2 yo Rhode Island Red can't walk today, hoping for advice

[Eva- small flock in town]

My 2 year Rhode Island red hen didn't come out of the roost today. When I looked in at her, she was sitting tilted a little in a strange way so I picked her up to examine her and she had poop that had accumulated all over her backside. It looked like regular chicken poop, mostly hard and dried. I picked her up and she hardly struggled at all (normally she would). I used scissors to clean it all off. Her comb was pink, her vent looked and felt soft and normal. I did not feel her belly deeply, but my general impression was softness though she was skinnier than I had thought she was. Her legs may be tender, (?) or have a rough-skin feeling under the feathers (?) not sure. Her leg scales may be a little pronounced, but not sure. Then I set her down near the food. She half-stood, half-laid on the ground with her tail WAY down. She ate a lot but couldn't stand right and fell over once. Now she is a few feet away from the food. I will make sure she has water. Any ideas?

My flock is 5 chickens aged 6 to 2 years. None have any vaccinations. No other chickens appear ill. My chicken vet (closed today) has told me in past years that my chickens have mites.

 

[Eva- small flock in town]

My 2 year Rhode Island red hen didn't come out of the roost today. When I looked in at her, she was sitting tilted a little in a strange way so I picked her up to examine her and she had poop that had accumulated all over her backside. It looked like regular chicken poop, mostly hard and dried. I picked her up and she hardly struggled at all (normally she would). I used scissors to clean it all off. Her comb was pink, her vent looked and felt soft and normal. I did not feel her belly deeply, but my general impression was softness though she was skinnier than I had thought she was. Right leg seems tender, she scooted away from me when Her leg scales may be a little pronounced, but not sure. Then I set her down near the food. She half-stood, half-laid on the ground with her tail WAY down. She ate a lot but couldn't stand right and fell over once. Now she is a few feet away from the food. Breathing labored, laying on her side, about 36 times a minute. Any ideas?

My flock is 5 chickens aged 6 to 2 years. None have any vaccinations. No other chickens appear ill. My chicken vet (closed today) has told me in past years that my chickens have mites.
I am bringing her inside.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My chicken vet (closed today) has told me in past years that my chickens have mites.

she was sitting tilted a little in a strange way so I picked her up to examine her and she had poop that had accumulated all over her backside.

She half-stood, half-laid on the ground with her tail WAY down. She ate a lot but couldn't stand right and fell over once.

Have you treated them for mites? Do you see any on her?
When's the last time she laid an egg?

It sounds like you are doing what you can for her right now. She may be having reproductive problems. Have you added any new birds recently?

 

[Eva- small flock in town]

Have you treated them for mites? Do you see any on her?
When's the last time she laid an egg?

It sounds like you are doing what you can for her right now. She may be having reproductive problems. Have you added any new birds recently?

I have not added any new chickens. Most of my chickens that have died have been from reproductive problems and the tail WAY down is a sign of that, or that's what my vet said a few years back. I gave her some cut up fruit and she pecked at my hand energetically, but it still seems that her bottom half doesn't work. Thank you very much for your reply! Eva

 

[Eva- small flock in town]

Oh yes, and about egg-laying... I don't know if she's been laying. The other 2 "young ones" have started again but not sure if she's putting out eggs.

 

[Waves]

Okay, so you checked even for Egg bounding, right?
Can you check if her pupils shape is normal, round?

Sorry because youre dealing with this, please believe me, i dealed with my chicken illness, i understand you

 

[Eva- small flock in town]

Okay, so you checked even for Egg bounding, right?
Can you check if her pupils shape is normal, round?

Sorry because youre dealing with this, please believe me, i dealed with my chicken illness, i understand you

Thanks for your reply! Pupils were large and round in a dim room, they seemed to react to light. Though not like a person's eyes. I just put my (gloved) hand up her vent and some bloody foamy poop came out

 

[Eggcessive]

I would offer 1/2 tablet daily of vitamin B complex, just in case of a riboflavin deficiency. Can you put on a disposabe glove and insert a finger 1-2 inches into her vent to feel for a stuck egg? Has she been laying recently? Sorry that she is feeling poorly. If she is not eggbound, I would agree with @Wyorp Rock that it might be a reproductive problem. She is a bit old for Mareks to suddenly strike, although that is possible.

 

[Eggcessive]

I was posting as you last posted. I am not sure why the bleeding, but some possibilities could be coccidiosis, cancer, liver disease, or from swallowing something sharp that might have caused cuts. Have you wormed them lately?

 

[Eva- small flock in town]

I would offer 1/2 tablet daily of vitamin B complex, just in case of a riboflavin deficiency. Can you put on a disposabe glove and insert a finger 1-2 inches into her vent to feel for a stuck egg? Has she been laying recently? Sorry that she is feeling poorly. If she is not eggbound, I would agree with @Wyorp Rock that it might be a reproductive problem. She is a bit old for Mareks to suddenly strike, although that is possible.

Hi there, thanks for the reply. I will gladly give her 1/2 a tablet of b complex. I did put my finger in her vent and felt around almost 4 inches. No egg up there, that I could feel. Bloody foamy poop came out.