Hen keeps falling over

[Valerie-Anne]

Hi,thanks for the advice.







I'm adding the vinegar and she's drinking by herself - I just place right under her beak and hold her steady! Her weight seems fine and her pooh is not watery just soft. She's eating growers mash mixed in plain yogurt which she loves so that's all good isn't it? She has no balance and the slightest movement forwards tips her right over. If she stays sitting she seems content and chirps when she sees me. I've put some pics on to see if it helps with a diagnosis.

 

[Happy Chooks]

With the pictures, I really do think you are dealing with wry neck.

This is my pullet, in the later stages of it. She has no weight left on her and she is the same size she was at 13 weeks. (she's 21 weeks right now) She is no longer eating, so she's not going to make it. She got the wry neck from an injury she had on the back of her neck at about 13 weeks. Even though she seemed to get better, she got wobbly on her feet again, and by the time I figured out what it was and got her on the vitamin E, it was too late. These pictures were taken about 10 days ago, she's much worse now. She walks with her tail really high, like she's on her tiptoes, then she falls on her face.

 

[Valerie-Anne]

It does sound really similar. Thanks for the pics and sorry about your lovely girl. I have been giving mine vit E but I'm not sure how much. I empty one 200iu capsule on top of her mash twice a day. Like you say it can't do any harm. Do you think I should drop it into her mouth to be sure it's going in?

 

[galanie]

I've not seen a grown bird with wry neck but I've seen chicks with it and yes, that does look like Wry neck. I can't help with the dosage for a grown bird. For the chicks, just putting the vitamin/electrolyte powder in their water you get at the feed store cleared it up.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Give her 400IU, so 2 pills if you have 200IU. If you are doing it twice a day, that should be good. Selenium will help her absorb the vitamin E.

 

[Valerie-Anne]

I'll get selenium in the morning. What causes this? I don't recall any injury - she was normal, lively and laying eggs one day and then hunched up and miserable looking under a bush the next and things got worse from there.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I found this post on how it happens. Mostly it's a vitamin deficiency, but can also be genetic, caused by an illness or injury.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/97121/lets-talk-wry-neck-crook-neck/0_50#post_1086287

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Sounds just like my girl that has wry neck. It does get worse if left untreated. Get the vitamin E in her. It can't hurt, right?

Excellent advice, from the member w/ the really fun avatar (hope yours gets better, too ~'-)

Hi,thanks for the advice.



I'm adding the vinegar and she's drinking by herself - I just place right under her beak and hold her steady! Her weight seems fine and her pooh is not watery just soft. She's eating growers mash mixed in plain yogurt which she loves so that's all good isn't it? She has no balance and the slightest movement forwards tips her right over. If she stays sitting she seems content and chirps when she sees me. I've put some pics on to see if it helps with a diagnosis.

You're certainly welcome, and I'll keep following this thread. Glad to see you're adding the Vitamin E, as it was good advice just in case it is Wry Neck (which I've no experience with), and should be perfectly safe for her. Another benefit of the vinegar is that it sorta strips out the mucus, which in and of itself assists with the uptake of vitamins/nutrients. She's a pretty bird, and I hope it turns out to be something that has a chance of complete recovery.

Wry Neck is believed to possibly be inherited, from what little I've read of it, and Vitamin E is the only treatment that seems to help the symptoms.

I kept this one image in your quote, as I want others (most esp. you) to take a closer look ... it could be just the perspective of the camera, but her legs appear to be of differing sizes, and possibly a bit thin for her size (but it could be typical for the age/breed). If you have others of this breed from the same brood, it'd sure be easy to compare, and if not? You could google for images. While you're checking this out, sorta pull at 'em gently, and let her push back a bit, 'til you can see if there's any differences from one side to the other, whether in strength, mobility or sensitivity.

Keep investigating for other potential causes, even though these other folks might very well have figured this out. Continue to monitor the entire flock closely -- I take lots of pictures, so that I can closely inspect the resulting images. Just in case it is viral/bacterial, I'd continue to keep her away from the flock, and take care not transmit any potential infection(s).

Finally? Try to transition her back to a normal, well-balanced diet ... it's so hard not to spoil the sick, but it make it harder still for them to get better. And, I sure hope she does ~'-)

 

[Valerie-Anne]

Last night I felt really hopeful because Rita was looking much healthier and eating and drinking well. She actually stood up and was looking around and chirping lots. Today I took her out onto the grass with the rest of the hens and they were really friendly as long as she stayed still! They seemed to panic and peck her when she fell over.

You pointed out that her legs looked different sizes so I've looked closely and tested strength, sensitivity etc. I think there is something wrong and one leg is slightly thinner and weaker. When I picked up the other same aged hen and put my finger under her foot she grasped tightly, Rita didn't - I think that she may have partial paralysis in one , maybe both legs.

When she stands she falls because she isn't able to move her feet forward. I watched when she fell and she scrambles about unable to use her feet to push herself back up. She seems to have sensitivity in her legs and part of the foot but not in the toes. What do you think? The 1st pic was taken a week before she got ill - she looked really strong. The 2nd was today.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Sure sounds like you're runnin' out of options, and that she may be runnin' out of time ... ruling out those diseases for which there is no effective treatment/cure leaves you w/ a shorter list of possibilities, for which you can simultaneously treat. May not help, but under her circumstances? It most probably won't hurt.

I would start by first flushing her system w/ a laxative, since she appears otherwise of good strength. The quickest/best way, being that she may not be drinking/eating at normal levels, would be to do only one of the following two choices:

Either:
Dissolve 1 teaspoon of Epsom Salt in 1 Ounce of water, placing the mixture directly in her crop.
OR ...
Give her 0.5 Ounce (that's 1/2 OZ) of Caster Oil in the same manner.

Glutathione is one superb antioxidant that detoxidifies the body and boosts the immune system, and it's production within our bodies can be dramatically increased by eating sulpher-rich foods (she can safely enjoy cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, collards, cabbage, cauliflower, kale or watercress) and Activated Whey Protien (non-pasturized).

In the event of Aspergillus, I've seen a government study that suggests the uses of "activated charcoal*, reduced glutathione, cysteine, selenium (as sodium selenite), beta-carotene, and fisetin."

*anything that directly adsorbs toxins would most likely reduce available vitamins as well.

Vitamin E was suggested by others, in the event of Wry Neck, and I use Apple Cider Vinegar to both prevent Botulism from reaching levels that may result in toxins (and for a bunch of other good reasons) but suggest Vitamin C in the event that she suffers from having produced within, or otherwise injested, these toxins:

In the case of U.S.P. citric acid, anhydrous 100%, drugs.com suggests a stock solution be mixed daily, which is then diluted further ... 7-14 oz./gal. as the stock solution, diluted then to 1 fluid ounce per gallon. Obviously, far more than you would need. But, 1-2 teaspoons per gallon is what I've seen elsewhere. If individually dosed, be certain to double-check the math.

With all the considerations of vitamins/minerals, I would prefer finding something intended as a short-term medical or post-illness treatment, rather than anything that suggests it may be used as a feeding supplement for flock management.

I know that's a lot of information, and that I'm all over the map here. But, again? This covers those remaining causes for which there is a treatment, and basically ignores those causes for which there isn't ... it's the approach I take, as (to me) it's the only one that make sense. And, should it fail? She most probably wasn't gonna get better anyhow (still hopin' she does ~'-)