Silkie Pullet with Head Shaking, after Walking/Balance Issues

[InfpChick]

I have a 9 month old silkie pullet named Luna. About a week ago, when my mom let the flock out of the coop for the day, she noticed Luna was off balance, not walking well, and shaking her head a lot. I had a scare with her a couple of days before this when I made a terrible decision in trying to stage a cute Christmas picture. I looped a jingle bell necklace around her neck and was snapping a few pictures. All was fine until she suddenly panicked, ran off, got it drawn tightly around her neck, and almost strangled. I will NEVER try that again. I felt so badly. Because of this, my first thought was I had caused her to get wry neck, and that it just took a couple of days for the symptoms to worsen, since she appeared fine in the two days immediately following the incident.

I isolated her and started treating her with multi-vitamins. Both NutriDrench in her water and Polyvisol in her food. She spills so much of both, I wasn't sure how much she actually got in her. Her mobility continued to be poor for a few days, and then she improved dramatically. I also gave her some extra Vitamin E and Selenium.

Now all she is doing is shaking her head a lot. And I realized that she actually has always been a bit of a head shaker. So I am now wondering if it is possible ear issues.

I have no chicken vet in the area. There is an exotic animal and avian (parrots, etc.) vet about 40 minutes away who tried to treat one of my other silkies this summer. That story does not have a happy ending, so I am loathe to take this one to him. It was obvious he had no chicken experience.

Another thing I have noticed while treating her - she doesn't seem to see well. When she eats from my hand, she often misses what she is aiming for. She also has not laid an egg, but I know production tends to drop off in winter. But I don't know that she has ever laid one, to be honest.

She's always seemed to be a little lost in her own world and while that is a huge part of her charm, I'm starting to worry if it is actually symptomatic of underlying health issues. I'm wondering if she doesn't get the nutrients she needs while with the flock, and maybe it caught up with her. She lives with 13 other chickens and none of the others have these symptoms. They have a strong, well-built coop and a decent size run. Pine chips for the coop and straw in the run. She doesn't seem to get picked on. The pecking order is well established and they coexist well. They get good layer feed and Rooster Booster in their water daily.

Her breathing is fine. Her eyes look good, from what I can tell. I tried looking at her ears, but I feel a little lost as to what I should actually be looking for.

She is eating fine. Poop seems normal. I am not sure about drinking. I don't often see her drink and I have been assuming she just does it when I am not looking. In any case, I'm terrified to try to give her water with a syringe because of the dangers of accidental aspiration.

I don't see any signs of visible injury and she doesn't have other wry neck symptoms.

Right now she is living in my bathroom!

Suggestions for what the head shaking might be and how to treat it? I have some chicken antibiotics coming. Should I try that in case she has an ear infection? Or will it be harmful if she doesn't actually need them?

If someone would like me to take video of her and post a link, I will be happy to do that. Just let me know.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would look her over for evidence of mites or lice. Try to find her ear canals and look into them for any evidence of swelling, or gunk. Is there any sneezing? Mix up a small amount of feed with water and a little chopped egg, and a tsp of plain yogurt in a small bowl. Continue the vitamins—either the NutriDrench or the baby vitamins, but not both. If possible, place her in a crate with the other chickens, with her own food and water.

 

[InfpChick]

Thanks! I am going to have to do some googling and see if there are videos on checking ear canals because I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to that. LOL. Do you think I should give her the antibiotics when they get here or hold off on that?

 

[micstrachan]

She’s adorable! Agree with checking for parasites. I think crop issues can cause head shaking, too. Is anything flying out of her beak? Please check in the morning before she eats or drinks anything that her crop is emptying all the way overnight.

 

[InfpChick]

I don't see anything flying out of her beak. We did the stealth check for mites this morning by shining a flashlight on her bottom in a dark room. I held her while Mom checked. She saw a few black specks, but nothing moving. Shouldn't they be moving?Nothing under her wings. Her ears looked fine. A little crust in the eye.

Should I treat her as if she has mites? What mite treatment is safe to give her while she is living inside in my bathtub? Anyone have suggestions?

So frustrated about the head shaking and really wishing I had a chicken vet in the area. She's my favorite silkie and I will be so sad if I lose her, but I have no idea how to treat her because I don't know what is wrong.

Would it hurt her if I treated her as if she had certain things to start ruling things out? Start off with antibiotics in case it is an ear infection... if the head shaking continues, treat for gapeworm, etc. Or should I leave it alone and see if it worsens? The head shaking is the only symptom right now. Could that just be a quirk of hers?

I feel lost.

 

[Eggcessive]

Google “lice and mites in chickens,” and look at some articles including those for TheChickenChick and UC ANR where you will see pictures of what to look for. Also look at images on Google. Some mites only get on them at night, then hide in cracks and dark places during the day, while some are on them all of the time. Lice are on them at all times. Mites leave droppings and traces of themselves, and lice leave clumps of eggs at the base of feathers.

If you find mites or lice, permethrin is really safe and effective when used once and then again 7-10 days later when eggs hatch. So called natural remedies will not help if you have an infestation.