Buff Orpington with arrested development? She's not growing up!

[FiddleChics]

Is she being bullied off feed by the other hens? I might put her in a dog crate (in with the others so she doesn’t get booted out of the flock) with her own food and water and see how she does.

Also, it looks like maybe her crop is puffy? Can you check that it empties properly overnight?

She's the lowest on the pecking order for sure, and the bullying has been a concern. With this in mind, we built a big 'second' enclosed run for them... (30x22) and I open that door and the 'big girls' all run out there & hang out most the day... and that leaves her to eat, drink and be pretty much unbothered by the others, as they now have more fun & interesting things to do, other than pick on her. So this seems to be working really well. I also thought down the line, it would be great when we get new chicks in the spring - to separate them - until they acclimate to each other.

Her crop seems to be fine by morning - it's full, just like the rest of the big girls when it's time to go to bed... so that seems normal... and her droppings are all fine...

 

[FiddleChics]

Today, things got worse. Goldie's other foot stopped working also... and though she was hopping around before with the 1 bad leg and curled up foot, now she's got two curled up feet, and the 1/2 a leg she's got - isn't so great. She can't stand up anymore, so she's dragging herself around with her wings in the run. I lowered the hanging feeder & she has water and she moves around... but it's just so awful to watch... she's layed out all flat like.

She's eating, and pooping... I even saw her grooming today. I am feeding her extra food, by hand and protecting her as much as I can from the others - who are picking on her worse.

I also have had to carry her inside to the coop at night & put her up on the roosting bar, where she stays all night... then I go in and get her and lift her down and carry her outside in the morning, which I've been doing this for the past 10 days or so. This is just breaking my heart. I tried the B complex, and Vitamin E... and ugh... I just can't kill her... I've read about scissors, and chopping heads off... oh my god I can't do that. This is SO upsetting. I wish there was something I could give her to let her go into a quiet sleep. I am at my wits end.

 

[tripletfeb]

If a vet is an option, they could euthanize her for you, if that's what you wanted to do. It does seem like the best option, poor hen.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Today, things got worse. Goldie's other foot stopped working also... and though she was hopping around before with the 1 bad leg and curled up foot, now she's got two curled up feet, and the 1/2 a leg she's got - isn't so great. She can't stand up anymore, so she's dragging herself around with her wings in the run. I lowered the hanging feeder & she has water and she moves around... but it's just so awful to watch... she's layed out all flat like.

She's eating, and pooping... I even saw her grooming today. I am feeding her extra food, by hand and protecting her as much as I can from the others - who are picking on her worse.

I also have had to carry her inside to the coop at night & put her up on the roosting bar, where she stays all night... then I go in and get her and lift her down and carry her outside in the morning, which I've been doing this for the past 10 days or so. This is just breaking my heart. I tried the B complex, and Vitamin E... and ugh... I just can't kill her... I've read about scissors, and chopping heads off... oh my god I can't do that. This is SO upsetting. I wish there was something I could give her to let her go into a quiet sleep. I am at my wits end.

I'm so very sorry that Goldie has declined

It sounds like it's time to let her go. Do you have a family member or neighbor that can put her down for you? If you can't bring yourself to do it, then ask your vet.
I know it can be hard to find a solution, but if you can learn one method it will make it easier when you have one in bad shape and no one to help.
I use the broomstick method, you can find many videos of that, it is hands on and not for everyone but it gets the job done quickly.

I'm very sorry that you are having to go through this, at some point all of us that have chickens will have to make these tough decisions.

 

[sourland]

Very likely she has other congenital issues like the crooked toes. An off the cuff guess would be some sort of a heart problem. Such birds/animals generally grow fine initially, reach a point where they slow down, and then gradually decline.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I am more inclined to blame a bacteria or virus infection like Marek's Disease, Newcastle Disease, or Infectious Bronchitis. At any rate there are few chicken diseases that can be cured, and most of the chicken diseases that chickens survive renders the infected bird a life long carrier of that specific disease. This means that your healthy birds may come down with the same illness that affects your runt-of-the-litter hen. Good luck.

 

[ChickNanny13]

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Such a tough decision to have to make. Poor girl does seem on the decline

 

[micstrachan]

I’m so sorry Goldie has declined.

 

[RoosterML]

While owning chickens is fun and dandy. When you take on the responsibility of caring for them the care does not stop at just the good parts. While it is heart braking for you it sounds like it's time to put the animal down. Letting the animal suffer longer to me is worse. Now you need to make a choice as a responsible owner. 1- take her to a vet or 2- put her down. While it may be sad for you in the end you don't want to just let her suffer.
Sorry about her decline.