Can’t walk

[Hamptonhills]

Looking for some help. Our chicken was found the other day unable to use her legs. She has a very hard belly. We thought she was egg bound and did the warm water Epsom salt bath thing. When checking in her vent I can feel a hard mass on the left side and one straight down. She is still eating and drinking. The abdomen is not squishy like fluid. Any ideas on what this is and if I can do anything. She still can’t use her legs so we have been taking her around in a towel nest
Thanks

 

[Goosebaby]

She could be eggbound, another possibility could be tumors unfortunately, how old is she and could you post a picture of her, it might help those who are more expierienced with chickens if they see this thread.

 

[Hamptonhills]

She is a little over 1 year.

 

[Goosebaby]

Has she shown any neurological signs, like twitching or the inability to move her legs at all?

 

[Hamptonhills]

She cant move her legs at all anymore. Sometimes she splays her wings out and her neck looks like it gets stiff when she puts her head down but I don’t know if that is her trying to keep her balance

 

[Goosebaby]

She cant move her legs at all anymore. Sometimes she splays her wings out and her neck looks like it gets stiff when she puts her head down but I don’t know if that is her trying to keep her balance

The wing splaying and neck stiffening is probably her trying to support herself, when bird lose the ability to stand they’ll try to use their wings and sometimes their head to lift themselves up.

If she has no ability to move her legs it could be a spinal problem, either an infection or trauma. But considering the mass you felt it’s more likely to be either of two things, if she’s been laying internally or eggbound, the egg could be pressing on her ischiadic nerve which would cause her to lose the ability to move her legs, if she has ovarian or renal tumors it will cause the same issue unfortunately. Egg binding and internal laying are serious life threatening issues that needs to be treated by a vet, the sooner the better, if it’s the later, unfortunately there is no cure because the tumors can’t be removed because of the placement of the ischiadic nerves within the avian body.
I’m so sorry you’re going through this.

 

[Goosebaby]

Do you have other chickens? If so are they vaccinated for Mereks and lymphoid luekosis?
Both of these viruses are fatal, typically they’re the usual cause of neurological issues and tumors to form within the body of chickens. The vaccines aren’t always 100% effective, especially with how quickly merecks is mutating into different strains, but the vaccines will prevent them from developing tumors.

Hens are prone to reproductive issues even without catching those viruses so there’s no sure way to prevent issues like these anyway.

 

[Goosebaby]

Something you could try is giving her vitamin E. If she has tumors it won’t really do anything for her, but some here have prolonged their hens lives and got them on their feet with it. Some think it has something to do with helping cells to repair themselves.
Vitamin E and vitamin B deficiencies can cause neurological issues and lameness as well.

 

[Hamptonhills]

Do you have other chickens? If so are they vaccinated for Mereks and lymphoid luekosis?
Both of these viruses are fatal, typically they’re the usual cause of neurological issues and tumors to form within the body of chickens. The vaccines aren’t always 100% effective, especially with how quickly merecks is mutating into different strains, but the vaccines will prevent them from developing tumors.

Hens are prone to reproductive issues even without catching those viruses so there’s no sure way to prevent issues like these anyway.

All our babies are vaccinated

 

[Hamptonhills]

Something you could try is giving her vitamin E. If she has tumors it won’t really do anything for her, but some here have prolonged their hens lives and got them on their feet with it. Some think it has something to do with helping cells to repair themselves.
Vitamin E and vitamin B deficiencies can cause neurological issues and lameness as well.

Thanks for all the help and advice