UPDATED - Two month old chicken not walking? Help!

[GeneGoddess]

OK, I'm going to try and post all of the info I can. I doubt pics will help, as it is more behavioural.

Approx 8-10 week old Partridge Rock (pullet?) Hatchery chick. Previously healthy. No known injuries. No other ill birds in flock (all approx 8-12 weeks old, purchased together about 8wks ago, vaccinated for Marek's by report). No other signs of illness like diarrhea, etc. Housing is 6x8 coop with attached 6x11 run. Deep litter (fresh) to about 6" in the coop, cement in the run.

Noticed yesterday that one chicken (probably this one) was roosting in the litter. Wasn't too concerned as I'd just put down a nice deep fresh layer of it and some tend to do that. Husband noticed this morning that one chicken (again, likely this one) was roosting in the litter while others were up and around. This morning, she was in the litter and didn't run around like the others did when I opened the door. Replenished the food/water and the other chickens were walking on her and she wasn't getting up to walk away. Took her outside for a chicken exam: clear/bright eyes, clear nostrils. No sores or bleeding on her skin. No cyanosis of the wattles/comb (blue discolouration). Vent clear and without discharge. Legs without sores or breaks. No evidence of broken bones in legs or wings. Wings held slightly out from body, but will flap them if I annoy her too much. No protests during exam and no evidence of tenderness to wings/legs/body. When I put her on the ground (cement), she sits on the ground. It is like she can't or won't stand or walk and is just weak and tired. No coughing or sneezing that I've noticed. No gasping or panting. Holds her head up and looks around. She looks basically normal except she won't walk and her feathers/wings are somewhat droopy.

Any ideas or advice?

 

[ChickenboyNmom]

This sounds like one of our chicks. Chickenboy has a 8 to 10 week old Serama/Sebright mix chick. She has floppy legs - will stand then sits. No other signs of illness - all ins and outs okay. We have her isolated & in the house.

Our current thought is that it is a nutritional deficiency. This batch of chicks had coccidia - in hindsight they had it from the first day we got them. We lost the two smallest - but that was more than a month ago. Does anyone think that this could be it? If not we were thinking Mareks. We don't think they were vaccinated for Marek's. Of course I would prefer the nutritional issue from treating the coccidia.

I hope that someone has some ideas that can hope the original poster & Chickenboy.


Thank you,
Chickenboy's mom
Chris

 

[kimb]

I guess first I'd check for bumble foot or mites/lice ...

... but i have a 6 month old d'uccle that sounds similar to your hen ... she's been up and down (I've tried every medication and vitamin possible) I can't pin point what the problem is either (and this has been about 2-3months

)...

I hope you have a better answer...

On another note - I've never heard of having a concrete run ... I'd be afraid that they'd scratch & peck the concrete - and it'd be hard on their feet... Do you put litter down on the concrete too ?

 

[GeneGoddess]

I didn't see any mites or insect life on her skin or in her feathers. No sores or ulcers on her feet, so I don't think it's bumblefoot. They seem to do fine in the concrete run (eventually, they will have some free range in my backyard once I put up a fence.

 

[GeneGoddess]

UPDATE (This is about day 3-4 of illness)



She still won't walk. She's in a little hospital box (the old brooder). We have her in between a food dish and a waterer. She'll drink and eat, but will NOT stand or otherwise try to move. When I lifted her this morning, she had several stools under her that were solid and normal looking without any diarrhea. Legs still look fine. Physical exam basically unchanged. Still no respiratory problems, etc.

Other chickens are fine.

Any ideas???

 

[joletabey]

A sprained back? Maybe someone jumped on her? I have a 23 week old hen that I found limping, then she wouldn't move at all -I isolated her, and she gets around on the flat of her legs and feet and hocks - she eats like crazy and poops and lays, there are no breaks or swellings that I can find either, so I have to assume it is in her back or thigh and will just take time to heal.

 

[chickenlady08]

Quote:
I had the same issue with my Delaware rooster Jack last summer, he was fine other wise just not being able to stand or walk. I took him to the vet and they took xrays to rule out anything broken. thankfully everything looked fine. I had all of my chicks vaccinated for Marek's also, so it wasn't that. She noticed that his bones looked thin. So I came home and searched and read everything I could on this. I treated him for Ricketts. That is a Vitamin D deficiancy. I made him egg yoke,honey, oatmeal, sprinkled vitamins, and calcuim powder and yogurt and fed this to him 3 times a day. He was eating and drinking as well. I kept exercising the legs and helped to improve his strength in his legs. He never fought me on this. I also went to my local pet store and bought around 15 dozen crickets each week to help add some extra protein to his diet. I know it can get costly but he was well worth the expense and the time I worked with him.

I kept working with him for over 2 months and up until that time I had kept him in a big dog kennel in my garage. After he started scooting himself around the pen, I took him out of the pen and let him have full range inside the garage to scoot around. He started to stand on his legs after the 2 month mark and around 2 1/2 months he started to take some steps. He would just walk in a circle but at least he was trying. Around the 3rd month he was walking and crowing and all was good. I kept him inside the garage over 3 months and when I felt he was strong enough to go back out to his coop I moved him. It was very hard to let him go back out after all that we had been through, but he had to live with his other chicken family.

He is now 1 year and one month old and he is such a wonderful boy. He is sweet and I adore him. He is starting to get a little fiesty with my son and my daughter and once with me, but I know that this is how they are. But I hope this helps you. I would if able to go to the vet see if something is broken. It sounds like my Jack. Read up on the Ricketts.

Definitely don't give up on your girl, they are so loving and they will never forget what you do for them when you nurse them back to health.
Good Luck and will pray that she gets stonger.

 

[GeneGoddess]

She's still with us, but is now weaker and has a hard time holding up her head (though still can eat/drink). Still no respiratory symptoms, no diarrhea, no skins changes, no mites, etc etc etc.

I posted a pic to show how "loose" she holds her feathers. Eyes are nice and bright, though they don't seem so in the pics.

Any more ideas? If she doesn't start getting better soon, she may have to be put down...

 

[Tangerine farmer]

I'm sorry for you! I have had the same problem for the past few days, and started a post saying something like "lame, paralized." My Ann could hardly walk a few days ago. Then the next day she was unable to stand. Her wings spread out for balance while laying on the ground. One leg way forward and the other way back under her body. She was eating and drinking, so I kept up with giving her food and holding her up.

I started her on Denagard yesterday, because I believe they had Coryza. And I had tried them on all the antibiotics I could find. I also gave an aspirin for anti-inflammator help if she had a swollen spine. I was grasping for straws I can tell you!

Today it got worse and worse and she stopped eating, was very uncomfortable and I think in pain. Beak open to breathe and wide eyes at times.

I put her down. Oh, if you have DMSO one lady who is a guru on this site suggested getting some of it down her throat as a last resort. I have seen it done with a very sick calf. He died anyhow, but my vet is a briliant type and it's worth a try. I read her email suggesting this after she was gone.

Good luck. I didn't try the hot water bath. I was going to, but thought of Christopher Reeve and figured it hadn't made him walk again. I will not cut her up to see what I can see. Though her legs did relax and go straight when she was dead. It was muscle contraction.. Possible pain in her insides???

 

[kimb]

I have had a "lame" d'uccle for over 3 months now... she did better for a while on vitamin b... but then remained the same... now her "sister" is pecking her feathers (and only hers) pecked her feet bloody, then a few weeks later - pecked her neck feathers... now she's pecked her vent feathers (VERY BAD-by getting her to flip over

she doesn't have the strength to get herself back over) so they've been permenantly separated!... and my originally lame girl is only allowed outside during the day under supervision and inside at night... and outside with the silkie (who misses her greatly! ) ... ... ... my suggestion is ... don't give up ! ! ! ... my girl is still fighting to live - so I'm still fighting for her! ! ! until the point that you know she has given up...

tonight she is tucked in my "indoors" brooder unwilling to move much

... but this pic was her this afternoon! ...