Hen's head rotating as if tracking a clock's hands.

[Mojo]

This hen is about three years old and lingering in the coop lately. This morning she was in a corner with her head rotating around weirdly as if she was tracking a clock's hands, not keeping her head upright but turning it upside down and continuing round and round. This is very distinct and I am sure one of you can tell me what this is! Thank you. No food in the crop.

 

[coach723]

It sounds neurological (wry neck), which can have various causes. How is her weight? She could have vitamin deficiencies, is she possibly being kept from feed by other birds? Or may not be eating due to another health issue. It can also be caused by injury or disease (like Mareks). Give her a good going over, check weight (is keel bone very prominent or is it well muscled), check her abdomen for any bloat (compare with other hens), check for lice/mite infestation. What do droppings look like? Do you know when she last laid? Has she molted recently? I would crate her in a wire crate while you assess her, and see if she will eat and drink (you can make a mash with her feed by mixing with water). Birds with wry neck may need help to eat and drink. Supplement with a b complex tablet daily 1/4 to 1/2 tablet daily (B's are safe, so not a worry to overdose) crushed up and mixed in some feed with a bit of water, and a vitamin E capsule (400iu) with some tuna, cooked egg, or sunflower seeds for selenium (helps with uptake of the E), and see if you get improvement. E can be overdosed so you don't want to do that for more than a couple of weeks. There is a video at the end of this link showing how to help a bird with wry neck feed:
https://www.raising-happy-chickens.com/wry-neck.htmlIf necessary you might have to tube feed:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/go-team-tube-feeding-updated-12-29-2019.805728/

 

[Mojo]

Great info. Thank you. Since she had not laid an egg in a very long time, I put her down. She seemed fairly normal inside and out. No future eggs inside. She had been slower to exit the coop preferring to hang out with the rooster inside more. He had been having a harder time on his feet. I have lost track of how old he was...very old, with huge spurs that could have been at least part of his problem. I reduced the flock by three. I had another hen who had ended her laying career, too. But, I will pay attention to your suggestions. Thanks. I do have my chickens vaccinated for Mareks now.

 

[coach723]

I'm very sorry for your loss. If you ever lose another with similar symptoms and get a definite answer I hope you will update this thread. You never know but that it may help someone else in the future.

 

[Mtnboomer]

Hopefully its not Mareks. Mareks is transmitted in the birds dander. The virus can remain in the dust of your coop and surroundings for up to 5 yrs. Once you have a confirmed case, all your birds have it. Highly contagious. They may not be symptomatic but its too late for prevention. Good news is the disease does not effect the meat or eggs. If you have another bird go down or put down, definitely have a necropsy done to confirm or rule it out.
We have mareks in our flock due to a long story but only had 2 birds die and 2 put down in 2 yrs while the other 30 are thriving.

 

[Mojo]

Coach 723, I will do my best to prevent this from happening again. Mtnboomer, can Mareks have a similar symptom involving the neck and head going upside down?

 

[Mtnboomer]

Coach 723, I will do my best to prevent this from happening again. Mtnboomer, can Mareks have a similar symptom involving the neck and head going upside down?

Yes. Wry neck may be caused by numerous reasons and Mareks disease is one of them. Standing on one leg, paralysis, staggering, walking backwards are also possible symptoms of MD.
Chickens with Mareks may have no visible symptoms. But then you open them up and find low body weight and possible tumors.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I would add that Mareks does not effect the eggs and meat so eating a bird with MD wont harm you. I have done so and lived to tell about it. some folks can't get passed eating a sick bird. I think about wasting perfectly good meat.