Adult Chicken's legs suddenly spread wide apart - help please

[Candy123]

I also have a hen that walks with her legs far apart and her abdomen seems swollen. She has been like this for weeks. What is it and what can I do?

 

[Eggcessive]

I also have a hen that walks with her legs far apart and her abdomen seems swollen.  She has been like this for weeks. What is it and what can I do?

Welcome to BYC.
She may be laying internally, which can lead to Egg Yolk Peritonitis and ascites (fluid in the belly.) If you do a search at the top of this page or Google any of those terms, you will see many good links to read. There is not much you can do for these except keep the chicken comfortable. If she has ascites fluid in her belly making it tight, some of the he fluid can be removed evry so often to make herr more comfortable. These can be very common in hens.

 

[KIJohn]

Hi all, this is my first post here. I'm pretty new to chickens. I noticed today one of my chickens, about 4 weeks old but pretty big, that she was hsving trouble walking and her legs would play out to the sides when she tried. I'm worried about her and I feel bad cause I don't know how to help. I picked her up and her belly did feel warm.

thanks for any help or suggestions.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Is she drinking water and eating? Have you had her long? I would use some poultry vitamins and electrolytes in her water or give her 1 ml daily of Poultry Cell vitamins. The vitamins you use should contain riboflavin on the label, just in case of vitamin deficiency. What breed is she? The reason I ask is that there have been a few cases in the last week where people have accidentally bought meat birds at the feed store. Those birds grow very large very fast, and suffer from leg problems when they get bigger. How has the chick been doing with the other chicks? Has it been bullied or does it stand and walk normally? Has it had those symptoms long? Can you post a picture of it standing.

 

[KIJohn]

thank you for responding, I actually started checking after I posted and she is a meat bird, a cornish rock. I got 24 new chicks this year 4 different types and 6 were the rocks. She is full grown apparently now ( about 5-6 weeks old) I'm calling it a she but I really don't know yet.
She still eats fine and gets along with the others. 6 RIR, 6 australorp, and 6 assorted bantams. Should I go with the vitamins?
thanks

 

[Eggcessive]

thank you for responding, I actually started checking after I posted and she is a meat bird, a cornish rock. I got 24 new chicks this year 4 different types and 6 were the rocks. She is full grown apparently now ( about 5-6 weeks old) I'm calling it a she but I really don't know yet.
She still eats fine and gets along with the others. 6 RIR, 6 australorp, and 6 assorted bantams. Should I go with the vitamins?
thanks

You could try some vitamin B Complex tablets crushed in the food or water daily, but the chick vitamins will probably not help her if she is nearing the age of butchering. Many people who to keep meaties after the 6-7 week butchering age will limit their feed and let them out to free range in order to slim them down. After 6 weeks old, they can have a tendency for broken legs or heart attacks.

 

[KIJohn]

Thank you, they do eat a lot, those 6 eating me Rocks are eating me out of house and home LOL

I do let them out but they prefer to lay around except to eat. I guess I will have to seperate them from the rest and limit they're intake.

I appreciate all the info

 

[ally__]

She is about 4-5 years old, a Partridge Wyandott hen - she has been this way (although somewhat worse this week) for at least 4 months. I took her to the vet, he checked her and said she wasn't egg-bound, no parasites, etc. He couldn't say what was wrong with her, but the exam revealed nothing. He went ahead and wormed her just in case, but really no diagnosis. She looks terribly uncomfortable - her legs are so far apart she waddles. She is still eating, but it's hard for her to get around like the others, so if there is a "race" for a worm or something, she doesn't get there in time. I have bathed her in warm water about 4-5 times to get the poop off her bottom when it builds up. I don't know what is causing that even. I don't know how to help. I will keep giving her warm baths when the buildup on her rear happens, but what? Long term? I thought the egg binding would kill a hen fairly quickly. I hate seeing her suffer, but I don't know to what extent she is just uncomfortable, or possibly in pain? She still gets out when I let the others out to free range, and she walks around with them some, but eventually sits to rest while the others continue to roam. Thank you for your reply. -- Editing here, and wanted to add that she is swollen, and when I pick her up (which she doesn't like at all) she feels like a fully inflated football.

its been 6 years my hen is going thru the dame wht happeened do you have any idea what it wad

 

[Pegbud]

She is about 4-5 years old, a Partridge Wyandott hen - she has been this way (although somewhat worse this week) for at least 4 months. I took her to the vet, he checked her and said she wasn't egg-bound, no parasites, etc. He couldn't say what was wrong with her, but the exam revealed nothing. He went ahead and wormed her just in case, but really no diagnosis. She looks terribly uncomfortable - her legs are so far apart she waddles. She is still eating, but it's hard for her to get around like the others, so if there is a "race" for a worm or something, she doesn't get there in time. I have bathed her in warm water about 4-5 times to get the poop off her bottom when it builds up. I don't know what is causing that even. I don't know how to help. I will keep giving her warm baths when the buildup on her rear happens, but what? Long term? I thought the egg binding would kill a hen fairly quickly. I hate seeing her suffer, but I don't know to what extent she is just uncomfortable, or possibly in pain? She still gets out when I let the others out to free range, and she walks around with them some, but eventually sits to rest while the others continue to roam. Thank you for your reply. -- Editing here, and wanted to add that she is swollen, and when I pick her up (which she doesn't like at all) she feels like a fully inflated football.

 

[Pegbud]

My Pequeña has the same symptoms.now for maybe two months. Her sister with similar combo of RIRed and White Leghorn did a month ago. I tried helping her but could get no help from a vet. Pequeña continues to struggle, sometimes with more strength. Sometimes less. I have just added apple cider vinegar and oregano and turmeric to food and water. She doesn’t like it much, but I cheer when she eats some. Her first bout with this followed a frog or toad consumption. I think. Guatemala friends gave me some tetracycline because we had no idea what was bothering her. She did seem to feel better but then worse, so I gave her a good dose of yogurt and probiotic after which she seemed better for a while. Now back to the lethargy but still with us. I am trying mostly oregano, turmeric and garlic and apple cider vinegar. And water and mushy Poulin feed. Poops are now yellow with small chucks of green. She is not well, but I am not a vet. Vets for chickens seem in very small supply.