Chicken loosing balance and falling backwards?

[jetmek94]

I have a 3 yr old black Astralorp who was broody at the first part of July. We were able to break her of that in about six days. Today when I let her and her 5 other flock mates out to free range and there daily treat I noticed she fell backwards. I did not think any thing of it, but she kept doing the same behavior several times. Almost like she was having a seizure, her head went back and then she lost her balance and would fall. I noticed she is loosing feathers, but being she was broody can be normal. I have six chickens total ages 4,3 and 1. They have a large wooden coop and a large fenced in area they roam until around 2:30 then they have free range of the whole yard. To be honest I was not as attentive today as I normally am. I did see the chicken in question first thing this AM and did check on them from the window several times during the day and let them out at 3pm for there treat and social time (free free range time). In the area they have to roam protected from predators there are 3 watering stations one with ACV and the other with fresh water. 4 feeding stations one with a scratch and peck feed the others are nice quality Layer feed. 3 areas of oyster shell and grit. Several areas for shade and to lay eggs. I did a search and gave her or tried to give her 1000 mg of vit E and gave her 600mg of calcium. She is in the garage with food and electrolytes. I don't see any injuries. She is vaccinated for Marek's disease and everyone else is doing well. Any ideas?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

When is the last time she laid an egg?

 

[jetmek94]

When is the last time she laid an egg?

About 2 weeks ago. I left for a week and she laid just before I left. Then she went broody shortly after that. My daughter was here tending to them My daughter states she was acting broody for 3 about 3 days and she did the best she could to break her. She was still broody when I arrived home and I put her in the garage during the during the night and let her free range after the others had laid their eggs and locked up the nesting area and repeated this cycle for about three days. She then returned to the coop full time. Her abdomen and vent area do not feel swollen. She goes broody a lot!! She seems to molt each time after. She is loosing a lot of feathers. She seems better this morning ate some egg and moist food. She pooped and it looks normal. She wants out of the garage so bad!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If she is not laying eggs and acting broody I would not give her calcium. In fact it would be well to put all your chickens on a low-calcium feed like a grower formula or all-flock, which will have higher protein and help her get through her molt more quickly. Provide calcium by putting oyster shell in a separate vessel inside the coop where it won't get wet and let the laying hens help themselves. Non-layers will ignore it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Here is @aart's excellent Broody Hen Breaking article:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/broody-breaking-ala-aart.77915/

R.I.P. @aart

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I would have to ask @Eggcessive or @coach723 , some of our Educators, about the falling over backward. I wonder if it could be wry neck, a vitamin deficiency?

 

[Eggcessive]

I do think that the falling over backward is neurological, and probably because of her molting and recent broody spell. I would get some human super B complex and give 1/4 tablet daily crushed into a small amount of egg or tuna. The vitamin E might be good to continue at 400 IU (180 mg) daily as well until she stops having any more symptoms.

 

[jetmek94]

Here is @aart's excellent Broody Hen Breaking article:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/broody-breaking-ala-aart.77915/

R.I.P. @aart

Thanks so much for responding and sorry for the late response. My girl is doing better and up and about. She is broody so often. I no more than break her and she starts to lay eggs again and then is broody again. I have been able to break her more quickly now I put in in the garage for three days giving her time to roam after the others have laid eggs and then lock the coop up so she can't get in. She seems to molt after as well. It has to be hard on her little body. In the last two months I have had 2 broody chickens her and a one year old hen. Two egg bound chickens which I was able to resolve. So the food issue is hard for me in that regard. I actually have three calcium stations for them in the coop and run and one outside the coop when they free range. I am guilty of giving an afternoon treat of greens berries/fruit oatmeal and some nuts like walnuts or pecans for exp. I will cut that down to just a couple days a week and just do black fly larva. I put vitamins in the water and have one waterer with just plain water and one with ACV. I think she was dehydrated and hungry. She is lower on the pecking order and it was a little warm that day they do have shade in the coop but have a nice big tree to sit under when they free range. I had a appointment that day and like clock work at 2pm they are pacing up and down the fence line to get out and I was later getting home so I think they were in the sun being stubborn. At times I feel I'm not living life due to all the issues and my hubby is getting frustrated. It's been four years of nothing but chickens it feels like. They are back yard chickens so I have to make sure everything is clean and neat so no one complains. I do love them! Sorry for rambling on on! Again thanks for the response and take care.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Honestly I would cut out all treats for a while. The more treats they eat, the less of their scientifically formulated, well-balanced feed they will eat, possibly putting their nutrition out of balance.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

An all-flock or grower feed will have about 20%protein, compared to 16% for the layer feed. She may not be getting enough protein if she's getting a lot of treats.