weird neurological symptom????

Kristyh119

Songster
Nov 18, 2017
92
90
116
South jersey
I have a 16 month old EE named peach that Is dropping her head down with her neck outstretched in front of her while running backwards. She typically keeps going until she crashes into something. She is currently molting for the first time and hasn’t laid an egg in a little over month. Her comb and wattles are also pale. She did that weird backwards thing for a few weeks when she first hit laying age. She went about a year without it happening, but now did it numerous times yesterday. She fell off the roost this morning because it happened but as soon as she started falling she snapped out of it. She is also our favorite chicken. She’s is so friendly and lovable I would hate if something happened to her.
 
I know nothing of neurological problems but I have EE who is what I call special needs. It’s almost as if she can’t see or has a vision impairment. I even trimmed her muffs on her cheeks didn’t help.
She does the “back up” thingie too. But not to the extent that yours does.
She’ll back up as if something is after her but only for a few steps or until she bumps into something.
The first time I threw out corn she couldn’t figure out what the others were eating. She’ll often walk away from meal worms too.
I’ll follow this thread as I am really interested in your responses.
 
It sounds as if your hen could have a borderline vitamin E deficiency and her first molt is aggravating it by depleting her reserves. Try giving her a vitamin E 400iu capsule once a day over the next week plus a sliver of selenium to help it get absorbed. You can also add B-complex in case there's some sort of neurological damage.
 
It sounds as if your hen could have a borderline vitamin E deficiency and her first molt is aggravating it by depleting her reserves. Try giving her a vitamin E 400iu capsule once a day over the next week plus a sliver of selenium to help it get absorbed. You can also add B-complex in case there's some sort of neurological damage.
Thank you so much... this makes sense with it happening more in times of stress. I’ll definitely give that a try. I’ve always assumed it was some kind of seizure with the way her neck looks rigid.
 
My guess would be Marek's disease, with her having the previous episode at point of lay. Outbreaks occur at times of stress and adolescence is the usual time for it to initially exhibit. It is certainly worth trying the vitamin E supplement and keeping your fingers crossed. I find that subsequent Marek's outbreaks are usually more prolonged and severe than the initial one, if they survive the first. I would probably give her a broad spectrum poultry vitamin supplement as well as vitamin E.
 
I agree with treating for wry neck. Wry neck is only a symptom, and can occur with head or neck injury, vitamin E or thiamine deficiency, can be hereditary, and can be seen in Mareks, and many other diseases. Make sure that your feed is fresh dated, as vitamins can leech out of feed that has been outdated.

Vitamin E 400 mcg capsules are usually given daily. Many foods have selenium, which helps uptake of vitamin E, and those include cooked egg, tuna, and sunflower kernels, and only a small amount is needed. Liver, hamburger, spinach, and plain greek yogurt all have thiamine (B1.) I like to crush a 1/2 vitamin B complex tablet which is full of all B vitamins, and hard to overdose, on some food.
 
I have a 3 1/2 year old roo that has an involuntary weird head shake that comes and goes. Started when he was about 6 months old, has never progressed to anything else and I've never been able to ID a cause for it. Has not gotten better or worse. It has not impaired him in any way. Sometimes it happens daily, sometimes long periods between. Sometimes it's just unknown why things happen. I would also supplement the vitamins suggested to see if you get improvement as that is a common cause of uncommon symptoms.
 
I agree with treating for wry neck. Wry neck is only a symptom, and can occur with head or neck injury, vitamin E or thiamine deficiency, can be hereditary, and can be seen in Mareks, and many other diseases. Make sure that your feed is fresh dated, as vitamins can leech out of feed that has been outdated.

Vitamin E 400 mcg capsules are usually given daily. Many foods have selenium, which helps uptake of vitamin E, and those include cooked egg, tuna, and sunflower kernels, and only a small amount is needed. Liver, hamburger, spinach, and plain greek yogurt all have thiamine (B1.) I like to crush a 1/2 vitamin B complex tablet which is full of all B vitamins, and hard to overdose, on some food.
When checking the freshness of the feed is the date on the sewn tag a use by date or the date it was made? I use Purina flock raiser if that makes any difference.
 

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