So excited to read your posts, so much great info! I have a 4 y.o. Easter Egger hen, Ethel, who has an odd behavior. Ever since she was a pullet, she randomly walks backward with her head down to one side, head jerking, then she snaps out of it and goes back to her normal scratching and pecking. She does this many times daily, has been checked over for mites lice, her ears are clear. Have you ever heard of this? She enjoys her chicken life and does not seem to have pain associated with this. She lays pretty green eggs and is about the middle kf the pecking order of 10 hens, no rooster.
Thanks fornyour thoughts!
-Robin
aka, @themichiganchickenlady on IG
Thank you!
Unfortunately even with all the excellent information about Ethel that you've provided, it's difficult to know exactly what's going on without being able to directly observe the behaviour and physically examine her, not to mention the fact that it would be illegal for me as a veterinarian to give a definitive diagnosis over the internet. Now that the disclaimer is out of the way...
At the very least, I can say that the walking backwards and especially the abnormal head position and movements strongly point to an inner ear problem. Aside from its obvious role in hearing, the inner ear is an important part of the nervous system that regulates an animal's balance. Any disease process that disrupts the function of the inner ear can cause a lack of balance and coordination which can manifest as an inability to maintain proper position of the head and limbs. This can include chronic infection, tumors, injury, etc., of the inner ear, which may not be visible at all from the outside (i.e., they could still be present even if Ethel's ears look clear to you).
Your best bet is to have Ethel personally seen by a veterinarian so that they can decide what diagnostic tests need to be done to try and pin down a cause, which will then determine what treatments are needed to help her start feeling better. The PoultryDVM website has a directory of veterinarians who will see pet chickens, and you can even look them up by selecting your state - looks like there are possibly 7 clinics you might be able to go to in Michigan: http://www.poultrydvm.com/poultry-vets.php
Hope this helps a bit, thanks for the ask!