Hen with neck sticking upwards

[Amazing_chicks27]

Hello, I have a hen where her neck is in a weird position. Her tail is floppy pointing downwards not in a normal position. She even walks weird with her neck pointing up. I have pictures attached to show what I mean. This morning I found her laying on her back with her feet pointing up which made me think that she died. Luckily, that wasn't the case. She sits on her hock joints which I think makes her lean backwards. Maybe that is how she falls on her back and can't get back up. This has been going on for a couple of days where I see her in that same position. Can anyone tell me what may be going on. She eats and drinks which makes me think she is alright but clearly she isn't with that neck and tail pointing down. I have seen her get picked on which gives her less privilege to eat so I put her in a cage. I haven't seen her eat much but I know she eats because i have seen her eat. I just question why her neck is in that position.

Any clues?

 

[2ndTink]

Wry neck or vitamin deficiency? I'd start with Vit E and a B complex tablet.

What feed is she on?

 

[Amazing_chicks27]

Wry neck or vitamin deficiency? I'd start with Vit E and a B complex tablet.

What feed is she on?

Hello, thank you for your response. I did think of wry neck but not so sure about it. I will try the vitamin E and B complex tablet. Oh, but how would I give her the B complex tablet? I give my chickens the 16% layer feed mini pellets.

 

[2ndTink]

You can hold her under your arm, then grab her lower beak to open it and pop the pills in. Sometimes this goes more smoothly than others. If you have someone to help you, one person can hold the chicken and the other work on opening the beak and getting the pills down. Once they have wattles it's a little easier. No wattles and a squirmy bird makes it really hard.

I'm not sure it's wry neck either, but the extra vitamins won't hurt her even if it isn't wry neck.

 

[Eggcessive]

Has she had this problem long? How old is she? I am thinking that your hen might have a condition called kinky back, a deformity in the spine. It can cause problems with the spinal nerves which can lead to problems standing and walking. Some may sit with their legs out in front. They may end upon their side. The poor thing may be picked on by her flock because of her unusual condition. Is she able to reach her food and water? If kinky back is her problem, then she may get worse and find it hard to get enough water to live. Here is some reading about this condition:
https://www.thepoultrysite.com/disease-guide/spondylolisthesis-kinky-back

https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/APSC/apsc-189/APSC-189.pdf

 

[Amazing_chicks27]

You can hold her under your arm, then grab her lower beak to open it and pop the pills in. Sometimes this goes more smoothly than others. If you have someone to help you, one person can hold the chicken and the other work on opening the beak and getting the pills down. Once they have wattles it's a little easier. No wattles and a squirmy bird makes it really hard.

I'm not sure it's wry neck either, but the extra vitamins won't hurt her even if it isn't wry neck.

Okay, thank you for the explanation.

 

[Amazing_chicks27]

Has she had this problem long? How old is she? I am thinking that your hen might have a condition called kinky back, a deformity in the spine. It can cause problems with the spinal nerves which can lead to problems standing and walking. Some may sit with their legs out in front. They may end upon their side. The poor thing may be picked on by her flock because of her unusual condition. Is she able to reach her food and water? If kinky back is her problem, then she may get worse and find it hard to get enough water to live. Here is some reading about this condition:
https://www.thepoultrysite.com/disease-guide/spondylolisthesis-kinky-back

https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/APSC/apsc-189/APSC-189.pdf

She has had this problem for a while now, maybe even more than 2 weeks. The good thing is that she eats and drinks