Sudden Balance Issues/Cannot Stand in Hen

[HomesteaderWife]

Just wanted to update on how our hen is doing now. We changed food to be safe and finally the nutri-drench made it in after getting held up in shipping. She can now stand and somewhat walk but she walks sideways with her head held the opposite way and she still stumbles. If she is facing away from you she cannot turn right to face you, she can't move her feet and get started. But when she turns left, she can get around to face you quite quickly. Each day I am trying to hold her up and slowly help her walk - in the beginning I was trying to help her move her feet and she was not standing on them at all. Now I help basically to steady her so she can walk forward straight without too much flapping and sideways walking. If I do not hold her, she sometimes tips forward or flaps her wings to try and balance. Now at least we have her standing on her own but not full time - she does lay down still. When she was totally immobile I was making sure to give her water and food in shallow dishes but she can make it to her dishes now. Still very normal in personality and perky, with appetite and drinking well.

My initial thought when this all happened (this round) was a possible stroke? Does this sound like it may be what happened to her to anyone with experience? Thank you all

 

[Perris]

Just wanted to update on how our hen is doing now. We changed food to be safe and finally the nutri-drench made it in after getting held up in shipping. She can now stand and somewhat walk but she walks sideways with her head held the opposite way and she still stumbles. If she is facing away from you she cannot turn right to face you, she can't move her feet and get started. But when she turns left, she can get around to face you quite quickly. Each day I am trying to hold her up and slowly help her walk - in the beginning I was trying to help her move her feet and she was not standing on them at all. Now I help basically to steady her so she can walk forward straight without too much flapping and sideways walking. If I do not hold her, she sometimes tips forward or flaps her wings to try and balance. Now at least we have her standing on her own but not full time - she does lay down still. When she was totally immobile I was making sure to give her water and food in shallow dishes but she can make it to her dishes now. Still very normal in personality and perky, with appetite and drinking well.

My initial thought when this all happened (this round) was a possible stroke? Does this sound like it may be what happened to her to anyone with experience? Thank you all

this sounds very similar to what one of my roos suffered June last year, when he was 4 coming 5. He got over it, but did not fully recover, and now lives (of his own volition) in protective custody, as there are 5 other roos here who would drive him away. If you want to compare notes, to see if it might be the same thing, I posted about him mainly on ManueB's and Shadrach's threads. I think I've listed these in chronological order, but if not, apologies

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/théo-and-the-chickens-des-sauches.1549149/post-26946904
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/théo-and-the-chickens-des-sauches.1549149/post-26947051
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...rescued-chickens-thread.1502267/post-26968764
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/théo-and-the-chickens-des-sauches.1549149/post-26975837
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/théo-and-the-chickens-des-sauches.1549149/post-26987386
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...rescued-chickens-thread.1502267/post-27013960

 

[Eggcessive]

You might want to try a sling support to help her walk some a couple of times a day. Then a chickens sling chair to help her remain upright to eat and drink for periods with periods of rest out of the sling would be good. Here is one on Amazon, but you can probably make one for walking:
https://www.amazon.com/Yesito-Match...42-bb4a-fc3c0dbe163e&pd_rd_i=B07HHW63GK&psc=1

Here is the thread for designs of sling chairs, and post 11 and 12 show the designs for a grown hen:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[NewtochicksNz]

Hi I have a hen with the same issues, how did it turn out for you ? I’m worried it’s Mareks

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Hi all here is the update on our little girl. So I had considered a sling, but I actually just walked with her and held her up lightly as we walked and did it a few times a day. I learned if I carried her with her facing me instead of away from me, she'd kick her legs a little and so we also did that to help get her moving. I'd considered water therapy but her lack of balance meant it would not be safe, so we stuck to just helping her walk each day.

She's not 100% but we are doing great now. She's fully on her feet (she walks a bit sideways, not as much as she was, mainly a bit of a lean) and has even tried taking dirt baths. Legs moving well but just not ready to scratch like she was in the dirt, though she has been trying more and more. She has tried to do her running happy flaps and she's getting around really well. During all of this she's never lost that spunk in her eyes. Eating and drinking great!

@NewtochicksNz here is an update on her for you