Sudden Loss of Balance and Head Bobbing Hen

[chillismom]

I don’t know how to attach videos here so I’m just going to describe it the best I can for now. Other users seem to have had this problem with their hens before but never figured out what it was or posted if their hens lived or not. My barnevelder Vera is about two years old and is the only chicken (I have five) currently laying. The others are all molting and one is a rooster who she sleeps next to and hangs around. She laid an egg this morning and ate and drank and did everything normally. The temperature here was normal, not cold or hot. She was perfectly fine until I went to close her and her companion into their coop for the night. Versace went to bed but when I went to find Vera, she was standing still back in a remote corner of the run bobbing her head like she was in a daze or trying to regain her equilibrium. Her tail was also straight out, not up like normal or down like if she was sick. I picked her up and checked her for injuries or mites, didn’t see anything wrong. Checked her vent which was perfectly fine. When I set her down she stumbled like she couldn’t balance. She had a hard time hopping up to get to the roost so I helped her up and she put her wings out like she needed them to balance. My main worry is Marek’s as someone in my neighborhood lost most of their flock to it about two years ago so I’ve always assumed it was all over the neighborhood. Versace has also been cranky since he’s been molting and he’s been pecking her on the head so it’s possible it’s a head injury. Has anyone else had this problem? How did it turn out? She’s primarily a pet so of course I don’t want to lose her but I’m really concerned for what it will do to Versace if she dies. I know it sounds ridiculous but he’s very sensitive and they really are close companions.

Also if anyone knows how to attach videos, please let me know! Thanks in advance!

 

[nuthatched]

Upload to YouTube or similar and link back.
What the diet? It's likely that their suffering from vitamin deficiency from molting

 

[chillismom]

Upload to YouTube or similar and link back.
What the diet? It's likely that their suffering from vitamin deficiency from molting

She eats a layer crumble that I usually put crushed up eggshells in but haven’t yet since I started a new bag. She’s not molting yet but maybe she’s starting. She also eats a lot of tree kale and fruit and mealworms as treats. I’ve been worming the whole flock this week just using apple cider vinegar and garlic in the water and today my mom put balsamic vinegar in some of the waterers by accident but I don’t think it’s that because it was such a small amount.

 

[nuthatched]

She eats a layer crumble that I usually put crushed up eggshells in but haven’t yet since I started a new bag. She’s not molting yet but maybe she’s starting. She also eats a lot of tree kale and fruit and mealworms as treats. I’ve been worming the whole flock this week just using apple cider vinegar and garlic in the water and today my mom put balsamic vinegar in some of the waterers by accident but I don’t think it’s that because it was such a small amount.

What protein is the layer feed? Cut out the treats, especially the kale and mealworms, it's bad for them. You can give them small portions of treats in a few weeks.
Apple cider vinegar and garlic won't do a blessed thing for worms and garlic is toxic to chickens, in fact, it could be causing the issues described through anemia.
Males and non laying birds should not be eating layer feeds long term, too much calcium.
Give them plain water, feed that's atleast 18% protein and maybe put nutridrench in one waterers to help them through their molt. :]

 

[chillismom]

I don’t know how to attach videos here so I’m just going to describe it the best I can for now. Other users seem to have had this problem with their hens before but never figured out what it was or posted if their hens lived or not. My barnevelder Vera is about two years old and is the only chicken (I have five) currently laying. The others are all molting and one is a rooster who she sleeps next to and hangs around. She laid an egg this morning and ate and drank and did everything normally. The temperature here was normal, not cold or hot. She was perfectly fine until I went to close her and her companion into their coop for the night. Versace went to bed but when I went to find Vera, she was standing still back in a remote corner of the run bobbing her head like she was in a daze or trying to regain her equilibrium. Her tail was also straight out, not up like normal or down like if she was sick. I picked her up and checked her for injuries or mites, didn’t see anything wrong. Checked her vent which was perfectly fine. When I set her down she stumbled like she couldn’t balance. She had a hard time hopping up to get to the roost so I helped her up and she put her wings out like she needed them to balance. My main worry is Marek’s as someone in my neighborhood lost most of their flock to it about two years ago so I’ve always assumed it was all over the neighborhood. Versace has also been cranky since he’s been molting and he’s been pecking her on the head so it’s possible it’s a head injury. Has anyone else had this problem? How did it turn out? She’s primarily a pet so of course I don’t want to lose her but I’m really concerned for what it will do to Versace if she dies. I know it sounds ridiculous but he’s very sensitive and they really are close companions.

Also if anyone knows how to attach videos, please let me know! Thanks in advance!

Here are the videos I’ve taken of the behavior. Just went to check on her and she fell off the roost and was doing exactly the same thing on the floor so I moved her to the coop where she lays eggs her since she probably should be quarantined anyway and she could sleep in her nest that way

 

[chillismom]

What protein is the layer feed? Cut out the treats, especially the kale and mealworms, it's bad for them. You can give them small portions of treats in a few weeks.
Apple cider vinegar and garlic won't do a blessed thing for worms and garlic is toxic to chickens, in fact, it could be causing the issues described through anemia.
Males and non laying birds should not be eating layer feeds long term, too much calcium.
Give them plain water, feed that's atleast 18% protein and maybe put nutridrench in one waterers to help them through their molt. :]

Thank you! It’s possible it could be the garlic because she drinks way more than all the other birds so maybe she got way too much. It was changed to just vinegar today but I’ll make sure to feed them plain water tomorrow and see if I can find some nutridrench

 

[nuthatched]

Thank you! It’s possible it could be the garlic because she drinks way more than all the other birds so maybe she got way too much. It was changed to just vinegar today but I’ll make sure to feed them plain water tomorrow and see if I can find some nutridrench

Any vitamin supplement from the feed store or baby vitamins from the grocery store will be fine.

 

[chillismom]

I’m not sure! She’s the only factory chick we got, a purina one. Otherwise I don’t think any of them have been vaccinated. I wasn’t sure if I could get it done now that they’re all fully grown

 

[chillismom]

I don’t know how to attach videos here so I’m just going to describe it the best I can for now. Other users seem to have had this problem with their hens before but never figured out what it was or posted if their hens lived or not. My barnevelder Vera is about two years old and is the only chicken (I have five) currently laying. The others are all molting and one is a rooster who she sleeps next to and hangs around. She laid an egg this morning and ate and drank and did everything normally. The temperature here was normal, not cold or hot. She was perfectly fine until I went to close her and her companion into their coop for the night. Versace went to bed but when I went to find Vera, she was standing still back in a remote corner of the run bobbing her head like she was in a daze or trying to regain her equilibrium. Her tail was also straight out, not up like normal or down like if she was sick. I picked her up and checked her for injuries or mites, didn’t see anything wrong. Checked her vent which was perfectly fine. When I set her down she stumbled like she couldn’t balance. She had a hard time hopping up to get to the roost so I helped her up and she put her wings out like she needed them to balance. My main worry is Marek’s as someone in my neighborhood lost most of their flock to it about two years ago so I’ve always assumed it was all over the neighborhood. Versace has also been cranky since he’s been molting and he’s been pecking her on the head so it’s possible it’s a head injury. Has anyone else had this problem? How did it turn out? She’s primarily a pet so of course I don’t want to lose her but I’m really concerned for what it will do to Versace if she dies. I know it sounds ridiculous but he’s very sensitive and they really are close companions.

Also if anyone knows how to attach videos, please let me know! Thanks in advance!

This morning I’d say she’s much better but still stumbling every once in a while and has diarrhea. Maybe I should be treating this like a case of poisoning?

 

[Perris]

This morning I’d say she’s much better but still stumbling every once in a while and has diarrhea. Maybe I should be treating this like a case of poisoning?

that strikes me as more likely, given your description of her symptoms.