Her legs are strong but her balance is off

[fanficfreezone]

Over Memorial weekend, we noticed that my hen Fiona was unable to walk. Her legs still worked but her balance was not right.

When we first saw the vet he said she was emaciated, and since she was refusing to eat, we have been tube-feeding her.

Over the last two weeks (since Memorial weekend) she was given Metacam and amoxicillin and calcium as well.

My vet said it wasn’t egg binding or salpingitis. She’s also too old for Marek’s. He even did a fine needle aspiration test which came back negative.

Her legs were never paralyzed but because she can’t balance, she doesn’t walk. When she tries she keeps falling forward.

However she can move her legs and she can stand. Since we started tube-feeding her she has regained some strength, but her comb is still down and when she sits, her butt feathers are down.

Lately she has also been trying to take some steps, but it’s like 2 tiny steps with her legs crouched and then she sits because her balance is off. She tries hard but that’s all she can manage. It’s better than how she was at first.

She is 4 years old and a cinnamon queen. I adopted her 2 years ago.

Unfortunately my vet isn’t sure what’s going on. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[fanficfreezone]

Fiona saw the vet today and he was pleased with her progress. He said it’s possible that her condition is due to vitamin deficiency. He also suspects a stroke, but it sounded like more of a minor possibility according to him.

We changed the feed we buy and I started her on B complex pills today. Let’s see how it goes. She has been trying to walk more often and with more success. She take two or three small steps at a time. The vet’s assistant said she actually drank water at the clinic. Stood and drank from the bowl on the floor, they said. We tried to recreate that at home but she didn’t do it.

First time in a while that she’s sitting with her ”tail” normal (not down).

 

[nuthatched]

Oh! No I never checked for that!!!



I’m including the picture of the label of the feed. That’s what Fiona’s previous owner fed her flock so we just kept buying that. If that’s bad I don’t mind changing and getting something else.
View attachment 3539708

That feed is inadequate, in fact, it's one of the worst I've seen.
Protein is too low to be any type of feed, calcium is too low to be a layer.
It doesn't list half the stuff that should be there.
Your bird is suffering from vitamin and nutrition deficiency. Try to find a pelleted or crumbled feed with atleast 17% protein.
In the mean time, give her 400i.u vitamin E and a third of a B complex tablet every day for a few weeks.
TOTALLY NOT YOUR FAULT, feed is nor a thing most people look into but it needs to change.

 

[GCrumb]

I tried to make her walk a couple of days ago and she actually started trying to walk more after I did. She tolerates being held.

We had a hen like this that came to us with a rooster, both of them unable to walk but the roo was strong, And spent all day sitting on the hen, and freaked out if separated from her, so we dispatched him and found that he didn't have the nerve inflamation associated with mereks and did have a messed up liver associated with B-12 deficiency. The hen recovered. And got lots of in-lap physical therapy, which she grew to love.

 

[nuthatched]

We have been giving her liquid Poultry Cell regularly over the last two weeks, wouldn’t that have taken care of the carences? I do admit that we didn’t give it to her every day though. This whole thing has been a bit overwhelming. Especially learning to tube-feed. I cried the first time we did that.

It's not concentrated enough, she has a severe deficiency. It will be ok.

 

[Folly's place]

For severe deficiencies, injectable is best to start.
There's no one 'best' feed, it depends on what's available and fresh where you can shop.
Here it's Purina Flock Raiser, 20% protein, and then separate oyster shell for actively laying hens. I have used a 18% to 20% protein chick feed if the FR is unavailable, or not fresh enough.
And never a 'whole grain' diet! If you go to one of those diets, dampening or wetting it down helps get the birds to eat it, and the vitamin/mineral mix, which is powder, to also be eaten. Just another thing to do out there, not worth it for me.
Mary

 

[RoyalChick]

I don't think anyone is expecting you to feed moldy food to your chickens. But rather, why you haven't returned that bag of bad food and gotten new food yet, after almost 2 weeks?

Because she is tube feeding formula so the bagged feed is irrelevant.

 

[Folly's place]

Not great feed, for sure. And mixed whole grain feeds can be a real problem, if individuals decide to eat only certain items in the mix. Malnutrition is then very likely.
Buy a fresh all flock or chick feed, 20% protein, with separate oyster shell and separate grit. Pelleted or crumble, not whole grain.
And do those vitamin supplements for her, at least!
Mary

 

[fanficfreezone]

B-2 and B-12 deficiencies can cause that. If you're up for another vet visit, you might be able to get a big injectable dose for her. If she's willing to be held, it might help speed recovery to play with and move her legs and toes about within their normal comfortable range-of-motion.

I tried to make her walk a couple of days ago and she actually started trying to walk more after I did. She tolerates being held.

 

[janiedoe]

You can get Purina Flock Raiser from tractor supply. I believe it has 18% protein.
It doesn't have sufficient calcium for layers so you'll need to buy some oyster shell also. You can keep the oyster shell in a seperate dish.
I'm a fan of liquid Poultry Cell (also available at tractor supply) for a supplement. It has more vitamins than most other supplements.
I wish you and Fiona the best of luck!