My hen has been paralyzed from the neck down for about 3 weeks now. She recently hatched 4 babies and reared them successfully however these were eggs from a friend, not her own. When she finished rearing these four she was ready to lay again herself. She showed signs of being egg bound then passes a soft-shell egg. After a couple of days she was still sort of dragging her behind and laid a double-size from normal egg. Then about 3 days later I was holding her and she flooded me as she sat on my lap...it was as if her water broke. She is incredibly alert, eats well, poos large like a broody hen but the poo seems pretty normal however she doesnt try to use her legs or move her wings. She moves her head and neck but only responds to touch on her feet but not really her wings. Any suggestions for helping her or ideas as to what might be wrong are welcome.
Does she just not use her legs and wings? Does she try to stand at all? If she stands is it normal other than her butt is hung low or does she stand like a penguin? Does she sit with one leg out front and one to the back?
She doesnt try to use here legs that are positioned both forward neither backward. She only tried to use her wings a little at the times I wash the poo off her butt. She doesnt seem to like me doing that and always vocally protests too.
Did she sustain any type of injury that you are aware of? Have you checked her belly for a possible egg being bound inside her? With her egg laying history, it is possible you have an internal layer.
An injury would be my first thought. I have one hen that was born with no knees and her legs can't move. She's the best lap chicken ever. I think that if she has a problem with being an internal layer, that wouldn't paralyze her form the neck down.
