Penguin posture but NO OTHER SYMPTOMS

[Katiewitt20]

It is hard to know for sure that she has salpingitis—you can only notice her symptoms. If antibiotics are used early, then those might help, but there is an egg withdrawal time, and many people prefer not to give antibiotics. If you use one, amoxicllin or enrofloxacin are used. Amoxicillin is impossible to get without a prescription at this time, unless you have some put away. Enrofloxacin or Baytril is found online from Jedds.com. It is banned for chickens because the FDA worries about antibiotic resistance of campylobacter, a common bacteria we can get from handling chickens or eating undercooked chicken. If that doesn’t bother you, the 10% liquid dosage is 0.25 ml twice a day for 5 days. But without having a diagnosis, I might watch her.

I tend to leave all hens in the coop with the others to maintain the current pecking order. Is she being roughed up or bullied? If that is a problem, I would keep her in the coop and run inside a dog crate with food and water. If the coop is too small, maybe just bring her out in the mornings to spend the day.

Hmm! That is all helpful and interesting about the antibiotics and yes, since her literal ONLY symptom is her penguin posture and slower to walk/waddle, it is so hard to pinpoint what might be the cause. I think I will continue to monitor and not do antibiotics for all those reasons you mentioned. I put her out yesterday to play with her other hen sisters and could tell she really enjoyed that, but then I brought her back in when the roosters were around. When the roosters are around (I have 3), they do seem to go for her to mate often because I guess she's an easy piece of meat....I have been anxious to get her back out with the flock but also was trying to isolate her to decrease stress/stimuli... maybe I should re integrate her by doing the crate in the run today. I doubt the crate will fit in the coop part though so i would have to stick her in the coop, i doubt she can hop up on the roosting bar though.... I have a large run though, so the crate will definitely fit in there!
As an anxious new chicken owner, I really appreciate your time here, truly.

 

[Homesteadchickychick]

For over a week now, my 5 month old black australorp has been waddling like a penguin and standing straight up with her tail touching the ground most of the time. I took her to the vet on Monday 2/26...she was not egg bound, was negative for worms, but did display some mouth breathing while at the vet and on/off the rest of that day. No cough/discharge/wheezing/lameness, etc. They said she maybe had some mild inflammation to the left ovary, but otherwise seemed like a healthy bird upon assessment. She has consistently been eating/drinking/poooping like normal, and did just start laying eggs on Tuesday 2/27. She has laid 2 eggs total so far and both looked completely normal in size/shape/shell. No one else in my 20 bird flock are acting different. I have isolated her in a dog crate in my house since Monday after the vet with no change in behavior. She is very vocal and wants to be back out with her flock, but I fear the roosters will peck on her and mate often and further bother whatever is going on.
I have talked to a few of my friends with chickens and no one has experienced this --- pleaseeee help.

What is going on and what do I do with her???

I had a chicken stand like this, it was after an attack and she had wry neck. I fed her eggs, and rooster booster. She did improve

 

[nuthatched]

I don't think chickens have left/right ovaries. It's just a big clump. Any swellings between the legs or under the vent?

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

I don't study anything health-related but I know penguin-walking is caused by pain somewhere close to the vent or directly in the vent.

 

[Katiewitt20]

I don't think chickens have left/right ovaries. It's just a big clump. Any swellings between the legs or under the vent?

Ok yes, I guess the veteranarian didnt say 'left ovary' just 'left sided inflammation' when she did a manual rectal exam. It doesnt feel overly swollen and her vent looks normal

 

[Katiewitt20]

I don't study anything health-related but I know penguin-walking is caused by pain somewhere close to the vent or directly in the vent.

I wonder if this could be related to her recently coming to be laying eggs? It started about a week before her first egg, but still continues.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Also I searched something and it said that chickens only have one ovary, I'm not sure is that is true or not.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

I wonder if this could be related to her recently coming to be laying eggs? It started about a week before her first egg, but still continues.

Have you seen any blood on her eggs, or have you cracked one of her eggs open to see if there is blood inside of it?

Do you keep any species of waterfowl with your chickens, including ducks and geese? If waterfowl mates with a landfowl hen, they will kill the hen due to difference in organs.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

LOL! Yes thank you, I'm sure you can tell I am new to having chickens, this is my first flock (ended up with 17 hens & 3 roosters) and I got them as 1 day old chicks in September of 2023.

You're welcome! We all have to start somewhere.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

I did give her an epsom salt bath 1 day last week when we thought it could have been her being egg bound, but now that she is laying eggs, I didnt think that would be the concern -- I could certainly try giving her another bath though!

I hope she gets better soon!