HELP! 2 year old chicken walking in circles!

[best-nestin']

So we noticed this morning that our chicken, whose name is Speedy, is not being speedy at all. She walks in circles, and is always a little off balance. She is a little lathargic, and just not being herself! What is this? HELP!! Thanks!

 

[threehorses]

I'm sorry to say that we need more information. Like everything relating to her: what exactly she eats (laying crumbles, grains, pellets, or ??), her age, how she lives (flock/pen, flock/pen/run, flock/free range, mixed birds or only chickens)?

Does she have any parasites? They're nearly microscopic so check, especially around her vent, with a flashlight.

Poop - describe it throughly please.

Is she in hot weather now? What type of water (city, well, ponds, etc)

Start with this and we'll go from there, please.

 

[PlumTuckered]

Have you noticed anything different about her eyes? We had a brown leghorn hen go blind, we didn't realize that was the problem until she started walking in circles. We moved her to her own little coop and she lived happily for another 2 years, we always put her feed and water dishes in the same spot and she even continued to lay eggs. She would jump on our arm to be held and talked to, now and then we'd take her to the backyard to scratch in the grass and get some sun, if we'd get up and walk away from her she'd panic and walk in circles again.

Michelle

 

[best-nestin']

Well-She is in a coop with 15 other hens. She is out in the heat, but it really hasn't been that hot here. Mid 70's I don't see any parasites, and as for the poop- I really couldn't tell you. She is with all the other chickens, and so I don't know which is hers.

Sorry. I just barely took her out of the coop, and so when I can see if the poop looks different, then I will post that. Today she is just sitting in the nest box. Whenever I touch her, she squacks. I did give her some vitamins, and some water. We have city water. The only other thing I noticed to be off- is her feathers on her neck look yellow, instead of white. Could she be egg bound? What do I do to help her? I really am a newbie. We inherited these chickens from my neighbor, who had to forclose and move. They are all about 2 years old, and they are on layer pellets. We have a pen/run. The pen stays open all day, so if she wanted to get away from the heat, she could.

 

[threehorses]

If you could tell us about her poop, that would be great. The pellets are good, the heat and no parasites sounds good. Good on the vitamins in the water. I don't usually like them in the water (because it's too easy foor bad bacteria to get started in vitamin-water), but in this case she might need them.

On the nest box, are there any eggs in there? Is it possible she's going 'broody' - sitting on the nest box, not eating much, getting read to get serious about hatching eggs?

 

[3peeps]

Check her for lice or mites...perhaps she's lethargic from blood loss? I've heard they can look drunk when mites have infested them.

 

[best-nestin']

Thanks I will dust her with DE!!! Thanks to all!