Can't figure this out...

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Could she getting ready to molt, a few of mine are doing the same thing. I see them eating and drinking but they look all puffed up walking slow. Is losing feathers painful or the pin feathers coming in.

 

[Eggcessive]

Could you post a picture of her legs while she is standing? If her legs are bowed she might have varus deformity of the bones, or rickets. It can happen to one or both legs. What do you feed? Does she lay eggs? Is there any swelling in her lower belly below her vent? Here is some reading about leg bone deformities:
https://www.researchgate.net/public..._of_the_Intertarsal_Joint_in_Broiler_Chickens

 

[musikfan]

Here are a few pics of Prissy. Sorry they aren't clearer - I'm not the greatest at photography with my phone. One is her lying down like she usually does - nothing odd about it. Lucy's butt is in the pic, LOL! The other is a front view of her standing while eating. Do you notice anything unusual? I don't know what to look for except that her feet seem closer together when she stands.

 

[musikfan]

Could you post a picture of her legs while she is standing? If her legs are bowed she might have varus deformity of the bones, or rickets. It can happen to one or both legs. What do you feed? Does she lay eggs? Is there any swelling in her lower belly below her vent? Here is some reading about leg bone deformities:
https://www.researchgate.net/public..._of_the_Intertarsal_Joint_in_Broiler_Chickens

I posted a few pics. I feed her the regular extra egg protein pellets. She also gets regular grit and oyster shell. Besides that, she is spoiled with whatever leftovers we have from meals. I assume she is laying eggs but it's hard to tell because I have two other layers and their eggs all look the same..but I have caught her in the nesting boxes at times, so I would assume she is laying. I don't see any recognizable swelling. She looks normal to me - maybe a bit plump but I think that's just her build.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Give us a close up of her legs if you can. Do her legs look flaky to you? If the scales are flaky and her legs look thick, I would treat her for scaly leg mites.

When she walks, does she hold her body upright in a weird penguin esque posture? You say she's laying eggs. If she is laying well, I doubt egg binding is an issue, but I'm asking just to cover some bases.

When she is laying in the soil, is she dusting herself and lying in the sun? You might just have what I call a frequent sunbather, haha. One of my hens is healthy and is always always laying in the sun. She gets drunk off sunshine it seems like.

How much does she weigh? Is she heavy?
Compare her hock joints to your other hens, are hers more swollen than the other two? The hock on a chicken looks like a backwards knee. If her legs are swollen in that joint, you might ask a vet if you can give her glucosamine pills for joint health.

 

[musikfan]

Give us a close up of her legs if you can. Do her legs look flaky to you? If the scales are flaky and her legs look thick, I would treat her for scaly leg mites.

When she walks, does she hold her body upright in a weird penguin esque posture? You say she's laying eggs. If she is laying well, I doubt egg binding is an issue, but I'm asking just to cover some bases.

When she is laying in the soil, is she dusting herself and lying in the sun? You might just have what I call a frequent sunbather, haha. One of my hens is healthy and is always always laying in the sun. She gets drunk off sunshine it seems like.

How much does she weigh? Is she heavy?
Compare her hock joints to your other hens, are hers more swollen than the other two? The hock on a chicken looks like a backwards knee. If her legs are swollen in that joint, you might ask a vet if you can give her glucosamine pills for joint health.

I'll check on these things and get back with you. I think she's laying fine...whenever she lays. There are four hens so I have no idea who's eggs are in the nest each day..LOL. She lies in dirt but not necessarily in the sun. She's just lying down a lot. She acts like it's work for her to stand too much...but then other days she's not slow to get up and come over for food. I can't figure her out yet with this.....she just acts like she has arthritis - stiff when she first gets up to walk around. But she can still move when she has to...but she does act old....