Hen with a Balance Issue

[hodge_podgechickens]

Over the last two weeks I have had a silkie hen become very unbalanced to the point that she just falls over at any attempt to walk. She's a free ranging chicken who is now spending all her time in a nesting box, she cant get to food or water outside so I give it to her where she stays. her legs only really kick and she frequently falls on her side and has to be set right side up. I was wondering if anyone knew what the cause was? or if there was any way to help her?

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC, and sorry about your silkie. When you hold her up is she trying to run with her legs moving normally? Or is one leg weaker or paralyzed? Does she move her wings to balance? Does she have any other symptoms, such as swelling or infection in her ears? I have a hen who has been unbalanced and falls for the last month, but she moves both legs with a lot of strength.

Mareks disease comes to mind, although she might have another issue that affects her balance. I would try some vitamins with riboflavin or some B complex daily in her food. You may want to make her a chicken sling if she will tolerate it, to get her upright, to keep her cleaner, and in front of food and water. She can get out of it often to sleep or move and stretch. Here is a good link to read about Mareks and another that has examples of chickens slings:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[henhubble]

Welcome to BYC, and sorry about your silkie. When you hold her up is she trying to run with her legs moving normally? Or is one leg weaker or paralyzed? Does she move her wings to balance? Does she have any other symptoms, such as swelling or infection in her ears? I have a hen who has been unbalanced and falls for the last month, but she moves both legs with a lot of strength.

Mareks disease comes to mind, although she might have another issue that affects her balance. I would try some vitamins with riboflavin or some B complex daily in her food. You may want to make her a chicken sling if she will tolerate it, to get her upright, to keep her cleaner, and in front of food and water. She can get out of it often to sleep or move and stretch. Here is a good link to read about Mareks and another that has examples of chickens slings:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

I have a pullet who also has balance issues. We think it is wry neck and she has recovered somewhat but if you hold her, her legs run in place and she gets really animated. She can almost stand, but she keeps her head low. Her neck is crooked a little to the one side as is her tail. She was not injured. It has been more than a month so I don't think it is Mareks, I think it was overcrowding and chilling.
We have been giving her vit B complex plus Vit E in the water and egg yolks as well has meal worms. I hope we aren't giving too much protein. She is about 14 weeks old now.
I was wondering how your pullet is doing? Ours does not try to use her wings to balance. She has lately been scratching at her ears but I think it might be mites, she didn't do that when we first got her more than a month ago. And her body definitely has a curve to it with the neck and tail slightly a kilter.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have a pullet who also has balance issues. We think it is wry neck and she has recovered somewhat but if you hold her, her legs run in place and she gets really animated. She can almost stand, but she keeps her head low. Her neck is crooked a little to the one side as is her tail. She was not injured. It has been more than a month so I don't think it is Mareks, I think it was overcrowding and chilling.
We have been giving her vit B complex plus Vit E in the water and egg yolks as well has meal worms. I hope we aren't giving too much protein. She is about 14 weeks old now.
I was wondering how your pullet is doing? Ours does not try to use her wings to balance. She has lately been scratching at her ears but I think it might be mites, she didn't do that when we first got her more than a month ago. And her body definitely has a curve to it with the neck and tail slightly a kilter.

I would look for an ear infection by cleaning her ears with a little peroxide on QTips, and look for mites or gunk. She could have wry neck or even possibly skeletal deformities. I would cut back on meal worms and give her more chicken feed, possibly moistened. I hope she gets better. My hen is doing fine, roaming all over about an acre during the day, eating and drinking fine. She had some crop impaction which I tried treating with a little mineral oil and coconut oil. It would get better, then worse, and seemed to be not getting better. After I just gave up and ignored it, her crop seems to be much smaller now. I had planned to put her down about 2 weeks ago due to the crop problems, but she seems to be fine now. I just wish her flock would accept her back, but they attack her if she is on the other side of the fence. She can be near them through a poultry netting fence if she wants to.