[Bess]

I am new to chicken keeping and have a few bantams.  One of my hens is behaving very strangely and I do not know whether it is ill or been hurt.  She is fine whilst running about with the others, eating and drinking normally.  However she is having great difficulty going up the ladder into the hen house and keeps falling off.  Even a small step up is proving difficult for her. She is holding her neck a bit to the side and when I lift her is very submissive and turns her head right round to the side.  When she tries to climb the ladder it is as if she is off balance and keeps falling off.  When she falls, she appears to lie in a heap momentarily.  All the others are perfectly normal.  There is quite a virile young rooster with her, could he have caused the problem do you think.  Oh and one day I thought I heard a hurstle coming from her throat but I cant hear anything now.  Has anyone any ideas as I am completely stumped and feel so sorry for the poor wee thing as she struggles to get up to roost.

[joyfull]

sorry bess I'm not sure, perhaps a trip to a vets might be in order just in case it is something serious. How old is she and has she had any vaccinations?

[Bess]

She is about 9 months old.  Not sure about vaccinations, I did not know to ask when I bought her but the other hen I bought with her is fine.  Having been looking at other sites on the internet and someone had a hen with similar symptoms and was advised that perhaps it was an ear infection what with the balance problem etc.!  I think I shall have to visit the vet but not sure how up he will be on poultry.  Thank you for your reply

[mintymoos]

hi, she had no abnormal head movements or anything, just the falling over, and she was still wanting to eat.  . i kept her indoors last night, and she`s a lo t better this morning, so she may have just taken a bit of a tumble. sorry i can`t be of any more use. i hope you can get your girly sorted out ok, xx