Hen keeping her head down, not walking well and as alert.

[kengboss21]

My hen just suddenly started walking with her head down, she’s not as alert as she was a few hours ago and doesn’t fly/scatter when I chase her. Also caught her trying to keep balance once while trying to run. Literally 1 hour ago she was fine and alert. What could this be?

 

[nuthatched]

Could be an injury or trauma. Or sudden vitamin deficiency.
Try 400i.u vitamin e and a third of a B complex tablet, every day for a few weeks.
You can get these at the grocery store in the vitamin section. Any brand

 

[kengboss21]

Could be an injury or trauma. Or sudden vitamin deficiency.
Try 400i.u vitamin e and a third of a B complex tablet, every day for a few weeks.
You can get these at the grocery store in the vitamin section. Any brand

Will do, I just find it really odd because my 5 other hens are completely normal and they free range together. She also jus started laying last week indicating atleast a normal healthy hen

 

[nuthatched]

Will do, I just find it really odd because my 5 other hens are completely normal and they free range together. She also jus started laying last week indicating atleast a normal healthy hen

Sudden fright can trigger wry neck. It's one of those things that happen very quickly.

 

[Eggcessive]

It does look like wry neck. It is a neurological symptom. It sounds like she is young if she is about to start laying, so 5-6 months old? Do you have a rooster or cockerel? I would follow the advice of Nuthatched for the vitamins. Separate her in a dog crate with food and water to prevent anyone hurting her. Try to get her drinking from a cup up to her beak, then eating some watery chicken feed and egg. The small amount of egg is for selenium which helps the vitamins work. Do you know if she was vaccinated for Mareks disease?

 

[kengboss21]

It does look like wry neck. It is a neurological symptom. It sounds like she is young if she is about to start laying, so 5-6 months old? Do you have a rooster or cockerel? I would follow the advice of Nuthatched for the vitamins. Separate her in a dog crate with food and water to prevent anyone hurting her. Try to get her drinking from a cup up to her beak, then eating some watery chicken feed and egg. The small amount of egg is for selenium which helps the vitamins work. Do you know if she was vaccinated for Mareks disease?

Yea she’s 5-6 months old, laid 4 eggs in a week already until this happened. No cockerel/rooster just all hens. Going to separate her tomorrow and dose the vitamins recommended. she’s on the roost with the other girls just fine right now. As for vaccination, I don’t know if she was vaccinated for it but if I had to guess I would say she’s not vaxxed for it since the person I bought it from was sort of a backyard operation, can’t be sure though.

 

[Eggcessive]

Wry neck can be common, and may be caused by a head or neck injury, a vitamin E deficiency, and is seen in some diseases affecting the brain, such as Mareks and others. I would make sure that she is able to eat and drink a couple of times a day, or you will need to feed her. The watery feed gets more fluids into them. Hopefully, with the human vitamins she will get back to normal soon.

 

[kengboss21]

vitamins came today and I administered them, she doesn’t seem to be better the wry neck got worse from yesterday. Should I syringe feed her both water and food?

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, I would help her eat and drink. I prefer to hold it up to her beak in a bowl with both food and water. It may take a few days to see results, if it is a B2 riboflavin deficiency. Here are some videos to help with feeding: