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Hen Side Stepping or Dancing...

Discussion in 'Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures' started by What the Pluck, Oct 15, 2014.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Oct 15, 2014 #1
    What the Pluck

    What the Pluck In the Brooder

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    Jun 15, 2013
    Ohio
    One of my hens is walking weird. She seems to be only walking sideways. It looks like she is line dancing. She is not sick and does not show any signs of physical injury. Has anyone else had this happen? Anyone know what this is? It's almost like she is off balance, but her eyes seem fine. She recently molted and is growing a ton of new feathers so I know she is otherwise healthy (I assume if she were sick she wouldn't be growing the feathers).

    She will take a few steps one way and then the other in order to go forward. She does this zigzag pattern. It's like she's gone crazy. I'm worried it may be something that could possibly spread to the other birds and I have so many I couldn't possibly deal with this on a large scale (if it's a problem)
     
  2. Oct 15, 2014 #2
    chicken11602

    chicken11602 In the Brooder

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    Sep 28, 2014
    Southern IN
    My grandpa had a rooster with a dislocated foot. He walk in a zig zag pattern also. He didn't live very long because he would keep walking and it got harder for him to get to his food. But I'm no expert. His foot got dislocated because it got stuck in the fence:(
     
  3. Oct 15, 2014 #3
    Eggcessive

    Eggcessive Free Ranging Premium Member 7 Years

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    Apr 3, 2011
    southern Ohio
    It sounds like some of the signs of wry neck/crook neck. Sometimes these birds walk backwards, and some get a twisted neck to the side, or up or down. It could be from a vitamin deficiency or a head injury. I would start some poultry vitamins in the water or you can give her Vitamin B1 thiamine, Vitamin E, and selenium. Here are a couple of links to read, and the first has vitamin dosages for a 2 pound chicken:
    http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article/Crookneck/Crookneck.html
    http://oureggbasket.blogspot.com/2013/04/wry-neck-or-crook-neck-understanding-it.html
    https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/97121/lets-talk-wry-neck-crook-neck
     

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