Hen with shaking head??

[Rachel N]

Everyday when I come home from work I let my chickens out of their pen to roam freely in our large backyard. After an hour or so I went to feed them in the coop and noticed one was missing. After searching for awhile my husband found her fairly far away laying under a tree. We brought her back to the coop but she would just stand there and not eat and eventually just laid down. Then she kinda twisted her head to the side and shook it (like how it usually looks when's shes scratching her head with her foot, but she wasn't Lol) just a quick couple head shakes like a seizure or something. I was worried so I brought her inside in a cage with food and water. She is eating some, but laying around sleeping mostly. I tried to get her to drink some water and right when it looked like she was going too she threw her head back and did the weird shaking spasm again and just laid down. Really worried about her since she is only about 4 mobths old! any thoughts??? Thanks!

 

[MrsBrooke]

This sounds like a seizure or some other neurological issue (maybe New Castles - YouTube a video on that)... I am not very well versed I'm neurological symptoms or the likelihood of coming down with them. I know that seizures can happen any time at any age, but usually affect older birds.

Has there been any sign of trauma?

MrsB

 

[Rachel N]

Not that I know of, but they were out in the yard doing who knows what. And she seemed to be angry at our young rooster. She'd peck him when he came near. She was very alert and trying to get out of the cage so we just tried to put her in the coop again. All the other hens sit on a 3rd level shelf. She jumped up to it, but just barely and seemed very unsteady on her feet. We brought her back in now...

 

[MrsBrooke]

Very sorry for your troubles.

I hope someone with more experience can help.

MrsB

 

[Rachel N]

Me too, thanks for your input!! She looked better this morning. All poop is normal and she's eating. Keeping her in during the day and then gonna try her outside again.

 

[Rachel N]

Update! I put her back with the other chickens this afternoon and she was looking good (tail was up and she was walking around with the others). I check on her after an hour and she was back laying down and her one ear was bleeding! I brought her back in the house and cleaned her ear. Any ideas? Is there maybe a bug in her ear making her shake her head and scratch it til it bleeds possibly??

 

[MrsBrooke]

Very possible. Sounds like she could have ear mites.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/943800/ear-mites

See if that helps.

MrsB