Nuerological or something else?

[Shadrach]

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.

My wonderful vet is back next week and I shall talk to her about what may be a suitable antibiotic for Bracket. There are antibiotic ear drops available but whether or not I can get them here......
I've read a bit about ear infections from inner to middle to outer.
Unfortunately with the Diagnose Your Chicken tick box sites if you can be left with the impression that your patient has so many ailments it's a wonder it's still living.
I haven't ruled out any sort of treatment.

It may well be it's neurological, but before I resigned to that diagnosis, and culled the chicken

I just want to make a point crystal clear here. I have absolutely no intention of 'culling' this hen. As long as she functions during the day and her condition does not worsen to a degree that I believe she is in unreasonable pain she can live her life here as a bit of a nutter without fear of me 'managing dubious genetics' and feeling there is a last ditch effort.

 

[Shadrach]

Bracket's day got off to a different start this morning; so did mine.
Until this morning she has been in the head back position until I've lifted her out to take to join her tribe and eat breakfast.
She must have heard Punch greeting the light at around 5am and started to give the escort call. This disturbed Tackle who is broody and sitting in the house nest box and Fray who is here because she's got an eye injury; nothing serious thankfully.
When I looked in on Bracket and politely suggested that maybe it was a bit early to be making demands on Punch and disturbing the peace she was already standing.
When I did let the others out of their coops and carried Bracket to her tribe there was no stumbling or 'warm up' period. She went straight for the food and a few minute later they all half flew down to the donkey shed.
This doesn't mean to me she is making any clinical improvement. She may now just be adapting to the disability. I can definitely feel a little crash proof house in her tribes coop coming on.

 

[aart]

Unfortunately with the Diagnose Your Chicken tick box sites if you can be left with the impression that your patient has so many ailments it's a wonder it's still living.

Boy, ain't that the truth!!
I admire your restraint to react too compulsively with a treatment before extensive observation.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I wonder, Shad ..... so far, whenever she closes her eyes, goes stargazer and falls off her perch, you pick her up and take her inside. Suppose, instead, you gave her a chance, as you said, to adapt to her disability? What I mean is, pick her up, put her back on her perch and let her try again. And again. Consider you are giving her a little PT. Make sure she can't hurt herself, of course, but every night let her try a few times, and see if she doesn't improve with a little practice. Shrug. Can't hurt, might help.

 

[Shadrach]

I wonder, Shad ..... so far, whenever she closes her eyes, goes stargazer and falls off her perch, you pick her up and take her inside. Suppose, instead, you gave her a chance, as you said, to adapt to her disability? What I mean is, pick her up, put her back on her perch and let her try again. And again. Consider you are giving her a little PT. Make sure she can't hurt herself, of course, but every night let her try a few times, and see if she doesn't improve with a little practice. Shrug. Can't hurt, might help.

I did try this a couple of nights ago. The problem is I'm a terrible softie and watching her topple off the perch was just heartbreaking.
I have considered making a bum board and attaching it to the perch. It's easy enough to do and if I get the height right she may just perch and grip but at a slightly odd angle.
I'll be brave and try putting her on a few times tonight.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I know you ... your heart, I mean. You'll be there to catch her, at the very least! Or you'll figure a way to prop her, or put straw under to give her a soft landing.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I wonder if a chiropractor could fix her? Believe it or not, there used to be one in Bayfield, CO who worked on everybody,thing from Olympic athletes to elephants to parrots and lizards. He fixed my horse who could not canter properly, she used to sproing like a deer. He's retired now, I believe, more's the pity. Dr. Dan, we called him.

 

[Shadrach]

I wonder if a chiropractor could fix her? Believe it or not, there used to be one in Bayfield, CO who worked on everybody,thing from Olympic athletes to elephants to parrots and lizards. He fixed my horse who could not canter properly, she used to sproing like a deer. He's retired now, I believe, more's the pity. Dr. Dan, we called him.

A chiropractor who specialised in chickens would be a wonderful thing. While this may not fix her, I bet it would do her neck the world of good.

 

[Shadrach]

Last night same routine until she got on the perch. She jumped onto the perch and stood there for at least five minutes. I watched her attempt to sit and after a moment her head started to go back. I had my hand under and behind her very quickly expecting her to topple off the perch backwards. Instead, she stood back up and her head went forward again and she kept her balance. She tried this twice. She's learning.
She's aware that if she sits she'll fall when on a perch.
There are two perches in the coop. One is on top of and attached to the egg boxes below to there is a wide shelf below the perch. The perch is only about three inches above the shelf so on the wall side of the perch there is a flat surface and the perch itself acts as a guard rail if on the top of the nest boxes.
You can see this in one of the pictures in this post.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/nuerological-or-something-else.1318208/page-4#post-21492604
Bracket stepped off the perch and sat in the space between the perch and the wall. As usual her head went back and she scooted into the corner where, as long as she stayed there, she would be safe from falling.
I was tempted to leave her there but she was directly under the bums or beaks of the others. While they may be fine with her during the day, the risk of getting pecked at by one of the others if she should disturb them while shuffling about seemed a bit high to me so I brought her back to the house for the night. No fuss, minimal shuffling to get comfortable.
This morning she was awake and standing at 05.30 and shouting for Punch.
I carried her out to where her tribe was eating at 07.30ish and off they all went.
So, currently she's getting 400UI of vitamin E daily, maybe ten sunflower seeds, a one tenth human dose of a multivit and her usual diet plus whatever she forages during the day.
I don't think she has laid an egg since brooding yet.
One unusual thing is late yesterday afternoon Fudge suddenly headed out the door of my house in battle order. It's been 40+ degrees centigrade here so Tribe 1 was sheltering from the heat. Bracket was standing outside on her own. Brackets tribe, Tribe 2 do visit my house very occasionally but they normally come as a group and only when no other tribes are in the vicinity. Cillin went out after Fudge; always happy to have a pretty hen come visiting is Cillin but Fudge had already driven Bracket away........the hens are not so pleased to see another pretty hen......

 

[BigBlueHen53]

This is interesting. So now I have another thought, hope you don't mind! What would you think about setting up a perch arrangement for Bracket at night in your house where she's been sleeping, close to the floor, for her to practice on? Here' my thinking. When my kids were ready to move from bassinet to bed, rather than put rails on the beds so they could not fall off, we put the mattresses on the floor. That way if they rolled off they would be startled awake but would not be hurt. They learned in short order not to roll off the bed. You say Bracket is learning. Maybe she just needs more (safe!) practice?