Wry neck

[crowmama]

Hello, I looked through several posts about this and still have a few questions...

We have a 4 week old chick, that just presented this morning with wry neck. It is definitely part silkie, which I have read is more prone to this.

It seems full of energy, and still very strong!
None of the other chicks are showing any signs.
They've been on medicated feed since day one, and vitamin/electrolyte water a few times a week.

I've separated it, but am having a hard time getting it to eat, and drink.

It's obviously upset about being separated, but also because it hasn't had much interaction with me other than when I move it to clean out the coops.

QUESTIONS:

How much should I be expecting it to eat and drink in a day? How many times a day?

Should I take it off the medicated feed? What about continuing the vitamin and electrolyte water?

Should I try and soften the crumbles, or try to get it to eat them crunchy?

Could this have occurred from an injury, or is it for sure a vitamin deficiency?
(It was one of the last ones hatched)

Can I bring in one of it's siblings to keep it company, or is it best alone?

Thank you!!!

 

[nuthatched]

Take off medicated feed if using vitamins.
Have you tried any direct vitamin therapy

 

[crowmama]

Take off medicated feed if using vitamins.
Have you tried any direct vitamin therapy

No, nothing yet. This is new since this morning. It'll drink a little bit of the vitamin/electrolyte water from a dropper, but won't eat anything from me or by itself so far...

 

[nuthatched]

No, nothing yet. This is new since this morning. It'll drink a little bit of the vitamin/electrolyte water from a dropper, but won't eat anything from me or by itself so far...

If you have any b complex tablets, grind it up, mix in a little sugar or honey and feed by the dropper.

 

[Eggcessive]

Wry neck or torticolis is a neurological symptom. It is sometime hereditary, and can be from a head or neck injury, vitamin E or B1 thiamine deficiency, and is seen later on in some diseases and viruses. Human vitamin E 400 IU softgels and B complex 1/4 tablet daily can be given daily for a couple of weeks to treat it. I also would give a small amount of cooked egg for selenium, which helps to utilize the vitamin E. If the others are not bothering the chick, it can spend some supervised time with the others. It really needs to stay part of the flock at this important time as they begin to establish pecking order. If you have to separate it, you can use a screen or some netting for separation where it can see the others. Mixing a small bowl of watery chicken feed with a little cooked egg, and sitting with the chick while you feed it a few times a day would be helpful.