Mostly blind hen with other issues

[hennypenney]

Ground layer looks better than I've ever seen her. Her new feathers are growing in quickly and thoroughly. She dug a dust bath for herself, knows where her food and water are, and manages to find (eventually) the tomatoes I toss for her.

I have seen one concerning behavior though, and not just one time, but up to a couple times per day. As she's pecking around in the grass (which is very short outside the duck house), she will suddenly run backwards 8-12 feet while whipping her head back and forth in the air. It's how I imagine she'd react if someone surprised her by grabbing at her head. After she snaps out of it, she seems fine again, but none of our other chickens do this.

Any ideas? It seems almost neurological.

Whoa that does seem like neurological issues. I’ve never seen that.

 

[TheResidentialFarm]

It's bizarre. The first time I saw her do it I expected her to fall over and die afterwards because it seemed like some sort of seizure.

 

[hennypenney]

It's bizarre. The first time I saw her do it I expected her to fall over and die afterwards because it seemed like some sort of seizure.

Is her blindness from Mareks do you know?

 

[hennypenney]

 

[TheResidentialFarm]

I have no idea. She came as one of a batch of 9 one year old birds. The three other EE hens are normal (and great layers). The four Wyandotte's have not been productive. We put one down that had crippled feet. The others would lay a couple eggs per week mid summer, but are now molting. They've had a LOT of bumblefoot issues and one has a funny wing, so those might be signs that they were sick when younger.

Nothing in the image above speaks to Ground layer's issue from my observation. I've spent a good while looking deeply into her eyes looking for cloudiness or something abnormal. Her actual eye is fine. She's maybe a little squinty though....for lack of a better way to describe it, between her squinty-ness and head bobble, so always looks a bit stoned... But she has full control of her feet and wings and neck it would seem.

 

[hennypenney]

I have no idea. She came as one of a batch of 9 one year old birds. The three other EE hens are normal (and great layers). The four Wyandotte's have not been productive. We put one down that had crippled feet. The others would lay a couple eggs per week mid summer, but are now molting. They've had a LOT of bumblefoot issues and one has a funny wing, so those might be signs that they were sick when younger.

Nothing in the image above speaks to Ground layer's issue from my observation. I've spent a good while looking deeply into her eyes looking for cloudiness or something abnormal. Her actual eye is fine. She's maybe a little squinty though....for lack of a better way to describe it, between her squinty-ness and head bobble, so always looks a bit stoned... But she has full control of her feet and wings and neck it would seem.

Could of been vitamin deficiency. Well if she’s eating and living a somewhat normal chicken life I guess that’s ok.

 

[Sara Ranch]

Two of my visually impaired chickens have similar stuff (they run in circles).

I just verbally let them know I am coming, or talk to them when I am near, and I always tell them that I am going to pick them up. So the running in circles has pretty much stopped.

I think it's because they are startled and they are trying to stop whatever scared them.

If everything else is ok, no worries. If you want to ask me questions, send me a private message please.

 

[TheResidentialFarm]

Just an update to say that this hen is still doing really well! It's cold, but she has a heat bulb (not light) to roost under. And yesterday, she laid her first egg since early September! It's the most beautiful green egg I've ever seen. I'm so happy she's doing well enough to lay a perfect, large, hard shelled egg. This answers all my questions about whether she can find the ducks' oyster shell, whether she's getting enough food, etc. And as a bonus, I haven't seen her do the weird running backwards thing in a very long time!