# Walking backward



## Mainelychickee (Feb 16, 2014)

My lead hen, a Rhode Island Red, has started some strange behavior. She is eating and drinking normally but every now and then she lowers her head to the side and walks away backward … sometimes scooting as far as five feet in "reverse mode". I've had her for a year and a half and she is 2.5 now. I'll try to video this. Any ideas?


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Wry neck it sounds like. Usually happens in chicks but is possible in adults. It's caused by a vitamin/mineral deficiency usually, likely an absorption issue. If I have a chick with it we give infant vitamins, Polyvisol (not the stuff with iron) a syringe full twice a day for two weeks and it clears them right up. 
With an older hen it might be a bit different as it's odd to have an absorption issue at this stage of the game but weirder things have happened.

If you can rule out head trauma, try the Polyvisol, monitor for any other symptoms. Unfortunatly some things are a "wait and see if anything else happens" with birds as so many things are caused by so many things. The vitamin supplement is a good starting place though.


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