Walking backwards, neurologic? *Video*

[UThobbyfarmer]

Coming up on 9 years chicken keeping and I've been blessed to never need a post in this section more than once. Today I need your help.

History: 21 week old Barnevelder/Orpington cross pullet. Hatched myself. Never been off the property. Healthy until about 2 weeks ago. She started squatting. Which I expect for point of lay birds. Didn't think twice about it. Then I noticed she was doing it more and more. Even when by herself. This progressed to not standing up all the way (constantly squatting low). Not keeping up with the other birds. Now she will walk backwards a few steps before going forwards. Like the video shows she's not right and is stressing out.

I have a flock of 9 chickens and 6 ducks. All but 2 of those were hatched by me. The 2 birds I didn't hatch I've had for 9-10 months. None of the other birds show any signs of this (they're in the video background). Just this pullet.

Please watch the video and let me know your thoughts. What I should be on the lookout for or doing. If she kicks the bucket I'm planning on having a necropsy done. As long as she's eating and drink like she is I'm letting it play out. After doing some reading online it looks like it could be a toxin, nutritional deficiency, infection, or a very nasty disease.

 

[Eggcessive]

This might be a neurological problem, which sometimes may be related to vitamin E deficiency or wry neck. Mareks disease might also be on the list of possibilities, but I would start with giving 400 IU of vitamin E daily, and 1/4 tablet of B complex in some food, orally, or in a treat. I had a hen who started doing a similar thing, then could not balance for almost 5 weeks. She recovered eventually with a little problem wobbling. Eventually, when she died, her necropsy showed a large lash egg in her ociduct and cancer which may have been the problem.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

This might be a neurological problem, which sometimes may be related to vitamin E deficiency or wry neck. Mareks disease might also be on the list of possibilities, but I would start with giving 400 IU of vitamin E daily, and 1/4 tablet of B complex in some food, orally, or in a treat. I had a hen who started doing a similar thing, then could not balance for almost 5 weeks. She recovered eventually with a little problem wobbling. Eventually, when she died, her necropsy showed a large lash egg in her ociduct and cancer which may have been the problem.

Thank you for the quick response and giving a course of action. I'll get her started on this first thing tomorrow.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Good news. I found out the state veterinary diagnostic lab has a branch 15 minutes from my house. I'm going to give them a call tomorrow. See if they have any ideas what this might be and get necropsy information if she dies.

Bad news. After talking with my husband I remembered our neighbors across the road got chickens about 2 moths ago. These are their first chickens ever. They were "rescues" from a massive local egg facility that went belly up. Hundreds of birds needed homes. They were the sickliest chickens I'd ever seen. I gave her some pointers and they bounced back ok. However our kids, and other neighbor kids, play between the houses. It's likely someone's kid touched our chickens after handling those birds spreading whatever disease they might carry. It's seems very suspicious that after 9 years of never having a problem this would pop up weeks after those hens. I'm the only one around that hatches their own birds. I have never vaccinated because I felt exposure was minimal. All neighbors have hatchery birds who were likely vaccinated.

The plan is still to start the vitamins and electrolytes tomorrow. Fingers crossed that does the trick. In the meantime I've learned a lot about chicken diseases and local resources. Always good to be an informed hobbyist.

 

[Fintechie]

One of my broody hen started to walk backwards for the brief moments she left the box. Not sure if it's the same cause or not. Will also try VE and electrolyte to see if helpful.

 

[Fintechie]

Good news. I found out the state veterinary diagnostic lab has a branch 15 minutes from my house. I'm going to give them a call tomorrow. See if they have any ideas what this might be and get necropsy information if she dies.

Bad news. After talking with my husband I remembered our neighbors across the road got chickens about 2 moths ago. These are their first chickens ever. They were "rescues" from a massive local egg facility that went belly up. Hundreds of birds needed homes. They were the sickliest chickens I'd ever seen. I gave her some pointers and they bounced back ok. However our kids, and other neighbor kids, play between the houses. It's likely someone's kid touched our chickens after handling those birds spreading whatever disease they might carry. It's seems very suspicious that after 9 years of never having a problem this would pop up weeks after those hens. I'm the only one around that hatches their own birds. I have never vaccinated because I felt exposure was minimal. All neighbors have hatchery birds who were likely vaccinated.

The plan is still to start the vitamins and electrolytes tomorrow. Fingers crossed that does the trick. In the meantime I've learned a lot about chicken diseases and local resources. Always good to be an informed hobbyist.

Did it work?

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

She's still around. I wouldn't call her totally cured but she didn't deteriorate further and did improve a good bit. I'll have to upload a current video.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

This video is from about a week ago.