Backing up, Walking Backward 11mos old

[TinaRew]

My hen is acting strangely and this is a new behavior. She will back up out of nowhere or start backing up even more than the video shows, walking backward. She does it when no other chickens are around her. It’s new as of this past week. Any ideas? (For some reason the video won’t show up here)

Background - Welbar hen 11mos old, still laying regularly. She’s lowest on the pecking order of only 3 hens. In the past 2 months she has had sour crop, comb tear, bullying, and wheezing (treated with antibiotics). She was doing well for awhile but last week she screamed several times when we held her one day and we had never heard this sound from her. I was concerned she was in pain and her abdomen felt swollen. Took her to the vet and no water belly or anything else but she had a small internal hernia that we knew about already. Vet says everything else looks good and wasn’t concerned. Then just this past week it’s this weird backward walking behavior. Anyone seen this before? Happening often like she’s backing up, hesitating, recoiling… I don’t even know. But when it’s just her she’s still doing it. Please help!

 

[azygous]

No need to make more steps to dosing than you need to. Chickens are very adept at swallowing pills, especially a tiny one like a vitamin E gel cap. Just pry open the beak and shove the pill in.

 

[azygous]

@TinaRew your videos of your hen walking show her pausing and backing up incrementally. This is normal chicken behavior when scanning the ground for signs of food. I see nothing that suggests to me that your hen has a neurological issue.

When my rooster was walking backwards, he dragged his beak on the ground, unable to raise his head. He appeared helpless to snap out of it when it happened. It incapacitated him. It was extremely obvious he was having trouble moving normally. Within an hour of giving him a vitamin E capsule, he stopped doing it and returned to normal behavior.

But do keep an eye on your hen. If her behavior becomes such that she doesn't seem to be able to do what she is needing to do and seems frustrated and confused, then she may be having symptoms of torticolis.

 

[azygous]

She has torticollis. Wry neck. Give her vitamin E with egg each day until she's better. It should clear up, if not in a few hours, but probably in a day or two.

 

[TinaRew]

Are you asking if I regularly give vitamin E to my flock? No. I only have given E when a chicken has torticollis. After they return to normal, sometimes within hours, I continue the E for another day or two, then stop.

Yes, thank you - that answers my question!

 

[TXKukupantsKoop]

No need to make more steps to dosing than you need to. Chickens are very adept at swallowing pills, especially a tiny one like a vitamin E gel cap. Just pry open the beak and shove the pill in.

I was so tickled when I gave a calcium pill to a hen once. I did as per BYC advice - gently pull the wattles down and they open wide. It was so simple!

 

[TinaRew]

@TinaRew your videos of your hen walking show her pausing and backing up incrementally. This is normal chicken behavior when scanning the ground for signs of food. I see nothing that suggests to me that your hen has a neurological issue.

When my rooster was walking backwards, he dragged his beak on the ground, unable to raise his head. He appeared helpless to snap out of it when it happened. It incapacitated him. It was extremely obvious he was having trouble moving normally. Within an hour of giving him a vitamin E capsule, he stopped doing it and returned to normal behavior.

But do keep an eye on your hen. If her behavior becomes such that she doesn't seem to be able to do what she is needing to do and seems frustrated and confused, then she may be having symptoms of torticolis.

I can assure this is not normal behavior for her, and has gotten worse. She almost can’t move forward more than a step or two without doing this. I can also tell when I watch her that she seems somewhat disoriented. The first video I posted yesterday isn’t even as bad as the updated one today. I’m hoping the vitamins help but she has been “off” for a little while now and it just seems one thing after another.

We do the gel because that’s what I have on hand and it’s easy to just add to the eggs for her.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

I had a hen with those same symptoms, but hers were even worse. She’d be walking around just fine, then suddenly screw her head around wildly and start backing up and shaking. Unfortunately, she passed away from heatstroke a couple years ago, so I don’t know if it ever would’ve resolved. I hope your hen feels better soon!

 

[SmiYa0126]

@Eggcessive @azygous @Wyorp Rock can you help?

 

[TinaRew]

She has torticollis. Wry neck. Give her vitamin E with egg each day until she's better. It should clear up, if not in a few hours, but probably in a day or two.

Why would this happen out of nowhere? It’s so strange. I gave her vit e with selenium in some scrambled egg earlier tonight and rooster booster (b12) in her water. Thank you!! I‘m praying it helps!