Hunchbacked Chicken Injured or ...? (w/ Sketch)

[DoodleRoo]

My Shepherd/Collie mix managed to escape her enclosure the other day and went on a rampage chasing my poor chickens. She pulled some tail feathers out of two hens and I suspect she may have injured the one this post is about.

I first noticed this hen's strange posture when I was feeding them. She emerged from under the front porch very cautiously, with her neck stretched far out. When she straightened up, she was walking taller than the other hens, with her neck still stretched oddly. She looked like this:

I'm terrible at taking photos (they are always blurry) but I might try to get some of her later. Anyways, it almost looks like she's trying to walk upright (like a person) but with her neck stretched out toward the ground. It's very odd looking. I picked her up and she doesn't seem to be in any pain, and I didn't notice any obvious injuries other than her hunched back. I'm still not sure whether this injury is due to the dog, or something else. I don't want to cull her, but I don't want her to be in pain either.

Any advice would be really appreciated!

 

[Eggcessive]

It really would help to see a picture or two. Chickens can suffer from kinky back which can resemble the drawing. She may have suffered a spinal injury. Wry neck is another condition common in injuries to the head, from vitamin E deficiency, and other diseases that cause brain inflammation. You can start her on some vitamin E and selenium to treat possible wry neck. Make sure that she ia able to eat and drink enough.

 

[DoodleRoo]

She's eating and drinking fine, and didn't seem bothered when I picked her up and pet her back.

I'll try to get a photo soon. It's difficult with so many hens, plus the fact that she's so skittish and keeps hiding from me.

 

[DoodleRoo]

Okay. I managed to make a short video of her walking with her back hunched. She still doesn't seem to be in any pain, and she's eating and drinking just fine. Any advice would still be welcome. I don't want to cull her but I don't want her to be in pain. Still not sure if this is an injury or genetic development. Thank you!

 

[Hurricanemo]

D did you ever figure out what was wrong with her I have a rooster that's doing about the exact same thing so I'd like to find out first time I've had it I had chickens my whole life I've never seen this but my my rooster's doing the same thing your hen was doing now.

 

[dawg53]

D did you ever figure out what was wrong with her I have a rooster that's doing about the exact same thing so I'd like to find out first time I've had it I had chickens my whole life I've never seen this but my my rooster's doing the same thing your hen was doing now.

It's a deformity of the spine, called Roach Back and it's usually genetic.

 

[Hurricanemo]

Video of him walking around,eats fine and gets in and out of the coop fine. Just walking around hunchback style.

It's a deformity of the spine, called Roach Back and it's usually genetic.

We'll one more Australorp for the freezer, dang and he was a good bird.

 

[Deleted member 551573]

It's a deformity of the spine, called Roach Back and it's usually genetic.

Aren't chickens usually born with roach back? Or can a traumatic experience bring the symptoms on like the original posters chicken?

 

[ThatOnePotato]

My Shepherd/Collie mix managed to escape her enclosure the other day and went on a rampage chasing my poor chickens. She pulled some tail feathers out of two hens and I suspect she may have injured the one this post is about.

I first noticed this hen's strange posture when I was feeding them. She emerged from under the front porch very cautiously, with her neck stretched far out. When she straightened up, she was walking taller than the other hens, with her neck still stretched oddly. She looked like this:

I'm terrible at taking photos (they are always blurry) but I might try to get some of her later. Anyways, it almost looks like she's trying to walk upright (like a person) but with her neck stretched out toward the ground. It's very odd looking. I picked her up and she doesn't seem to be in any pain, and I didn't notice any obvious injuries other than her hunched back. I'm still not sure whether this injury is due to the dog, or something else. I don't want to cull her, but I don't want her to be in pain either.

Any advice would be really appreciated!

I had something exactly like this happen. 2 of my hens they got out and one was attacked by our dog the other ( that looks like the drawing ) wasn't injured or anything by our dog, however she walks and stands just like the photo shown and I have no idea why.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Are you taking pics with your phone? I find I do better if I brace my upper arms against my body to stabilize the camera and minimize camera shake.