9 month old hen unable to walk.

[jonleibowitz]

Hello all, I just got back from being out of town and one of my hens is unable to walk. Her legs seems like they are totally limp and all kind of sprawled out. Almost as if she is paralyzed.

I just threw food to her, within reach, and she is gobbling it up. She was likely very hungry from being unable to walk to bowl for a few days. I just put a water bowl near her to until I figure out what to do.

She is a young chicken, probably between 8-9 months old. Other hens and rooster seem healthy. She was doing great, if not being picked on a little by the older hens, prior to this injury/disease.

I’m hoping there might be something I can do but am prepared to cull her to prevent unneeded suffering.

Any advice would be great and I am happy to provide more information if there is something I can share to help the community diagnose the problem.

 

[jonleibowitz]

Sorry. Not sure how I posted this twice. Please use this thread. Based on limited research, it appears she likely had Mareks and I should euthanize her.

The breeder I got her from vaccinated for this, so I’m at a loss.

 

[gillenwater-farms]

have you checked her feet for bumble?

https://the-chicken-chick.com/bumblefoot-causes-treatment-warning/

 

[CHlCKEN]

Sorry. Not sure how I posted this twice. Please use this thread. Based on limited research, it appears she likely had Mareks and I should euthanize her.

The breeder I got her from vaccinated for this, so I’m at a loss.

What do you feed? There’s a chance it is just a vitamin deficiency. What breed is she?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She was doing great, if not being picked on a little by the older hens, prior to this injury/disease.

Hello all, I just got back from being out of town and one of my hens is unable to walk. Her legs seems like they are totally limp and all kind of sprawled out. Almost as if she is paralyzed.

I just threw food to her, within reach, and she is gobbling it up. She was likely very hungry from being unable to walk to bowl. I just put a water bowl near her to until I figure out what to do.

She is a young chicken, probably between 6-9 months old. Other hens and rooster seem healthy.

I’m hoping there might be something I can do but am prepared to cull her to prevent unneeded suffering.

Any advice would be great and I am happy to provide more information if there is something I can share to help the community diagnose the problem.

I just threw food to her, within reach, and she is gobbling it up. She was likely very hungry from being unable to walk to bowl. I just put a water bowl near her to until I figure out what to do.

She is a young chicken, probably between 6-9 months old. Other hens and rooster seem healthy.

Move her to a cage or kennel with her own food/water so she can easily reach them.

6-9 months of age is quite a spread in age - is she laying eggs?

Hard to know what's happening with her. If she was getting picked at by the hens and roosters, then she may have been being kept from food/water and is just dehydrated and malnourished. Some TLC may be all that she needs.

Possible, if she's laying, she is struggling expelling an egg and needs Calcium Citrate to help her along.

Also Possible, its Marek's disease, the vaccine doesn't prevent infection from the virus, it does help reduce the formation of tumors, so birds still get sick.

Worms, botulism, parasites, infection...so many other things this could be.

Work on hydration and getting food into her, access her, check her over for injury, lice/mites, that her crop is emptying, etc.

If you do put her down, then sending the body to your state lab will give you the most information as to the cause of her decline.
You can look that up here: https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry...aFUNjsiIspwSjTyp38oLiYgTuBaKaGeYT_9rd1cS5dtdV

I just threw food to her, within reach, and she is gobbling it up. She was likely very hungry from being unable to walk to bowl for a few days. I just put a water bowl near her to until I figure out what to do.

She is a young chicken, probably between 8-9 months old.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You have replies on your other thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...to-walk-legs-seem-limp.1645901/#post-28152736

 

[jonleibowitz]

have you checked her feet for bumble?

https://the-chicken-chick.com/bumblefoot-causes-treatment-warning/

I have checked her feet. No wounds at all. He thighs seems to be working fine and both legs are just cut off where feathers turn to the scaly leg part. She is basically trying walk on her “knees”

 

[jonleibowitz]

Move her to a cage or kennel with her own food/water so she can easily reach them.

6-9 months of age is quite a spread in age - is she laying eggs?

Hard to know what's happening with her. If she was getting picked at by the hens and roosters, then she may have been being kept from food/water and is just dehydrated and malnourished. Some TLC may be all that she needs.

Possible, if she's laying, she is struggling expelling an egg and needs Calcium Citrate to help her along.

Also Possible, its Marek's disease, the vaccine doesn't prevent infection from the virus, it does help reduce the formation of tumors, so birds still get sick.

Worms, botulism, parasites, infection...so many other things this could be.

Work on hydration and getting food into her, access her, check her over for injury, lice/mites, that her crop is emptying, etc.

If you do put her down, then sending the body to your state lab will give you the most information as to the cause of her decline.
You can look that up here: https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry...aFUNjsiIspwSjTyp38oLiYgTuBaKaGeYT_9rd1cS5dtdV

Thanks for the reply and sorry about the two threads. Not sure how to merge or delete one. She is not laying yet. Probably was about to be that age. I inspected her this morning and no wounds on her feet. They are totally limp right at the joint where the feathers end and she is basically trying to walk on her knees.

 

[TwoCrows]

Thanks for the reply and sorry about the two threads. Not sure how to merge or delete one. She is not laying yet. Probably was about to be that age. I inspected her this morning and no wounds on her feet. They are totally limp right at the joint where the feathers end and she is basically trying to walk on her knees.

I will merge your threads for you.

 

[Oster-coop]

What happened with your hen? Did the situation resolve itself? I have a hen doing the same thing.