Chicken weak, wobbly, walking backwards, sitting tail up head down

[Slvraudigrl]

You only need selenium, just a sliver of a tablet, when you aren't feeding eggs, which have plenty of selenium. Too much selenium can quickly become toxic. A whole tablet is much too much.

Try increasing the E to two capsules a day unless you are already doing that.

OK. I’ll cut back on the selenium. I’ve been doing two vitamin E tablets for each egg that I cook. I’ve read that people literally just put them in their beak and make them swallow but it’s hard to believe she’ll do that.

 

[Slvraudigrl]

OK. I’ll cut back on the selenium. I’ve been doing two vitamin E tablets for each egg that I cook. I’ve read that people literally just put them in their beak and make them swallow but it’s hard to believe she’ll do that.

Do you think she could have something other than wry Neck? We did give a little bit of antibiotics initially. Now that we just put probiotics in the water she’s drinking. Should we add any vitamin B?

 

[azygous]

You can overdo the vitamin E, too. I would limit the E to two capsules per day. It's fat soluble so it will be stored in the fat tissues and keep building up.

What is the male voice in the background of the video talking about Marek's? Marek's is a possibility, especially since the E has not caused any improvement. You might consider getting a necropsy if she dies.

As far as chickens swallowing pills, they have no problem doing so. Anything in the mouth automatically slides down the esophagus, even large things such as lizards and mice. The digestion doesn't begin until the food is in the crop, unlike us humans whose digestion begins with chewing.

 

[Slvraudigrl]

The voice in the background is my partner trying to figure out what was going on with her. It was one of the diagnoses he found that might explain what was going on. We isolated her immediately. It’s now been 10 days that she has been separate from the rest of the hens. Her coordination really has not improved at all however initially her neck really bulged out to the left with her head turned to the right but now that is straightening out quite a bit. However she is still extremely clumsy with her feet and legs and has terrible balance.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I've read that it can take a few months for wry neck to be resolved, if that's what it is. Keep up the treatments.

 

[azygous]

Thank you for the explanation. Yes, an avian virus is a possibility when we see such symptoms. If this was neurological, the E would have caused even a slight improvement by now.

This isn't to say an avian virus is a certainty. It's still possible it's a vitamin B deficiency. There have been many successes here with lame chickens getting better with B-complex treatment.

The usual regimen is one B-100 complex tablet each day directly in the beak. I recommend the B-100 because it has the highest amounts of B-2, 6, and 12 that are responsible for fixing damaged nerve connections. It usually requires up to four weeks to see improvement.

You might be interested in reading through my thread I made when I had several pullets come down with these symptoms. I employed every treatment under the sun, and in the end, found out it was the avian virus that has been in my flock all along. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...update-now-another-pullet-going-lame.1432738/

 

[Slvraudigrl]

She just isn’t getting any better. I’m going to have to euthanize her I think. Not looking forward to doing that but there’s nothing local under an hour from my house that will see chickens.
To make matters worse when I went up to my main coop yesterday, another one of my six month old Hands was lying on her side and when I picked her up I couldn’t tell if it was her left wing or left leg but she was hobbling and then braced herself against the side of the run.
I now have her isolated as well. So far her symptoms are different than “fluffy“

 

[azygous]

When more than one chicken comes down with similar symptoms you could be looking at an avian virus in your flock - Marek's or lymphoid leucosis. If you give us your location we can help you locate your state animal testing lab. If you are within driving distance, you may be able to have them euthanize the chicken and then do a necropsy to determine what is making your chickens sick.

 

[Slvraudigrl]

I’m in Westerly RI.

 

[azygous]

Try calling these people.


Health Laboratory Building

50 Orms Street

Providence, RI 02904 US

401-222-5600

fax: 401-222-6064