3 year old hen can't walk straight

[Mysto]

My barred rock hen was normal (running, eating, scratching, etc) yesterday. This AM she is having trouble standing up - she falls over to one side. When I tried to catch her to examine her leg, she scurried away, not as fast as normal, but both legs appeared to "work" fine. When she slows down though, she falls over to one side (always the right side) and then catches herself with her wing, gives up and lays there. Her legs look and feel normal and she doesn't act as though she's in pain. Her comb is bright red, as normal, eyes are clear and she's alert. I am not sure if she's eating and drinking normally as I was at work today - but observing her for a couple hours this evening, she'd rather just lay on one side than peck/scratch around with the others. If she does move around, she "spins" in a circle like she has a flat tire.

A couple other possible factors:

1)
About 3 weeks ago, I noticed some small bugs in one of the nesting boxes (I have 2 coops, 5 nesting boxes total) so I cleaned EVERYTHING out of both coops, treated with DE and put fresh bedding, etc (pine shavings and straw). No more signs of bugs.

2)
About 4 weeks ago, we had record breaking heat (100+). I kept water out for them, they have plenty of shade and also ran a sprinkler to keep the earth wet/cool.

I moved to a new house 1 year ago and we had 11 hens. We have recently lost 4 in the last month...and now this girl is not well

Could they be getting to a poisonous plant I am not aware of? Could this be a delayed reaction to a type of heat exhaustion?

I feed them organic layer, oyster shells, scratch and fresh fruit/veggies. They free range during the day and are locked up tight at night.

Any thoughts/advice very appreciated.

 

[threehorses]

1) You probably saw mites as lice don't get off the birds. Unfortunately, DE doesn't treat mites (and now you're seeing first hand that it doesn't). You have to use a quick knock-down chemical (usually a powder) and also have to spray-treat the wood in the coops as that's where the mites live. Permethrin is the best bet for this as it's the safest of this type of true-knock down treatment that there is. It comes in powder and liquid.

The powder you will use on the bird. Make sure the active ingredient is "permethrin", not carbaryl, or another ingredient. Usually it comes in a shaker can with some sort of name like "poultry dust", "livestock lice dust', or 'poultry and garden dust'. The liquid is usually sold as "goat lice spray", or "livestock lice spray", or something similar. I would also pick up a small bottle of adams flea and tick mist for the birds' heads.

You will dust the birds thoroughly. I shake the powder into my (gloved) hand rather than onto the bird as I waste WAY less this eay. I shake a little (2 tablespoons or so) into my hand, and then ruffle that into the feathers under the wings, at the vent, under the breast area, on their back, on the chest, back of neck. Then I use adams flea and tick mist on a paper towel under their chin, behind their 'ears, and on top of their head - keep away from the eyes.

Use the lice-spray on the wood 3' up from the ground, on the nestbox wood, on the roost wood. Use the powder under the bedding and the put the bedding back - sprinkle on the bedding and stir in.

Repeat the bird dusting every 7 days for a month as the mites hatch out.

Mites can and will quickly cause anemia and even death. Unfortunately you'r enot likely to see them on the bird as they're very very hard to find. Honestly since you say you found them in the nest box, you had (have) a very strong infestation. It's going to just take some work. I would treat without seeing them.

I sure wish DE worked for this - unfortunately it's better at other types of bugs.

2) The heat is always a problem of course. Some people have been having a lot of success adding frozen things to their waterer. My favorite is to free water bottles (drinking water sized), uncap, and put those in their waterers. That way you're displacing water - but the frozen water will melt and replace it. A few people have noticed a remarkable difference in the amount of water their hens drinking when it's cold. Also on days like that, be sure to give electrolytes in the water (not the vitamin/electrolytes, but just a poultry electrolyte solution).

Their diet sounds awesome, as long as the scratch is fed as a treat, not a substantial part of their diet. Be sure to check all their weights. Make sure they're all good and fleshed out - not light. I sincerely think that mites are at least part of othe problem as I've seen birds die quickly from them, sadly.

I understand and respect your desire to keep things as natural as possible for your hens and your family. Once you treat this mite issue, then try to keep sparrow nests out from the barn, and go back to DE again until you see issues. Unfortunately infestations usually call for stronger measures.

You might also look into (for future prevention use, but not necessarily treatment this time) a product called POultry Protector. It's an enzyme product that is said to cleanse eggs from buildings. Use of that during your cleaning routine might help reduce the chances of mites, or help if you find sparrow nests.

I assume that all droppings are normal, no droppings clinging to vents (although this and vent reddening are sometimes symptoms of mites), etc? No respiratory illness, nothing out of normal range?

I'd also try some blood building foods for now for your flock in case of mite anemia: some boiled and crushed eggs are great for that and very natural. What's more miraculous than the nutrition in an egg? It's what made your chickens in the first place.

Yogurt can also be helpful as it provides living bacteria to help replenish the living bacteria in the birds' digestive system, and boosts their nutrient absorbtion.

Now your girl: you're going to have to help her eat/drink. Vitamins would really help. Polyvisol vitamins for babies (the formula without iron) can be given directly in the beak 3 drops a day for a week then reevaluate. I would also put her in deep shavings bedding separate from the others and try to prop her up so that if she eats/drinks it goes down her throat the right way. It'll also make her struggle less. Try giving her the eggs and yogurt.

I do hope this helps. Please let me know if I can ever be of any assistance - I'm here subcribed to your post, or available by PM or email.

 

[BarkerChickens]

If her leg is fine could be it be something brain related? Like maybe she hit her head on the roost this morning or something? I wouldn't know where to start.

I am so sorry!

I hope she gets better very soon!!

 

[PoultryPedia]

There are diseases that cause staggering or progressive paralysis of chickens' legs (I think Marek's is one?). Doing a search on here about those symptoms should retrieve some potentially helpful info.
Best wishes

I am so sorry you have lost some hens.

 

[BarkerChickens]

Quote:
Just a thought....

Did the previous owner have chickens (or other poultry)? There may have been a disease lingering there. What were the symptoms of the your first 4? Maybe it if is a disease they are getting, someone will identify the symptoms and know how to prevent/cure it.

 

[Mysto]

Thank you all for your replies!! I looked for you first thing this AM - then went straight out to check on my girl, so am LATE to reply back.

I gave her 3 drops of Poly on the beak this AM, hand fed her grapes and sliced bread then separated her from the others - in the house, in a box with food/water during the day. From what I could tell, she didn't eat/drink either. There were no droppings in the box either. She ate a slice of bread and a small amount of organic crumble out of my hand. Not interested in water, altho I put some drops on her beak and she did drink that. She was very alert and so I let her back out in the yard with the other hens - watched for quite a while to see how they'd all interact. She immediately pooped - it was very runny and dark greenish in color with a little white? Her leg has not improved, but she wants to move around and sort of used the side of the house to scoot along as a crutch to stay upright. If she doesn't have support, she tips over to her right. I helped her to the coop thinking she would spend the night on the "floor", but when I locked them up at dusk, she had to climbed up the ramp to sleep on the nesting boxes by the others !! (this group sleeps on the nesting boxes, my others on the roost).

I plan to give her more Poly and chopped hard boiled eggs in the AM - separate her again from the rest while I'm at work. I am so hopeful that she is going to make it, I am worried that if I separate her permanently until she is well, that the others will pick on her when she joins them again - opinions/thoughts??

Thank you!!

PS - The hens that I have lost all had the same first symptom - loosing the full function of one leg? The others died very soon after though

they lost interest in eating almost immediately. The amount they did eat, was not enough to sustain

When I hold her, I can feel her breast bone protruding, so she is loosing weight.

I am going to treat coop/hens for mites as it sounds like good advice and can't hurt. BUT, the loss in use of a leg makes me think it's something else?

*sigh*

 

[BarkerChickens]

YOu might want to look up Marek's. It is a disease that affects chickens and can cause paralysis. I don't experience with it, but I know that many BYCers suggest looking into Mareks for any paralysis symptoms....especially if you have hens that died from it already.

Also, do a search on here for poisonous plants. I know there is a list somewhere. See if they have access to any of them that may be causing the symptoms.

Sorry, I can't help much.

Hopefully someone can get more information to you.

 

[dlhunicorn]

mareks is very rare in older birds (but it might be another tumor causing oncological virus which might be affecting the sciatic nerve which will cause the leg problems) however if this came on suddenly with no other symptoms I would be more inclined to think it perhaps connected to the heat (during which she may have needed ELECTROLYTES) and possibly spiraled downwards from there or it may have possibly been a mycotoxin (forgotten grains or such gone "off" in the heat or other toxin

I would keep a good eye on if she is able to drink sufficiently (separate her and place water and feed within reach so she does not have to expend energy to getto it) and give polyvisol enfamil (no iron) and monitor her closely to see if the symptoms get any worse

 

[kathyinmo]

About 3 weeks ago, I noticed some small bugs in one of the nesting boxes (I have 2 coops, 5 nesting boxes total)

Did you treat the mites? Mites will cause anemia and can lead to death.​

 

[threehorses]

I'm with kathy - any news on the mites? Weakness causes the same paralysis as it's simply weakness. That's the first thing to be ruled out (by trying to get them nourished and hydrated - be sure to use electrolytes in what water she'll drink).

This is one of those times where I would use parrot formula - because she's not going to voluntarily eat anything substantial enough in volume to save her life. She can't - she's too ill. So that's when we turn to nutrient DENSE foods - egg yolk, parrot formula, a little yogurt (if you're not using formula which contains its own probiotics) to increase gut bacteria. Unless you're using it to get vitamins into her, I'd steer away from things like bread, fruit, etc. And I'd try wetting some crumbles; some birds like them better that way.

The dark droppings are from the lack of food. However, her runny droppings when she's not drinking concerns me. That leads to dehydration, and so I would for sure make sure she has the electrolytes as I've mentioned above - even if that means dribbling some into her beak at regular intervals.

I still would also contact a testing agency, or extension, or something if you lose her. Lose more than two birds and it's really the thing to do. You do have to contact them ahead of time because they may not accept carcasses - only live ill birds who are about to die.

As for the other birds,
honestly she really really needs to be separated, please - that should happen as soon as a bird isn't fully functional. She needs to be in a smaller place with her own easily reached food and water. I would worry about reintegrating her when that time comes - if it does.