Hen keeps falling over

[Valerie-Anne]

Rita, my speckeldy has been mopey for about a week with watery pooh but eating especially her favourite probiotic yogurt. She only started laying 4 weeks ago but hasn't laid for about 2 weeks now. I thought it was the cold weather or starting to moult - there have been a lot of her feathers in the coop this week. Yesterday when I let them out to range she stumbled out and couldn't walk without losing her balance. I've kept her on her own in the run because the others pecked her when she fell over. Same today so I've given her growers pellets for protein mixed with probiotic yogurt, vit E and crushed vit B complex. After looking through the threads I'm worried it could be Mareks she is about 6months old or could it be the moult? Any suggestions would be appreciated she is a lovely hen my favourite actually.
I just read about riboflavin deficiency but I've always put vitamins and acv in the water but just in case I've given her 2ml of Nutridrops.

 

[earlybird10842]

Bumping this post back up to the top of the forum. Sorry I can't help more.

 

[sumi]

It does sound a bit like Mareks. Hopefully not!

Keep her quarantined anyway. Wash your hands after handling her and be careful, If it is Mareks she can give it to the other chickens as well....

 

[little white]

Marek's is an airborne disease, so if one girl has it, then the other hens have all been exposed as well. It does, unfortunately, sound like Marek's. I think Rita's too young for a first molt. More likely those feathers were plucked by the other hens. Yes, keep her separated. Keep food and water within her reach. I have two hens who have survived Marek's. One is almost 5 years old and while her legs are a challenge for her, she is respected among the flock and she is healthy as a horse. I just wrote a blogpost about my Fern's treatment. Here's the link. I hope it helps. Don't give up on Rita. Marek's is not always a death sentence. http://scratchandpeck.blogspot.com/2012/10/sick-chicken-or-things-we-do-for-love.html

 

[Valerie-Anne]

Thanks so much for your reply - I was hoping for some contact when I got up today! Apart from the lack of balance and watery pooh, Rita seems well her eyes are bright,she perks up when she spots me and she is eating and drinking. She is mostly sitting with her tail held really high and the slightest movement forward causes her to tip over - is there anything else it could be or am I just ignoring the obvious? I read on here about giving Hypericum so I bought some drops and started giving her that with a dropper yesterday. When I picked her up she was light but still feisty and kicked hard so that is hopeful isn't it. Don't worry I couldn't give up on any of my girls and after reading your lovely story about Fern I'm going to make the sling today. I got Rita with her friend a white star, Florence and I've noticed her feathers everywhere though no sign of illness yet, I'll just have to keep an eye - she is a nightmare to catch nowhere near as friendly yet as the others! My fingers are constantly crossed at the moment.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Does she have her head tucked in to her body? Does she walk with her tail high, then fall on her face? (or to the side and have to put a wing down to balance) I have a 21 week old pullet that is doing this and I just figured out it is wry neck. Also, how is her weight?

Crush up a 400IU tablet of vitamin E in a cooked egg and feed that to her. If you can get it, add selenium too, it helps them absorb the vitamin E.

It's too late for my girl, but if you catch it early, it is curable.

 

[little white]

Wow. I've never heard of Wry Neck.
Learn something new every day. Thank you.

 

[Valerie-Anne]

Thanks for the info and I've just been looking into wry neck. I'm not sure it can be that because she can hold her head up and she eats and drinks normally if it's put under her beak. She can stand still if I put my hand on her back to stop her toppling over. The minute she tries to move she falls forwards and lands with her neck under her looking up at me! Also when I pick her up she curls her toes up. She just seems to have no balance - it reminds me of a time when I had labyrinthitis and I couldn't move without falling sideways just like being on a ship in rough seas - do hens get that too?

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Starting w/ the longer list of possible causes:

Marek's disease; botulism; heat stoke; epidemic tremor; cage layer
fatigue; vitamin E deficiency; algae poisoning; yellow jasmine
poisoning; acute lack of water.

If it's Merek's, then it is what it is, and will do what it does to some. Therefore, move on to those things you can effectively treat/cure.

Start by isolating her, for both her own safety, and that of the flock. Vinegar should be added to the water, at a rate of 1-2 tablespoons per gallon (the goal is to reach a pH of 5.5 or so), for all of your poultry, without any supplements/nutrients/vitamins/etc. for now ... those may compound the problem, or be the cause, and the vinegar is the one thing that's proven most effective when botulism reaches toxic levels (and, can do no harm, at all ~'-)

With all that you seem to be giving your birds, I can't imagine there is any deficiency involved, unless you're using the Purina product that was recently recalled because they failed to include any Vitamin D ... check to be sure nothing you've given has been recalled, or is spoiled/infested.

Study her closely, from a distance, and up close 'n personal ... try to find other symptoms. And, please, keep updating this thread ... hopin' she gets better, and I for one wanna know how it goes (thanks ~'-)

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thanks for the info and I've just been looking into wry neck. I'm not sure it can be that because she can hold her head up and she eats and drinks normally if it's put under her beak. She can stand still if I put my hand on her back to stop her toppling over. The minute she tries to move she falls forwards and lands with her neck under her looking up at me! Also when I pick her up she curls her toes up. She just seems to have no balance - it reminds me of a time when I had labyrinthitis and I couldn't move without falling sideways just like being on a ship in rough seas - do hens get that too?

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?