10 Year Old Having Muscular Problems--What could this be?

[KatGold]

Greetings all.

My 10-y-o Americauna is suddenly having problems. When I opened the coop door to let the girls free-range, she was on her back and could not roll over.
I helped her get on her feet and she had a hard time walking through the door.

Her comb and eyes look good (no changes in color or shape of iris), her butt is a little dirty, but not very. Once she got out of the henhouse, she lowered herself to the ground and if I didn't know something was wrong with her, I would think that she's resting. She seems alert, she's just lost control of some muscles.

I walked up to her just now and she stood up and started to walk away, but I picked her up pretty easily (to check her butt).

At the age of 10, she still sometimes lays. I watched her lay an egg just a week ago. Lately, she's been hanging out in the box as if she is going to lay, but when I toss out treats or open the door, she joins the other hens, so I don't usually know if she was trying to lay an egg or just likes that small space.

She seems too old for Merek's and I don't see the standard symptoms.

Maybe, maybe she is egg bound, but I cannot tell and have never seen an eggbound hen before.

Hit me up with some ideas, friends.

 

[KatGold]

I did not right away assume she is egg bound and move forward with an Epson salt bath because I don't want to torture her if it seems to be something else.

 

[KatGold]

I gave her an Epson salt bath for 20 minutes, I gave her a gentle blow dry because it's evening and she was soaking wet. As I was handling her (gently) I noticed that her crop is droopy and mushy.

I think she has sour crop.

 

[KatGold]

But on the other hand, she hasn't lost weight. Hmmm....

Let me think about this, I'll talk to me later.

 

[Chicken Chiquita]

But on the other hand, she hasn't lost weight. Hmmm....

Let me think about this, I'll talk to me later.

Sorry to here about her, my chicken was kinda doing the same things, but i later figured out she had vent gleet. Not really having any ideas, sorry, I'm not the best with diseases. Wish you the best of luck! Keep us updated!

 

[KatGold]

She made it through the night just fine. She spent the night in my bathroom and after last night's spa treatment, she smelled wonderful and looked fluffy and beautiful!

She actually looked better. Her bottom is clean and her crop was firm. None of this makes sense to me. She's a little unsteady, but better than yesterday.

I'm going to get some oyster shell today. I hope that helps.

 

[Eggcessive]

She may just be feeling her age. I have never seen a 10 year old hen, and especially one that lays eggs still. My oldest birds are 7,8, and 9, and only 3 out of 13 lay at all, and that is infrequently. I would keep an eye on her crop, checking it first thing in the morning, to see if it is empty. Some poultry vitamins given a couple of days a week might give her a boost. I hope she has a couple of more good years in her.

 

[KatGold]

I've considered that.

She was so much better after her spa day. Now she just looks like she's feeling her age.

If it was a bound egg, would I be wise to continue the epson salt baths?

 

[KatGold]

Update, just for the record.

Two weeks have passed, and Coffee (my hen) is doing beautifully. I'm pretty sure she laid an egg yesterday. She is the prettiest girl in the house. Who'd of thunk it?

Oddly, I had a very similar situation yesterday. You can read about it if you look up my posts. That hen, too, is doing well today. Let's hope she also continues to improve.

Also, my daughter wanted me to correct her age and breed. She is not quite 10. She'll be 10 in August; and she's an EE, not an Americauna.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thank you for the update and it is great that she is doing well. Make sure that your hens have access to crushed oyster shell.