My favorite hen "Bibby" a Black Australorp, has been acting wrong since yesterday afternoon. She is my friendliest chicken, she's actually more like a dog than a chicken. She prefers to hang around people more than her flock. It poured the rain all morning yesterday, so I kept them in the the coop until about 3 pm. When I opened the door she was walking around in circles, with her head bent backwards on her back. Every time she did this with her head her head would shake. She was eating and drinking on her own.
After she had been free ranging yesterday afternoon for a few minutes she acted completely normal. Last night she was worse, she would just walk around the coop with her head bent back and shaking. She only stopped if I had her in my lap and I held her head down. I did this for about an hour, put her in the nesting box, and she finally went to sleep without her head shaking. I didn't expect her to make it through the night, but when I opened the coop door this morning she came out first, acting normal, following me around begging to come inside.
This is the first time it has been this bad, she did this once back in the summer. But she was in the coop, and it looked like she was just looking at the ceiling. I called them to me and she never did it again up until yesterday.
I am suspecting wry neck.
Maybe her head was injured? She's not top of the pecking order, but she isn't the lowest either. And no one picks on her.
If it is genetics, there is nothing I can do for it- correct?
If it is a vitamin deficiency (I'm assuming vitamin E or B?) what can I supplement her diet with?
If it is botulism, how can I treat? I never let their feed get wet, and they never have access to any old leftovers.
If it isn't wry neck, do any of you have any clue what it could be? She is my favorite hen, and I'll do anything necessary. Thank you all so much in advance!
@Wyorp Rock, @azygous, @Eggcessive, @staceyj, @casportpony
After she had been free ranging yesterday afternoon for a few minutes she acted completely normal. Last night she was worse, she would just walk around the coop with her head bent back and shaking. She only stopped if I had her in my lap and I held her head down. I did this for about an hour, put her in the nesting box, and she finally went to sleep without her head shaking. I didn't expect her to make it through the night, but when I opened the coop door this morning she came out first, acting normal, following me around begging to come inside.
This is the first time it has been this bad, she did this once back in the summer. But she was in the coop, and it looked like she was just looking at the ceiling. I called them to me and she never did it again up until yesterday.
I am suspecting wry neck.
Maybe her head was injured? She's not top of the pecking order, but she isn't the lowest either. And no one picks on her.
If it is genetics, there is nothing I can do for it- correct?
If it is a vitamin deficiency (I'm assuming vitamin E or B?) what can I supplement her diet with?
If it is botulism, how can I treat? I never let their feed get wet, and they never have access to any old leftovers.
If it isn't wry neck, do any of you have any clue what it could be? She is my favorite hen, and I'll do anything necessary. Thank you all so much in advance!
@Wyorp Rock, @azygous, @Eggcessive, @staceyj, @casportpony
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