- Jul 27, 2013
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About 3 weeks ago, I found my top hen, a 5-year-old RR, unable to roost, hiding in the corner and acts lame or balance issue. But nothing was found for broken bones or foot problems, nor does she seem to favor a particular leg. I brought her in the house in a pen and she has a great appetite, normal poops, normal breathing, eyes normal, feathers normal, no droopy this or that or gooy eyes, sneezing, itching, nothing out of the ordinary other than she cant stand up for very long. She walks and seams normal for a bit but mostly just wants to sit on the ground. She can roost on a low elevated stick but very wobbly and out of balance, and then I find her later just sitting on the ground. She is a pet and has not laid an egg for probably a year. She is not egg bound, or swollen back end, no acities or anything lumping and bumping in the rear. Her crop empties at night and no yellow goo in mouth, or black spots on comb so not pox. I gave her electrolytes, added protein to her diet, wormed her with Safeguard and it did not change anything.
I did my research here and found advice for niacin deficiency but it was for a duck. I also found that vitamins, “Save a chick” were recommended, but that was for younger chicks. I also seen Poly Vi Sol vitamins without iron was good for young chicks with vitamin deficiency. Although this could be the situation for this hen, why all of a sudden and a 5 year old hen and not the other 3 hens that are the same age suddenly become vitamin deficient? I also have 12 other young new bees just now starting to lay pullet eggs. No one is sick.
The thing that makes me the most upset is this the only older hen I had that did not have acities and actually seemed the most healthy and robust until now.
I guess my question is, should I cull her. I’m not seeing improvement, no suffering, or her getting worse, just the same. If I could get an idea of what it is and if there is hope for recovery, I’ll continue to keep her in the house. But if she is going to be forever lame or imbalanced it is not practical for me to keep her caged and in the house. I can’t put her back outside, she is unable to maneuver around enough to get food and water plus I think the others were pecking on, that is why she was in the corner hiding.
Any guesses anyone or at least ideas on something I could administer or try to at least rule various symptoms out. I don’t want to cull her unless I know there is no chance of recovery. She does not seem to be suffering.
I did my research here and found advice for niacin deficiency but it was for a duck. I also found that vitamins, “Save a chick” were recommended, but that was for younger chicks. I also seen Poly Vi Sol vitamins without iron was good for young chicks with vitamin deficiency. Although this could be the situation for this hen, why all of a sudden and a 5 year old hen and not the other 3 hens that are the same age suddenly become vitamin deficient? I also have 12 other young new bees just now starting to lay pullet eggs. No one is sick.
The thing that makes me the most upset is this the only older hen I had that did not have acities and actually seemed the most healthy and robust until now.
I guess my question is, should I cull her. I’m not seeing improvement, no suffering, or her getting worse, just the same. If I could get an idea of what it is and if there is hope for recovery, I’ll continue to keep her in the house. But if she is going to be forever lame or imbalanced it is not practical for me to keep her caged and in the house. I can’t put her back outside, she is unable to maneuver around enough to get food and water plus I think the others were pecking on, that is why she was in the corner hiding.
Any guesses anyone or at least ideas on something I could administer or try to at least rule various symptoms out. I don’t want to cull her unless I know there is no chance of recovery. She does not seem to be suffering.
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