Nuerological or something else?

[Shadrach]

I was only suggesting it as a last resort, if all else fails. I'm hoping the Vitamin E will do the job.

Do you have the names of the antibiotics that you mentioned above?

 

[getaclue]

Do NOT give any of the following antibiotics to your chickens: moxifloxacin (Avelox), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), ofloxacin (Floxin), levofloxacin (Levaquin), lomefloxacin (Maxaquin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), enoxacin (Penetrex), gatifloxacin (Tequin), and sparfloxacin (Zagam).

These are called Fluoroquinolones, and are not really safe for animals, or humans. Yes, the are prescribed by doctors, however, the FDA has them labeled as Black Box drugs. Black Box drugs are those that would have been pulled off the market as unsafe, however, there is nothing to replace them with that does the same job they do.

Almost all the drugs on the market for human use, were first tested on a variety of animals. Some were tested on fowl.

 

[getaclue]

Any penicillin, or tetracycline based antibiotic is safe for chickens, and approved by the FDA, when used as it should be. Penicillin has been around since the mid 1940s, and heavily studied. Tetracycline has been around since the late 1940s, and again, heavily studied.

Antibiotics tend to come in 3 classifications as to what they will treat. Gram A, Gram B, or Broad spectrum which treats both.

Why such negativity against antibiotics? To simplify the answer, as with anything, antibiotics can be a two edged sword. Good, or bad. Years ago, doctors and the farming industry discovered that most bacterial infections, and some diseases could be cured using antibiotics. That was a good thing.

The use of antibiotics took a huge turn. It became a cure all, and was over prescribed by the medical community. In addition, there was a big change in the use of antibiotics in the farming industry. Instead of it only being used to cure an existing problem, healthy animals were being given continuous doses as a preventative. That was a bad thing.

With the overuse, and improper use of the wonder drug(s), in both the farming, and medical communities, through the years, it helped cause mutations, and resistant strains of bacteria.

The war was on against the over prescribing of antibiotics. It began in the medical community, and years later was followed in the farming industry, however, more significant strides have been taken in more recent years.

Extremes in either direction are not a good thing. Giving them as a preventative on an ongoing basis, or giving them for everything, regardless of the ailment, is not good. On the opposite end of the spectrum, withholding them when they are needed to cure, and stop the spread of an ailment is not good either. Yet, it's the abuses, and extremes that have caused problems, not the proper usage, and dosage of the drug. Due to the extreme nature of the war against them, they have become villainized to the point that the benefits they can, and do provide with proper use, become less relevant.

The new war on opioids is similar. There are those that do need, and use them as they should, and benefit greatly. On the other hand, they have become over prescribed, and there are those that abuse them, so they are impacted in a negative way. The problem is, opioids have become villainized to the extent that the need, and benefits they can, and do provide with proper use, is becoming less relevant.

The new fad, cure all, wonder drug is CDB oil. I've read many suggesting using it on aggressive roosters, to calm chickens in quarantine, or in recovery of an injury, for dogs that are afraid of thunderstorms, fireworks, etc. See the problem?

 

[Shadrach]

Any penicillin, or tetracycline based antibiotic is safe for chickens, and approved by the FDA, when used as it should be.

Unfortunately this isn't true.
Chickens have allergic reactions to certain antibiotics and penicillin much like humans.
I can't take penicillin for example.
Also, some antibiotics are better at targeting certain types of infections than others.
In this case (Bracket) giving her antibiotics when I can see no evidence of an infection doesn't seem a wise course of action. I've had another look at her ears, they are clean and dry, no signs of any swelling and she shows no signs of discomfort when I touch them.

 

[HollyWoozle]

This is a fascinating thread, although I’m sorry that your hen is unwell in this way @Shadrach. Lots of great advice here and I certainly can’t contribute much of use as my chicken keeping skills are amateur at best, but I hope she will be alright.

It just doesn’t make sense that she can balance in a tree but not on the perch in the coop, mystifying! What happens if you put a tree branch in the coop and put her on that?

 

[Shadrach]

I was a bit later calling everyone for supper tonight; sheep problems.
When I did get to Tribe 2 they were all up the Magnolia tree as usual. Baked fish with oats and yogurt for tea tonight. Bracket was first out of the tree, good flight out and good landing. She ate well but is showing a preference of eating off the ground rather than eating out of a bowl. This wasn't evident before the problem. What's more she went into the coop first and hopped onto the usual perch.....I waited for the thump as she toppled off but it didn't happen. It took about another three minutes for the rest to go in by which time I had the back door open. Everyone else got on the perch and then Bracket closed her eyes, her neck went back and off she crashed.
Tonight she didn't skate around on the floor but tried to get back on the perch again. She fell off almost immediately this time. She still didn't skate about, just put her head back and stayed where she was. I lifted her out and brought her into the house and put her in the pet carrier. She went straight into a corner, shut her eyes head went back and as I sit here typing it's dead quiet in the bedroom. No fit, no shuffling around and so far no foot tapping.

 

[Shadrach]

This is a fascinating thread, although I’m sorry that your hen is unwell in this way @Shadrach. Lots of great advice here and I certainly can’t contribute much of use as my chicken keeping skills are amateur at best, but I hope she will be alright.

It just doesn’t make sense that she can balance in a tree but not on the perch in the coop, mystifying! What happens if you put a tree branch in the coop and put her on that?

I think it's when she shuts her eyes. As long as she's fully awake her head is where it should be and her balance is fine.

 

[aart]

I think it's when she shuts her eyes.

So it appears....so strange.

 

[Shadrach]

My thinking now is still that this is somehow locked into broody trance. I think, the moment she tries to sit and relax, she goes into broody trance mode. Bear in mind her head was like this when I found her on her nest. Of course, it is impossible to balance on a perch with that head position. Just with the weight distribution change she is likely to fall backwards.
During the day, like most of the bantams, while she is friendly she is not keen on being touched. She will eat out of my hand as they all will and she will stand on my leg and even climb on my shoulder. Go to pick her up and she's off.
When a hen is broody ime it takes a while for them to break out of trance mode. I've seen this a lot when I've taken broody hens off their eggs. Yes you get a peck or two sometimes but once your hand is under their body they are quite happy to be lifted and carried. When you put them down, some take a fair amount of encouragement to stand and eat.
It's not until they are standing fully that the trance breaks.
Once she's falen off the perch she's back in trance mode to some degree. I can reach into the coop and slid my hand under her with no protest or struggle. I can carry her one handed back to my house. I don't have to cover her wings with my other hand; she just sits there. It's not fully dark so there is enough light for her to jump out of my hand and make her way back to the coop if she wanted.

 

[getaclue]

Unfortunately this isn't true.
Chickens have allergic reactions to certain antibiotics and penicillin much like humans.
I can't take penicillin for example.
Also, some antibiotics are better at targeting certain types of infections than others.
In this case (Bracket) giving her antibiotics when I can see no evidence of an infection doesn't seem a wise course of action. I've had another look at her ears, they are clean and dry, no signs of any swelling and she shows no signs of discomfort when I touch them.

Unfortunately this isn't true. Now, you're splitting hairs. I too am allergic to penicillin, however, that does not mean that it's not safe. Millions of people are not allergic to it. Just because 1 in 10,000 people are allergic to strawberries does not mean they are not a safe food. While they may not be safe for a few individuals, that does not mean they are not safe as a whole.

Regardless, if your chicken is not suffering from wry neck, and is not responding to treatment for wry neck, I know an inner ear infection can throw off the equilibrium, and cause some of the symptoms you've described. Inner ear infections are not the same as outer ear infections, and are rarely visible. It may well be it's neurological, but before I resigned to that diagnosis, and culled the chicken, as a last ditch effort, I'd treat for an inner ear infection. Again, that's me not you.