Hen with suspected neurological damage.

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a hen that walks backwards from time to time.

She’s had this problem since birth. Her mothers eggs got disturbed in the last three days of incubation and I believe this hen suffered some neurological damage at birth.
She’s 18 months old.

She is moulting this winter and regrowing feathers that got ripped out

Recently her backwards walking has got more common, often in low light conditions.

Her condition may be worse due to her molting, I would try the Vitamins to see if those make a difference.

For the medications - discuss those with and use them under the guidance of your vet.

 

[Shadrach]

Would you be willing to try the Vitamin E and thiamine daily doses for a little while first to see if that helps, before you talk to the vet again?

I would and I will. It sounds really silly but I can get just about any prescription drug but I haven't been able to find wheatgerm capsules, or plain vitamin E anywhere yet.

 

[Shadrach]

Her condition may be worse due to her molting, I would try the Vitamins to see if those make a difference.

For the medications - discuss those with and use them under the guidance of your vet.

It may be worse because of moulting but I don't understand why this should be.
My vet has pointed out the dangers of the above drugs. She will, if I ask, prescribe them.
She acknowledges that this type of treatment is outside her experience and she doesn't have the equipment, or experience to make a proper diagnosis. She's a lovely honest women who I trust but her expertise in fowl was a long time ago and mostly she deals with dogs and cats.

 

[Shadrach]

Molting is very hard on some of them. Even some of my most robust hens seem to have a hard time with molt, so I usually give them a little boost with poultry vitamins a couple of times a week (direct dose).

I don't know if it's been enough but I give all the chickens here either sardines, tuna or some kind of meat three times a week when they moult. Mel, has had a vitamin supplement this week. She's been in the house with me a lot due to the rain.
She's been getting B1, 1 mg, B6 1.2 mg, B12 0.5 mcg once a day on top of the fish etc.

 

[Shadrach]

Whenever I have seen a chicken with an illness, it usually happens during a molt or severe winter cold weather.

Here is an article about wry neck where the author (not a vet) recommends prednisone:
http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article/Crookneck/Crookneck.html

Interesting thank you. It hadn't registered with me that Metacam was an anti inflammatory.
It looks like I'm not far out with the vitamin B's. I'll see if the local chemist has any options for getting me a vitamin E supplement.
I've got Metacam here. I'm not sure I would want to use it on a regular basis.
I'm going to try with the various vitamins and some selenium if I can find it.
Having been there when she hatched and seen the problems I'm fairly convinced that this is a neurological problem from birth. However, wry neck covers a multitude of complaints and if I can keep her healthy at least without any heavy duty drugs, that is what I would prefer. I'm trying to look to the long term in the event that the problem gets worse.
Thanks again for the link.

 

[Shadrach]

Human vitamins. They are sold in grocery stores here.

They are here too but in multivitamin capsules more often than not.