Four-month old chicken cannot hold head up at night, but ok during day.

[Judy4222]

For three nights, this chicken twists and hangs its head at night. Cannot eat or drink. In the morning, I take her out to the backyard and hold her, she straightens out and runs away from me. Out of 100 chickens, so far, this is the only one doing this. I am a beginner chicken care-taker. I just hatched some babies the last four months and did not vaccinate for anything. Was that a mistake? The first 60 chickens, I bought from a hatchery a little over a year ago and was vaccinated for Merck. Some of my girls wanted to be moms so bad that I gave in. It got out of hand when I went on vacation and no one could tell which were babies and which were new eggs. That is why I have so many babies. I am in the process of expanding my coop. The bedding is Klean Coop. I did throw in some hay about three days ago, I don't know where my son got the hay from. But, this chicken has been in a fenced area away from the rest of the flock and away from the coop. They eat the regular chick feed and I also have feather fixer feed. I have stopped giving treats the last three days.

 

[azygous]

For three nights, this chicken twists and hangs its head at night. Cannot eat or drink. In the morning, I take her out to the backyard and hold her, she straightens out and runs away from me.

I'm confused. Hanging their heads is the way a lot of chickens sleep, and I've never known a chicken to attempt to eat and drink while sleeping.

If this chicken resumes normal behavior upon wakening, what is the issue? A bit more clarification would be appreciated.

 

[Judy4222]

I will try to get a video of it tonight. It isn't sleeping. It's as if it has no control of its neck. It's like it cannot hold its head up. The first "after night" my son was getting ready to cull it. I brought it outside in the cage. When he got it out, it straightened right out. And it has done this ever since, every morning when it goes out in the cold morning air, it acts normal.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I've had lots of chickens sleep with their heads hanging down. They aren't sleeping when disturbed but may still hang their heads.
If it is normal during the day, there isn't a problem.
Chickens don't normally eat or drink at night.

 

[lilmillefleur]

A video would help out a lot.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I agree that if this is only happening at night, it sounds like a sleeping pattern. You probably are startling it awake when you touch it. It takes birds a minute or two to regain body composure.

If it were vitamin deficiency, it would not stop during the daylight. You would see the head bobbing and twisting during the day too.

Marek's would also cause constant quirky movement. Often the neck twists and remains that way for days. Then can magically subside as the swelling goes down from the tumor pressing on the neck nerves. (Those birds usually succumb within a couple of weeks though).

So it sounds to me like it is simply night time behavior with perhaps a little stiffness in the morning. Perhaps its neck was strained as a chick and it has a little arthritis which may make it a little slower to straighten up first thing in the morning (I know my knees sure do now.)

LofMc

 

[Judy4222]

I hope this works. First time putting a video on here.

 

[Judy4222]

4 month old chicken

• Judy4222
• Nov 17, 2017

Hangs and twist his head at night. During the day he straightens up and he is fine. Don't know...

4 month old chicken

• Judy4222
• Nov 17, 2017

Hangs and twist his head at night. During the day he straightens up and he is fine. Don't know...

 

[azygous]

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. My observation is this youngster may be a border-line wry-neck victim. I would bet she would benefit from vitamin E and selenium. E 400iu plus a sliver of selenium once a day until symptoms disappear.

 

[Judy4222]

azygous Do you think that the entire flock should get the vitamins, or just this one? They have all had the same diet.