Help for weak chicken

Hello! A couple of days ago, one of our New Hampshire Red chickens started acting weak. Her comb is pale, and her abdomen is tight. She is skinny from not eating much, and today she has not been able to walk. Does this sound like egg binding?
Thank you!

Egg binding is definitely a possiblity. Do you know how long ago it was since she laid her last egg? I would give her a warm water bath, just in case it is egg binding. Fill a tub or bucket with enough 95 degree F. water to cover her lower half. Let her stand (or you can hold her) in the water for at least 15 minutes. This will help relax her muscles and help her lay an egg. Lubricating the vent with some oil can also help.

Have you seen hear eating? A chicken will not last long without eating, especially if it is already skinny. Try to tempt her into eating with some favorite foods. Many sick chickens enjoy moistened chicken feed as well. Its also important to make sure that she is drinking. Using an eyedropper, you can drip some water into her beak (though keep in mind that it is impossible to keep a chicken hydrated just dripping water on the beak-- if she isn't drinking at all, this won't help a lot). Adding some electrolytes and probiotics can also help her get over any stress.

Good luck with your chicken! Hopefully, it is egg binding and not something more complicated, like Egg Yolk Peronitis, internal laying, a blockage, or another internal problem.

When you say her abdomen is tight is she feeling swollen in her lower abdomen? Ascites will cause them to be swollen in that general area, from between the legs on back and this is very different from being egg bound. These birds often show loss of weight as their condition progresses.

edited to add: I shouldn't say loss of weight because the fluid will cause them to sometimes be even heavier, so maybe look for a pronounced keel bone as the most obvious sign.

Thank you so much for your advice. Our hen sadly passed away in the night and we still do not know what was wrong with her. Thanks

SweetJoy7 said:

Thank you so much for your advice. Our hen sadly passed away in the night and we still do not know what was wrong with her. Thanks

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Sorry for your loss! Sometimes, chickens just die despite our best care, and we never find out why.

Thank you! Sometimes they are meant to go be with Jesus and sometimes they are meant to heal. Thank you and God bless!