Strange head movement from polish hen. *Video included*

[Yorkshire Coop]

I found my frizzle hen this morning at the back of the coop totally flat out. From the looks of the coop and with all her feathers that were scattered around i thought the others in her coop had attacked her. She is at the bottom of the pecking order and a very quiet hen. She did not want to stand and seemed to be struggling for breath. I was thinking she had shock from the attack so brought her into the house where it's warm. She was still down and looked to be struggling for breath in the crate. I had to go out but when I have returned she is stood up but looks like she has some kind of neurological damage with her head twitching. I have experienced wry neck before but this is not the usual head twisting associated with this. She opens her beak when she does the twitch. Her crop is empty and she is not tempted by any food but I have managed to get some water into her. She is not being very cooperative with the head twitching. Here is a short video of her taken just now she has been like this for about 4 hours ~

[VIDEO]

Anyone seen this before? Ideas on what I can do for this much loved lady would be very much appreciated. Thankyou in advance.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi Kim! I am so happy she is improving!! 

I think getting her out with the others is an excellent idea. It always helps to get them back with their buddies and to their old routine as possible. A gradual reintroduction so she doesn't tire and has time to recharge. And hopefully in a day or two she is back to her old self! 

Keep us posted!!

She really enjoyed her time out today and the sun made an appearance which was great, still a little weak but eating well and chatting away to me agian
I'm hoping to get her out in the small coop and run in a couple of days with one of the quiet ones before adding her back to the whole group.

How nice to hear things are improving! Good job Nurse Kim!

Thanks Debby
It's such a relief she is making progress!

Happy she is better York, Hope she is still improving this am.  So, can you summarize this for me ?  Do you believe it was wry neck as the vit. helped or maybe the others werent letting her eat also causing vit. def?     Thoughts please

She is still getting better granny, a little weak but on the right track as of now. I'm thinking it was a bit of both. They have been bullying her so maybe she was not getting enough to eat then they have gone for her in the coop when she was weak and could have caused her an injury. I just can't be sure but something has worked with what she has had. I'm sure I just caught it in time or the weird head twitching could have gotten worse and then even hand feeding and watering becomes hard work.

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm not sure that antibiotics are necessary, since it appears to be abnormal neurological movement probably from a head or neck injury. I would keep her separated with food and water, and give her vitamin E orally or in her food. Selenium, a mineral, is also needed, and if your vitamins don't contain it, then give her a bit of egg, tuna, liver, or chopped nuts daily. Just a small amount is needed. I would treat it like wry neck, keep her calm, limit noise, and help her to eat, possibly by wrapping her in a towel, and feeding her feed moistened with a lot of water. My one remaining polish hen is blind in one eye from being pecked, and she is always being attacked or bullied by the other hens. She was scalped by one former rooster, but recovered nicely. She loves to be with the others so I just let her be, and try to keep her from getting lost, which she tends to do. Here are some links about wry neck which you may have already seen:
http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article/Crookneck/Crookneck.html
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/97121/lets-talk-wry-neck-crook-neck

 

[TwoCrows]

I am so sorry Kim. . I know exactly what you are going through.

Aspirin...start with one baby aspirin a day for a couple days, then down to a half of one once a day. That is what I have Tillie on now.

Amox...she is small...I would give her about 100mgs to 125mgs every 12 hours or so. No probiotics while giving antibiotics. Tillie only weighs 4 pounds now...UGH. This is the dosage I have her on too.

 

[casportpony]

@Yorkshire coop , this book says one can give 175 mg/kg, which would be almost exactly 1/2 a capsule if she weighs 700 grams.
http://avianmedicine.net/content/uploads/2013/03/18.pdf

-Kathy

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Last night I did not think things were looking good at all. Very laboured breathing and totally flat out But this morning she was stood there waiting for me
Tried various things to tempt her but she was still not having any of it. After some hit and miss attempts at foods she has finally decided she likes what can only be described as slop!! Very well soaked pellets all mashed up and she is eating Had to start off holding the dish for her as she wanted the extra service but she is now taking it from the side of the crate. Not seen her drink but I'm happy she is eating again.

[VIDEO]

[/VIDEO]

Thank you all for helping me get her to this stage

We have turned a corner but I dont want to jinks things by saying we are out of the woods.

 

[azygous]

What does her poop look like? It can tell you a lot about her condition. How old is she?

I can see that she's sick, though. There are so many chicken diseases, it's impossible to say what it could be that's making your hen sick.

If it's viral, antibiotics won't help, but on the off chance she has an infection of some sort, why not start her on an antibiotic? If it's going to help, you should see improvement in 24 hours.

Her head movement may indicate discomfort in her crop. Do you feel anything hard in it?

Has she been laying? How long since she laid an egg?

Sorry, this is the best I can do with the information you've provided. You might follow the sticky up top and answer all the questions. It would give us more to go on.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Thankyou, she is 22 months old. Her crop feels empty but I can feel what can only be described as a tendon/ligament coming from under her beak down her breast. Not her breast bone as it seems too high up. She is not laying. She went broody last summer and by the time she weaned the chicks we had headed into winter. I've checked and can't feel an egg stuck. She has never been a good layer. She was normal yesterday and on the roost as usual when I locked up last night.

She has been in the crate for the last 5 hours but has not pooped at all. I poop pick my coops every morning and there was nothing untoward this morning. I worm regular and they are up to date. In the last 15 minutes the head twitching has stopped and she is stood there with her head down.

Will check what antibiotics I have in other wise it will be a vet job as we can't get antibiotics without a prescription here

 

[Granny Hatchet]

 

[casportpony]

Since you haven't seen her poop yet, you might wanna tube some fluids to her. 2-3 ml per 100 grams is what I shoot for. If crop clears, repeat in 60-90 minutes. If still no poop after second tubing, give fluids again. Can you get a tube and syringe? What do you have in the way of vitamins?

-Kathy