Chicken acting weak, not really moving

[nthasama]

I have a rooster and some hens that I just got a few weeks ago fully grown from my inlaws, so I am really new to this. This morning when I was out caring for them they all seemed fine. This afternoon I was out there checking on them and one of them was sitting on the ground kind of funny. She had one of her wings spread out a bit, she was also sitting in an area of the run that is narrow, so the other chickens were stepping on her as they walked by and wasn't doing anything about the fact that she kept getting stepped on. I went into the coop to check on her. These chickens were never handled, so they always run from me. The hen I was worried about kind of half tried to run from me. She couldn't stand up all the way, but got up a little bit, walked maybe 6 inches, then sat back down. She then tried to get up a few times but seemed to weak to get up. I picked her up and she didn't really put up a fight like the chickens usually do when I try to pick them up, just sort of laid there in my arms. I took her out of the coop and put her in an animal carrier I have with some bedding, food, and water. She was very eager to drink (their water is inside the coop, so I don't think she could get to it with how weak she was), but when I put her in she could not reach the water and instead of standing and walking to it she just kind of scooted over to it and drank sitting down. She also doesn't seem to be eating. I can't see anything wrong with her, other than her being weak. Is there anything else I should be doing to help her? I am keeping her in the carrier in our mudroom overnight because it will be in the 40s and raining, so I want her to be warm and dry so she can recover.

 

[azygous]

Being new to your place, these chickens aren't resistant to the parasites in your local soil called coccidia. These are not large enough to see like worms are, but they get into the intestines and can cause inflammation and if untreated, death. The other chickens are vulnerable as well, so all should be treated. Get Corid liquid at your feed store and mix up two teaspoons of liquid Corid in one gallon of water and give it to all the chickens to drink.

In addition, give this sick hen a drench with undiluted Corid. You will need an oral syringe and fill it with .5ml of the straight Corid and give it to her by mouth like the photo below avoiding the airway - the hole in the center of the throat which is the airway. Give this drench once a day for three days along with the Corid water. Mix the Corid water fresh each day for five days. Wait a week and do another five day round. No drench needed the second time around.

Coccidiosis is the most likely reason for the hen's behavior. But she could also have gotten into insect poison or some rotten material in your yard. Compost pile? Mouse poison? Ant poison?

If she hasn't been poisoned, she may be revived by giving her warm sugar water. I would do that first before you do anything else. There are other possible causes of her symptoms, but try treating for the obvious ones, then if there's no improvement, we can discuss other causes.

 

[MTR]

Did you have chickens before getting them or do your neighbors? Based off your description it could literally be any of the chicken diseases but azy said it’s probably Coccidia. I’d start treating her with Corid and see how she does. Also did you change feed? Maybe vitamin deficiency?

 

[nthasama]

So the chickens actually haven't been moved. It is a little complicated, but basically my inlaws were living in a house that me and my husband own while we were out of state. Last month we moved in and they moved out. Since I wanted to get some chickens anyways they left their chickens for me because they said moving them would be a pain. I haven't tried giving her sugar water, but I did put some electrolytes and probiotics that I got from the local farm supply store in her water. Their feed has not changed. My inlaws told me where they have been getting their feed and what they have been getting so we get the same thing. I don't think there is anything she could have gotten into. They stay in their chicken yard because getting them back in when they are out is a pain. I have been checking on both her and the other chickens frequently, so far there has been no change in her, and the other chickens seem fine. I did notice her comb is drooping and there is a white spot on it. Is that normal?

 

[esme13]

Is she puffed out a bit or does she try to bite you when you pick her up or make any sounds ? Has she been laying eggs ? She could be egg blind , broody maybe ?

 

[azygous]

Then it's unlikely coccidiosis if they are on their home turf.

That appears to be a pecking injury on her comb, common, not anything to be worried about.

Do you know how old this hen is? Is she the only one behaving this way?

There are some avian viruses that can become symptomatic very suddenly after lying dormant for a time. The symptoms are similar to what this hen has. But this is the worst case scenario, and there is nothing to do for it if this is what is causing the hen's symptoms.

Disorders that produce these symptoms can be from shock, injury, dehydration, hypothermia, and toxin exposure. Have you looked the hen over well for injuries? Has the weather been very hot?

Another cause of these symptoms could be from starvation. This can happen in spite of ample food being provided. If a chicken is bullied, eventually they stop standing up for themselves and accept that they have no right to food since they are incessantly bullied away from it.

You will need to treat for these not knowing which one it might actually be behind this hen's symptoms. The treatment for all of the above is sugar water to elevate the glucose levels, then feed concentrated proteins and calories such as boiled rice with cottage chess or yogurt stirred in, cooked egg, crumbled tofu, even canned baby food. Poultry Nutri-drench is valuable in a case like this since it goes right into the bloodstream unlike regular vitamins which need to be metabolized by the liver. Tomorrow get a bottle from your pet store or feed store and sprinkle it over her food.

 

[nthasama]

She doesn't do anything when I pick her up. At first she tried to move away when I came close, but then she gave up on that. I picked her up and she just kind of laid there. I did try and look her over for injuries and didn't see anything, but I will look closer in the morning. The hen is about a year old. My inlaws got them as chicks last spring. I don't know if she specifically has been laying. I check on them a few times a day, but I never see them actually laying eggs. How would I tell if she was egg bind? The weather has been in the 60/70s most days, so not really hot, and they have a mixture of sun and shade in their run. I'll run down to our Cal Ranch tomorrow morning when they are open and get the Poultry Nutri-drench for her. I'll also start her on sugar water. Is there any specific ratio I need to give her?

 

[azygous]

About a teaspoon of sugar in a half cup of warm water for the initial drench. Then leave her with a cup of water with a teaspoon of sugar stirred in to sip.

Egg binding wouldn't render a hen unable to move. Of course, there's always that chance, but it's low on the list.

Trying the sugar drench first can tell us a lot if she responds by being able to stand and move around afterwards. Glucose controls the brain and nervous system and can have a miraculous effect. If not, she's probably well past being able to save.

 

[nthasama]

Great news! When I went to check on her this morning she was standing! She still seems less energetic than the chickens usually are, but it is an improvement. I think she may have been kept away from the water and food. Looking at her she is skinnier than the other chickens. Would putting a second food and water dish out for them help that? Maybe in different places so each is less crowded and there are less chickens there to bully her?

 

[azygous]

It would help but not solve her problem. Victims of bullying need a round of confidence building to stop their victim mindset. Yes. This is a "thing". Here's how it works. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-bully-chicken-victim-a-two-sided-issue.73923/