Is my chicken having a stroke? - advice

[hens1]

Hi

My oldest hen is almost 9 years and ex batt. She's doing a weird head bobbing thing. I'm not sure if she can see or see properly. She's a bit unsteady on her feet. It feels like balance issue or because she can't see. Sometimes her beak chatters.

No sign of illness in her or the others. Eyes are clear. She can walk but isn't very much.

Her head is constantly moving back and forth whist it also constanty drifts around to the left.

Could it be a stroke? Can they recover? What should I do? (Not sure I can take her to a competant bird vet - need to see if they're open and working in morning).

Background:

Was definetly completely normal on 30th Dec when she was out the run freeranging. Pretty sure she was ok on 31st Dec when she had a brief free range. Then on 1st Jan noticed she wouldn't come over for blueberries!

On closer inspection noticed she was fluffed up and acting like ill chickens do (being on her own etc). She did come over to say hello but seemed a bit unsteady and her head was bobbing in a weird way. Otherwise she seemed fine. No injury, no swelling or runny nose, etc. No preditor attack as they're in a run with electric fence (plus I was in all day and would've heard). It was sunset so I placed her in the coop and was going to sort it out in the morning. Normal weight. All other hens fine (but are younger - about 3 years). She has mild bumble foot but has for ages (vet said keep an eye on it).

At 4am today (2nd Jan) I was awoken to bangs coming from the coop. I went straight out. She was intermittantly running into the walls near the closed door (in UK. Dark until about 7:30‐8am at the moment).

I brought her in the house.

She's still doing this weird head thing where it goes back and forth and she turns her head. Sometimes her beak chatters. No breathing issues. Not lethargic (still fights when getting picked up). I'm undecided if she can see or see properly.

I wondered if the new year fireworks near here had stressed her out and caused a brain issue?

I have a video but issues linking it.

 

[LaFleche]

Welcome to the BYC community and Happy New Year @hens1 !

I am sorry your hen is not well. Going by your description I would assume that she suffered a stroke which can happen to chickens and even more so at her advanced age.

You can give her half a tablet of human vitamin B complex and vitamin E for about 10 days to help with the nerve damage and feed her scrambled eggs which contain selenium to help with the uptake.
Check if she is able to drink properly and in case she is not, offer some pieces of apple or berries and moist feed.
Here is how to tube feed her in case she may not be able to swallow properly on her own:

You can keep her bundled up in a towel in a box or basket to prevent her from falling over and injuring herself until she is more stable. Or use a chicken sling chair

Post in thread 'Versions of "chick chairs" PLEASE!'
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/post-18356950

Let us know how she is doing, I hope she will recover for you.

ETA: You can upload the video to yout*be or similar platform and post the link here.

 

[hens1]

Thank you for your reply and all the helpful info

Short response is unfortunetly she died :'(

I did manage to get an urgent vet appointment that morning with the really good bird vet.

Just before leaving for the vet she keeled over with her eyes shut. I thought she was about to die. After a few minutes she flapped all over the place which I thought was the end because I know they can do this when put to sleep. But then she came round. Her head was still doing the weird movements and she could no longer stand. I wondered seizure.

Took her to the vet but en route and when waiting she started doing a thing where she threw her head back between wings, beaking pointing up, followed by flapping (fitting) and eye lids flickering.

The vet gave her a good check and said yes looks like stroke or aneurism, etc followed by seizures and the fact her toes were now curled and she can't stand means there's a full neuro brain and spine problem, and advanced issues that happen just prior to death. She did offer all options including various treatments (that likely wouldn't work) and honest advice. Looking at her and into her eyes, which had gone very dialted and spaced out, I don't think she was going to be able to recover. She also seemed completly unable to eat or drink when we were at home. The very very difficult end decision was to put her to sleep to prevent further pain and suffering from the seizures. I'm not sure if she was even still there concious or personality wise by the end or if a lot of her brain was already dead 9 years is pretty good though but does make loosing her super upsetting. It's weird she's not around anymore

 

[RoyalChick]

Thank you for your reply and all the helpful info

Short response is unfortunetly she died :'(

I did manage to get an urgent vet appointment that morning with the really good bird vet.

Just before leaving for the vet she keeled over with her eyes shut. I thought she was about to die. After a few minutes she flapped all over the place which I thought was the end because I know they can do this when put to sleep. But then she came round. Her head was still doing the weird movements and she could no longer stand. I wondered seizure.

Took her to the vet but en route and when waiting she started doing a thing where she threw her head back between wings, beaking pointing up, followed by flapping (fitting) and eye lids flickering.

The vet gave her a good check and said yes looks like stroke or aneurism, etc followed by seizures and the fact her toes were now curled and she can't stand means there's a full neuro brain and spine problem, and advanced issues that happen just prior to death. She did offer all options including various treatments (that likely wouldn't work) and honest advice. Looking at her and into her eyes, which had gone very dialted and spaced out, I don't think she was going to be able to recover. She also seemed completly unable to eat or drink when we were at home. The very very difficult end decision was to put her to sleep to prevent further pain and suffering from the seizures. I'm not sure if she was even still there concious or personality wise by the end or if a lot of her brain was already dead 9 years is pretty good though but does make loosing her super upsetting. It's weird she's not around anymore

Losing old friends leaves a big hole in the heart.
Try and remember all the good times you had with her.

 

[LaFleche]

Thank you for your reply and all the helpful info

Short response is unfortunetly she died :'(

I did manage to get an urgent vet appointment that morning with the really good bird vet.

Just before leaving for the vet she keeled over with her eyes shut. I thought she was about to die. After a few minutes she flapped all over the place which I thought was the end because I know they can do this when put to sleep. But then she came round. Her head was still doing the weird movements and she could no longer stand. I wondered seizure.

Took her to the vet but en route and when waiting she started doing a thing where she threw her head back between wings, beaking pointing up, followed by flapping (fitting) and eye lids flickering.

The vet gave her a good check and said yes looks like stroke or aneurism, etc followed by seizures and the fact her toes were now curled and she can't stand means there's a full neuro brain and spine problem, and advanced issues that happen just prior to death. She did offer all options including various treatments (that likely wouldn't work) and honest advice. Looking at her and into her eyes, which had gone very dialted and spaced out, I don't think she was going to be able to recover. She also seemed completly unable to eat or drink when we were at home. The very very difficult end decision was to put her to sleep to prevent further pain and suffering from the seizures. I'm not sure if she was even still there concious or personality wise by the end or if a lot of her brain was already dead 9 years is pretty good though but does make loosing her super upsetting. It's weird she's not around anymore

I am sorry for your loss As I know only too well there are sometimes chicken characters that worm their way into our hearts and will be deeply missed.

Thank you for the update.