What is wrong with my chicken?

[crmsteach]

About a week ago my five week old New Hampshire Red hen started holding her head down and walking backwards. She was with five other hens. I have isolated her. Sometimes she holds up her head and walks forward. When I placed another hen with her, she started putting her head down again and walking backwards. Naturally, I removed the other chicken. Has anyone ever heard of this behavior?

 

[ruth]

Could be a vitamin deficiency/malabsorbtion issue. Add Poly-vi-sol to her water or give her a couple of drops directly in beak a couple of times a day. There is also a produce AviaCharge that can be ordered that is specifically for chickens. Poly-vi-sol is a liquid baby vitamin/supplement that can be bought at drug store. In addition to the Poly-vi-sol you might want to try some Vitamin E capsules. Just cut top off of one and squirt out so she can eat it. DHLUnicorn also advises a low level of selenium to help absorb the vitamin E but I didn't use it with Ruth and still had a full recovery from the very thing you are describing.

Good luck. Take a look at DHLUnicorn's posts if she doesn't see this and reply. She has a wealth of information on her website.