Walking backwards with head down

[deemcreynolds]

I have a 6 week old brahma and she has started walking backwards and holding her head down. She is acting very strange. I've had chickens for over 30 years and have never seen this. Any ideas?

 

[ChickenRelatedUserName]

Hypnotized? Lose a bet?

Tagged to find out.

 

[Chicken Whisperers]

I've never heard of a chicken doing that. It might be a sickness, emotions, or even out of boredom

 

[micstrachan]

This sounds neurological to me. Could she have gotten into a toxin? (poisonous plant, leaked machinery fluid, moldy feed, rotting flesh, etc.) Could she have a nutritional deficiency, perhaps from being bullied from feed? What do you feed your birds?
I would start with poultry vitamins like nutridrench. There are specific vitamins to offer in case of wry neck, and I hope others jump in to help with that if they think that’s what this could be. Good luck!

Edited to say wry neck (not wet neck... darn autocorrect!)

 

[chickens really]

Mereks?..
@Wyorp Rock

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a 6 week old brahma and she has started walking backwards and holding her head down. She is acting very strange. I've had chickens for over 30 years and have never seen this. Any ideas?

I'm sorry to hear about your pullet.

What type of food/treats do you feed?
Do you have photos or a video you can share with us?

Walking backwards with the head down sounds like a neurological symptom like Wry Neck-it can be caused by vitamin/mineral deficiency, genetics, head injury/trauma and certain diseases like Marek's, Newcastles and Avian Lymhpoid Leukosis.

I would offer her 400IU Vitamin E daily, along with 1/2 tablet of human B-Complex vitamins, give egg or tuna for Selenium which helps with the uptake of Vit. E

If she is unable to hold her head up well enough to eat/drink you need to assist her. Caging or crating her near the flock so she can see the others would be good.
If you happen to lose her, sending the body to your State Lab for testing will give you answers.

 

[chickens really]

I'm sorry to hear about your pullet.

What type of food/treats do you feed?
Do you have photos or a video you can share with us?

Walking backwards with the head down sounds like a neurological symptom like Wry Neck-it can be caused by vitamin/mineral deficiency, genetics, head injury/trauma and certain diseases like Marek's, Newcastles and Avian Lymhpoid Leukosis.

I would offer her 400IU Vitamin E daily, along with 1/2 tablet of human B-Complex vitamins, give egg or tuna for Selenium which helps with the uptake of Vit. E

If she is unable to hold her head up well enough to eat/drink you need to assist her. Caging or crating her near the flock so she can see the others would be good.
If you happen to lose her, sending the body to your State Lab for testing will give you answers.

...

 

[Northern.Ontario]

http://www.poultrydvm.com/views/symptoms.php

 

[casportpony]

What does her poop look like?

I did just have a chick about the same age do this, but it had funny looking poop. I did like @Wyorp Rock posts says to do and I gave it a bunch of vitamins, and I also treated it for coccidiosis.

 

[Nambroth]

I have a hen that has chronic wry neck that will do this whenever her symptoms get worse or she gets stressed out. Wry neck is a symptom, not a disease, so if it is wry neck you will need to investigate the cause (neurological; often due to injury, vitamin deficiency, or nervous system problems caused by disease or genetics).