury. I would do a quarter dropperful of the polyvisol drops every 6-8 hours for about a week. You can buy the polyvisol drops at walmart in the infant/medicine section.

Good luck!

 

[usschicago1]

I didnt readd the other posts but you have a defiency of some sort. Just give her some in water.

 

[ice329]

Quick update, pretty good news so far. She seems to be getting better, still does it but not nearly as much or as long. Here is 2 vids the second shows a little of what she does right in the begining. Thanks for the help.. Joey

P.S. I asked on a differnt thread but you think the both pullets? There 9 weeks old

http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n103/ice0329/?action=view&current=MVI_2927.flv

http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n103/ice0329/?action=view&current=MVI_2928.flv