Hen standing upright, thrashing about, no control but eating and drinking well.

[Luna-Belle]

Hello fellow chook people,

I have a hen, roughly 18 months old, and 3 days ago she started standing dead straight up and walking backwards but not with purpose and sometimes falling on her back. I would help her over and off she would go again. I could tell she was terrified, already on her own in a pen after being broody for 6 months and needing to regain some strength. She was good for about a week and now this. I have her in a small space so she can't hurt herself and padded the .She is more thrashing around in there and bouncing off the sides and I can't tell if it is because she can't stand or has no balance. She is eating and drinking fine if I hold her dishes for her. I have googled every imaginable keyword, scoured for corresponding videos, even images and came up blank - There is nothing, no symptoms or illnesses that even remotely resembles what she is doing. Any ideas?

 

[Perris]

being broody for 6 months

are you sure she was broody and not just ill?
If she really is terrified (as well she might be with these symptoms) you might want to consider ending her terror rather than putting her through more interventions, however well-meant.

 

[Luna-Belle]

Thank you, yeah, she was broody. Eating every day, dust bathing then running back to her nest. Everything was as usual until a few days ago. Today she is eating on her own and more settled, I still hold her water or she ends up sitting in it, but she is calmer today. I have had her inside with me the whole time and she sleeps well. It is only noticeable when she goes to stand up and walk, it all goes askew and she ends up going backwards (like a drunk penguin). Most bizarre.

 

[Perris]

It is not normal for a hen to be broody for six months. She must have extreme muscle wastage.

 

[Luna-Belle]

It was an odd situation but I never let them sit longer than 4 weeks at a time and they don't have eggs. But she would be back on the nest after a week or so of running around. Prior to this I let her hatch a couple but as soon as she started laying again, she was wanting to sit. She was always under constant supervision and I mean constant, her nest was right next to my front door and I fed her twice a day off the nest, I checked every day to make sure her sisters hadn't secretly laid under her because they do that. Regarding this situation, I have consulted the local vet and they had to go away to google what it could be, then handed me the bill but with no answers. Only guesses that were of no help to me at all.
She has calmed down a lot and is eating/drinking/pooping normally. No obvious signs of illness other than the weird standing/walking thing.

 

[Perris]

Sitting for most of the day and night is bad for her. She needs to get moving and rebuild her muscles and regain her balance before it becomes hopeless.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Any ideas?

Nutritional deficiency from being allowed to stay broody too long causing neurological symptoms, perhaps..

Vitamin E and Selenium *may* help.

Many common chicken diseases can present as ataxia and stumbling backwards, including Marek's, New Castle's disease, Infectious Coryza, and more.

Here is a symptom checker tool.. what I like is that it helps me identify things I didn't even know were symptoms. It classifies this walking backwards under "gait".

http://www.poultrydvm.com/views/symptoms.php

Even though broody's eat, dirt bathe, etc.. they are losing condition the entire time and are only built to sustain it for so long. Some will even go into molt. These ladies with excess brooding hormones will literally brood themselves to death waiting for the air to hatch. It's so frustrating, I know!

In addition.. if it happens to be "layer" feed that the broody is eating, then excess calcium intake long term for birds NOT in lay. *can* (doesn't mean will) cause gout, kidney failure or even sudden death. There is a genetic component here, but it's a good time to ask what she's been eating routinely including treats and supplements.

You've already spent good money for the vet.. it's often fruitless, but thank you for trying to help her! So now I know you will be trying more things to improve her quality of life.. (which hopefully includes being more persistent about breaking her) I would start with supplementing nutrition.. recommendations for consideration follow, please make YOUR best decision according to what you see, think, feel, have available, etc.

Several product with slightly different formulations but my top choices..

For mature birds..

Rooster Booster (brand) Poultry Cell or Poultry Booster.. mixed into a small amount of damp feed.. the Poultry Cell doesn't mix well with water in a drinker. I haven't used the other one yet but do like it's overall profile.

For new chicks and as a boost on occasion Poultry nutri drench.. is an incredible product also that contains amino acids and I've seen instant turn around. Amino acids make a huge difference! Put in a small drinker or administer a drop directly to the beak below the nostrils and the bird will gobble and swallow the liquid as it rolls around into the mouth naturally. (especially useful if birds or chicks are not actively drinking).

Things that may be on hand already and helpful until you get a formulated supplement.. a human B complex crushed and added to feed.. B vitamins are key to all things immune system related including neurological function.. thiamine, riboflavin, and so on.. you can't go wrong and you can NOT overdose B's.

I don't have info on vitamin E dosing, being fat soluble it CAN be overdosed.. I would think breaking a capsule open over feed for up to a week might be no problem, but please try to very accurate dosing if you do go that route.. A link to help, but again use YOUR best judgement please!

https://www.chickenwhisperermagazin...ness/vitamin-supplements-and-when-to-use-them

One quick thought.. standard "supplement" levels while excellent to support immune system health may not be enough to correct an actual deficiency IF there is one. So like even though the nutridrench for example contains some E.. you might need another source of E that doesn't give too much of the other stuff in the formulation to make the correction.

How are her droppings, broody huge and stinky norm. Can I figure you've already done a thorough parasite investigation.. internal and external.. Did the vet offer a fecal float or have you treated for worms? Sitting hens are prime hosts. Looking at the abdomen and below the vent after dark with a flash light can give the clearest picture for skin. Also is her skin nice looking and normal or angry red? Just a standard line of questions to rule out all possible things that could pose threat to obvious diminished immune system conditions.

Hope she recovers quickly!

ETA: some folks make a chicken chair..

I think the chest goes on the wide part and the bumm kinda hangs over the back end.. otherwise you would need a whole for waste.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Can you make a standing sling to help her maybe?

 

[Luna-Belle]

WOW! Thank you so much for your replies - Lenny & Happy Wife. Funnily enough I did think about creating a wee sling for her this morning so that will be on the cards.

The vitamin deficiency was one avenue I was investigating and adding a small amount of supplement to her diet, also a soluble vitamin to her water - she is only a wee girl so I don't want to over do it.

Her poop is normal, the right texture and size - a little smellier than usual but I thought that might be the extra vegetables she is eating.

Ruled out any kind of parasite, mite and the likes. She hasn't moulted and aside from her tail looking a wee bedraggled she is a good colour (white) with a black comb. Her skin is a pinky, white and she doesn't seem distressed at all once she is supported standing. I have noticed she sleeps peacefully for at least 8 hours at night, only moving to get comfortable once or twice a night.

I did wonder if it was something to do with the broodiness, but she was one of three to share the nest and rotate in shifts almost, the other 2 are fine and healthy. But I will check them over again to be sure.

I changed her nest bedding weekly and fastidiously checked for lice and mites being such a hot summer we had. Now, in her cubby, I am changing the lining 3 times a day - or as soon as she poops.

Taking into account the change in her diet, the information you have given me and her showing less signs of stress I will continue on this path for another day or two. I know things can turn very quickly and believe me, if I notice a decline in her appetite or demeanour I will do the right thing by her. She is an extremely special girl and I will only ever do what is best for her.

Thank you again for your advice, so very much appreciated as there is limited information available sometimes but you have given me more than great advice.

 

[Luna-Belle]

An update for those following - Odette has made a 95% recovery. She is eating, drinking and standing well. Just every so often gets a little wobble on but she is moving around and carrying on as normal. She is a talker so has a lot to say ALWAYS, and today is no different. Thank you to everyone that offered advice, I truly appreciate it and am so very thankful that my girl is on her way to good health.

I do believe it was a vitamin deficiency as after a good long drink of vitamin water and some fresh fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts she rallied as I watched her. She slept well overnight and was up with the sparrows looking for breakfast this morning. I will continue to monitor her over the next few days and keep her separated for another week to be sure.

Again, thank you all.