Drunken bird

[silkiemumma]

good afternoon guys,
This post is more for support for me dealing with this....

One of my hens (they’re 3 years old) has started becoming very wobbly. She’s normally a social chicken and jumps onto my back, sits in my lap and gets into everything. She’s still running around but she seems to be really unsteady and she falls over. When she’s eating she sits herself down & even when she’s running about she’s holding her tail low.
I’ve read lots of bits on here about giving vitamins, marmite etc.
Today I bought her indoors and fed her a bowl of scrambled eggs laced with nutridrops. Checked for lice/mites and couldn’t see anything but showered her, the two others and their coop in diatomaceous earth, covered their little lazy lay out spot in it too so they can re coat themselves in it.
I’ve filled their water container up with fresh water and “revitaliser” fluid so she will get a dose of that every time she drinks. She’s eating and drinking well and is still active and runs up to me. Occasionally she will get fed up and take herself off to sit under the coop and not move for a while. At first I thought she was broody because she was in the best box but it’s been a week now. Her wattle and comb are lovely and red. I’ll insert a photo of how she was sitting indoors today.

So basically am I doing everything right?
Is there anything else I can do?
Has anyone had this and then the chook has sprung back a few weeks later?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry that she is not well
When is the last time she laid an egg?

Feel her abdomen for bloat/swelling or fluid. It would be a good idea to feel inside the vent for an egg as well. Get a fecal float to test for worms and check her crop to make sure it's emptying overnight.

The unsteadiness could be related to reproductive problems, but she could be suffering from disease like Marek's. Supportive care would include B vitamins (B-Complex), a balanced poultry feed and a small amount of fresh greens a couple of times a week. Egg, fish or meat may also be given in small amounts as a treat.

 

[Eggcessive]

Does she still lay eggs? Has she stopped recently? Her tail being down makes me think that she is having a reproductive problem. Her wobbly walking could be a sign of that or something neurological. It sounds like you are doing the right things giving her vitamins and electrolytes, food and water, and keeping an eye on her. Inrecently have been treating an older hen with horrible balance issues. At first I suspected Mareks, but she continued to try to get up, and when picked up, her leg strength was amazing. She fell over backwards, or would run full speed and crash onto her side. She had not laid eggs in years.

After spending most of her time in a basket on the floor, still standing some, but unable to walk, she finally improved, came out of her basket, and for the last month has spent her days free ranging the yard. She still has wobbles, but she covers most of an acre throughout the day.

So, I would be patient with her. If she begins to have weakness or paralysis in a leg, I would suspect Mareks. Your picture of her sitting on her hocks with he toes slightly curled looks like a riboflavin deficiency. Make sure that your vitamins include riboflavin (B2) or use some B complex or liver. Let us know how she gets along.

 

[silkiemumma]

Thank you for your replies. She’s still not improved, sitting down to eat but does get up when I go out to her but it’s awfully wobbly. I have ordered some more vitamins.
She’s been laying off shaped eggs for the last week so not egg bound. Her tummy and crop feel fine. I tried to call my vets but they won’t see her as the usual vet is away and the covering vet won’t see chickens.
She’s still perfectly chirpy and eating/drinking fine and her wattle and comb are glorious and red. My poor little thing!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for your replies. She’s still not improved, sitting down to eat but does get up when I go out to her but it’s awfully wobbly. I have ordered some more vitamins.
She’s been laying off shaped eggs for the last week so not egg bound. Her tummy and crop feel fine. I tried to call my vets but they won’t see her as the usual vet is away and the covering vet won’t see chickens.
She’s still perfectly chirpy and eating/drinking fine and her wattle and comb are glorious and red. My poor little thing!

Can you post some photos of the off shaped eggs?

 

[Eggcessive]

Laying odd shaped eggs could be a sign of a laying disorder, or something that may be in the early stages. That might have some significance with her balance issue. The hen I have with balance issues is suspected of being an internal layer. This article below is interesting and has many possible causes for the odd shaped eggs listed in pictures:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

 

[silkiemumma]

Hi again guys!
Well I managed to track down my normal vet and took Edie down. I thought she wasn’t coming home with me to be honest.
My vet is super confused, her heart is perfect, her crop is working fine, vent is clear. She says she’s never seen Mareks in an older bird normally only babes & isn’t really sure if it is but we’re going to treat it like it. So I’ve been given some antibiotics and nerve system meds, she’s looking into wether or not steroids could help her also.
So we’re on our second day of meds, she’s a bleeding champion taking them. A tiny blob of jam on a plate with them tucked inside and she just takes, them such a greedy thing.
I want to say I see an improvement in her but is that just me being more positive now she’s on medication? But she’s holding herself up for longer and isn’t sitting down to drink or eat, only if she has a veg head to destroy.

She’s currently on (not on the record for chickens but proven to work) kesium twice a day and vitofyllin twice a day. She has chicken recovery in her water feeder as well as nutridrops in a little water bowl she likes to drink from too (she won’t escape the vitamins!) I’ve got another delivery on vitamins for her coming today just to strengthen her. This girl is becoming one expensive hen, I hope she starts laying me gold eggs!

 

[silkiemumma]

Can you post some photos of the off shaped eggs?

Pointy eggs!

 

[Cryss]

 

[silkiemumma]

In her hospital pen