Hen hold head back

[sharon1955]

I have a friend that has a hen about 1 year old. When it sits down it puts her head straight back with the back of her head resting on her back with her beak literally pointing straight up and closes her eyes. It doesn't really want to walk but when it does it's not normal. Any one have any ideas of what could be wrong with it?

 

[nchls school]

I doubt anyone can give you a positive answer.

One of my Yokohama hens hatched out chicks last summer. On leaving her nest with the chicks another hen attacked (I was right next to the birds when this happened). Before the Yokohama hen was even touched she when into a seizure-flopping on the ground scattering chicks everywhere. In a short while the seizure/stroke subsided. For a few days the hen was unable to vocalize, had difficulty walking; staggering tripping as she moved. She carried her head way back with chest thrown out, very like a fantail pigeon.

I still have the hen and she has raised many chicks. Her movements are still faltering and her head still is held back further than it should be.

Why this happened is a mystery to me. Seizure due to stress-heart attack-stroke??????? I'll never know for sure but it has been a year and the problem has not reoccurred. So now I have a hen that's a bit strange in appearance. Does not matter to me. She's a pet that keeps laying eggs and hatching chicks,

 

[Eggcessive]

It is a form of wry neck called opisthonotos. Wry neck is a neurological symptom, and the head can be twisted to one side, downward, or up like the picture. Wry neck can be seen in vitamin E or thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, after a head injury or brain problem, and in certain diseases, such as Mareks, fowl cholera, and others.

The best way to treat it is to separate the chicken to a quiet area. Give 400 IU of vitamin E, along with a chicken vitamin or vitamin B complex for some thiamine. A small bit of cooked egg, tuna, or sunflower seed would add selenium if the chick vitamin does not contain any. Selenium is only needed in a small amount to help with vitamin E uptake. Too much is not good.

Is there any imbalance or weakness of either leg or wings? Was the chicken vaccinated for Mareks disease? Videos posted to YouTube with a link here of walking would be helpful.

 

[sharon1955]

It is a form of wry neck called opisthonotos. Wry neck is a neurological symptom, and the head can be twisted to one side, downward, or up like the picture. Wry neck can be seen in vitamin E or thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, after a head injury or brain problem, and in certain diseases, such as Mareks, fowl cholera, and others.

The best way to treat it is to separate the chicken to a quiet area. Give 400 IU of vitamin E, along with a chicken vitamin or vitamin B complex for some thiamine. A small bit of cooked egg, tuna, or sunflower seed would add selenium if the chick vitamin does not contain any. Selenium is only needed in a small amount to help with vitamin E uptake. Too much is not good.

Is there any imbalance or weakness of either leg or wings? Was the chicken vaccinated for Mareks disease? Videos posted to YouTube with a link here of walking would be helpful.

Thank you so much. You've been very helpful.

 

[Eggcessive]

Let us know how she is getting along in the next few days.