Nuerological or something else?

[Shadrach]

Have you checked Bracket's ears? In addition, you might want to consider an antibiotic. Since most symptoms only show up at night, an inner ear infection might be messing with her equilibrium. That would explain a lot of it.

I have checked her ears with a magnifying glass. They look normal but to be honest I wouldn't know exactly what to look for for an inner ear infection.
I'm very reluctant to start a course of antibiotics without first being absolutely sure what it was I was trying to treat. If she looked critically ill I might risk it for something such as an obvious wound infection but with internal problems...........

 

[aart]

They look normal but to be honest I wouldn't know exactly what to look for for an inner ear infection.

Not that I've ever seen a chicken ear infection,
have seen plenty of dog ear infection,
but I would wager you'd see inflammation and possibly 'gunk'?

 

[Chickassan]

Red, inflammation there isn't gunk but it will look wet inside.
Iv'e only seen mild infections, gunk may happen with increased severity.
Early infections were treated much like swimmers ear, a drop of alcohol in the ear canal.
Can't say if the treatment was correct , it did help so it wasn't entirely incorrect.

Not that I've ever seen a chicken ear infection,
have seen plenty of dog ear infection,
but I would wager you'd see inflammation and possibly 'gunk'?

 

[getaclue]

I understand being reluctant to start a course of antibiotics. I'm not saying it has to be an inner ear problem. I'm saying it's one of the few treatable problems that lines up with the symptoms.

I would like to mention that there are several good choices in oral antibiotics that do not remain in the system for long, so you wouldn't have to worry about them rendering the chicken unfit for consumption, or egg withdrawal for more than a week after the last dose.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I have nothing to add except appreciation for you and your amazing observations and husbandry and the brilliant, collective problem-solving demonstrated here. What you've constructed in this thread is an excellent record of Bracket's odd behavior as well as an excellent record of human behavior.

Following, for sure!

 

[aart]

I would like to mention that there are several good choices in oral antibiotics that do not remain in the system for long, so you wouldn't have to worry about them rendering the chicken unfit for consumption, or egg withdrawal for more than a week after the last dose.

Pure speculation on the eggs.

 

[getaclue]

No aart, it's not speculation.

 

[Shadrach]

I understand being reluctant to start a course of antibiotics. I'm not saying it has to be an inner ear problem. I'm saying it's one of the few treatable problems that lines up with the symptoms.

I would like to mention that there are several good choices in oral antibiotics that do not remain in the system for long, so you wouldn't have to worry about them rendering the chicken unfit for consumption, or egg withdrawal for more than a week after the last dose.

I'll have another look at her ears tonight. My reservation about the antibiotics has nothing to do with eating her, or eggs. Sometimes antibiotics deal with one problem but create another. I've experienced this in the past on a couple of occasions. I think it's safe to assume that if this was an infection then left untreated the symptoms would get worse (?)
I've just been out to give her her Vit E for the day and she's merrily chucking dust over her sister accompanied by the occasional 'get out of my space' peck. I'm part tempted to build her a safe box in her tribes coop. If the condition doesn't improve and this disability is permanent then as things are at the moment my only real concern is to prevent her injuring herself chucking herself around the coop at night.
We had a Goshawk do a fly by this morning looking for an easy strike and the boys saw it and she was first under cover. I've got another hen here (Mel) who has the occasional episode of backward walking and head weaving. She's had it since she was a chick. She used to sit on my lap and wind her head around in much the same position as Bracket does. Of course, she immediately rolled off my lap and fell to the floor in an undignified pile of feathers. So far Mel has kept her rank in her tribe, lays eggs, has hatched a chick, fought and backed down a Goshawk protecting that chick and is currently pecking at my lower leg for some walnut. Not a lot wrong with her. She has fewer bouts of walking backwards these days but she still does it.

 

[aart]

No aart, it's not speculation.

Haven't seen studies on antibiotic residue in eggs.

 

[getaclue]

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