Chickens Walking Backwards - A Retrograde Step?

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Chickens Walking Backwards - A Retrograde Step?

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tarabella

Joined: 04 Nov 2009
Posts: 141
Location: Southam, Warwickshire

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 10 12:42 pm Post subject: Chickens Walking Backwards - A Retrograde Step?
I've noticed that one or two of our chickens have started walking backwards over the last few months, and one of them was dead in its house this morning. Apart from looking strange, is walking backwards a symptom of a more sinister underlying medical condition?

12Bore

Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 9089
Location: Paddling in the Mersey

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 10 1:44 pm Post subject:
It's the time of year, they're "walking backwards for Cristmas" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e61uC-5s9VU

Katieowl

Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 10 1:50 pm Post subject:
Oh you beat me to it!!! LOL! Kate

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 10 1:56 pm Post subject:
My first thought is that it might be Marek's; but it can also be a neurological symptom, I think. Woodburner might know about that - I think she's treated for it before.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 10 2:13 pm Post subject:
They may have Michael Jacksonitus of course.

SarahB

Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 869
Location: South Wales

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 10 2:42 pm Post subject:

Bodger wrote:

They may have Michael Jacksonitus of course.

Check combs, wattles, faces etc - they'll be pale and getting paler with that...

Cobnut

Joined: 29 Aug 2008
Posts: 475
Location: North Herefordshire

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 10 2:46 pm Post subject:

Soapnutter wrote:

Bodger wrote:

They may have Michael Jacksonitus of course.

Check combs, wattles, faces etc - they'll be pale and getting paler with that...

Duckhead

Joined: 24 Oct 2009
Posts: 2069
Location: Up the hill, Italy

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 10 2:52 pm Post subject:
Were they walking in the opposite direction of the prevailing wind? Sorry

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 10 3:14 pm Post subject:
Ive got one that does this...perfectly healthy (but we dont breed from her)

darkbrowneggs

Joined: 14 Jul 2010
Posts: 663
Location: Worcestershire

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 10 3:34 pm Post subject:
Love your avatar photo tarabella All the best Sue

Woodburner

Joined: 28 Apr 2006
Posts: 2904
Location: Essex

Posted: Sat Dec 18, 10 9:50 pm Post subject:

Could be Marek's, could be a bunch of other things too.
Are they having general difficulty walking, or do they recover and walk back to the food/whatever normally?
It might be balance/ear infection problems, possibly treatable by ab's.
If it is nerve related, (just to confuse the issue, nerve trouble in the ears would also cause balance issues) selenium might help. I use chopped brazil nuts, along with their usual feed. If you use anything concentrated, you'd need to be very careful not to overdose it.

Try looking up crook neck, limber neck, stargazer syndrome, and butulism poisoning, as well as Marek's.

You've got three options, (other than doing nothing, just hoping) you can cull them as poorly therefore not fit for breeding, plus possible source of infection to the others, you can separate them and dose them up with whatever immune system boosting tonic you can get your hands on, vits, selenium (in appropriate dose), herbal extracts, (or the herbs themselves) etc, or take them to the vet for AB's.
The first option is the safest for flock health, but depending on how precious the affected birds are, either or both of the other two options may be more appropriate.
Obviously any seriously poorly bird should be culled, but I have a bird that I thought was dying in my arms go on to be boss hen. (She has a domed skull and threw a complete fit, flopping allover the shop, neck and all. ) I also had a bird with clear syptoms of Marek's and so poorly she couldn't get to food, that I had to do the decent thing for. It doesn't sound like yours are suffering at all though.

Edited typo

Last edited by Woodburner on Sat Dec 18, 10 10:19 pm; edited 1 time in total

tarabella

Joined: 04 Nov 2009
Posts: 141
Location: Southam, Warwickshire

Posted: Sat Dec 18, 10 10:03 pm Post subject:
Thanks for the comprehensive reply Woodburner; there're plenty of lines to investigate now, following your posting.

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