Hen With a Reverse Gear

[abpatchy]

I got some B complex vitamins today that can me disolved in the flocks drinking water. Can't hurt to give it to all of them. Tomorrow they will all get scrambled eggs with the shells made from eggs that are not up to par for market or hatching. They should get some B12 out of tho;se.

perfect! You will see, it will help! I had a friend with a hen that did the same thing. After one or two doses the hen was fine.

 

[LTAY1946]

I never did catch a hen for sure to know which one that might need treatment. Yesterday she did it again. I saw then what was going on. She was evading a Rhode Island Red rooster.... She missed hitting me this time.

 

[Shadrach]

Some hens do this. A backwards walk, then a head shake/twist then forward motion again. Maybe it is neurological, but the hens I've known to do this haven't needed any supplement and are back to normal within seconds.
I've often wondered if it's like donkey leg lock when you have to walk them backwards to unlock the leg.

 

[LTAY1946]

Some hens do this. A backwards walk, then a head shake/twist then forward motion again. Maybe it is neurological, but the hens I've known to do this haven't needed any supplement and are back to normal within seconds.
I've often wondered if it's like donkey leg lock when you have to walk them backwards to unlock the leg.

This hen backs up just a few steps and runs off going forward at angle of escape. It's just funny to see a chicken running in full reverse gear.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I had a hen that would occasionally back up, shake her head, and then "reverse" back to going forward. She never ran backwards though, it was just a few steps each time. I assume it was neurological (she was the low bird in the pecking order and got bonked on the head quite a few times) but I didn't see any real reason to treat it. It never went away nor did it get any worse.