Chicken can't stand, leg injury or disease?

[Aunt Angus]

What your doing works fine. You probably won't see any improvement for a week or two . Add vitamin E to the B-complex. Just pop both pills into her beak. She will swallow.

Are you advising the whole pill or to continue cutting it into thirds? Clarifying for myself. I have a hen in a similar situation, and I have human b-conplex pills on hand.

 

[azygous]

I have stuffed huge whole calcium pills into hens' beaks. I've seen those piggies wolf down even larger things than that.

My tutorial on why chickens are aces at swallowing stuff humans would choke on:

We think chickens must have a problem swallowing a large pill just because we do. But their digestive process is different from ours. We begin the digestive process by chewing first, then swallowing. We aren't meant to swallow large chunks. We naturally choke.

Chickens don't have teeth for a good reason. They don't need them. Their digestive process begins after they swallow. The food goes directly into their crop without passing "Go", and then it trickles down into their gizzard where the "chewing" action goes into full swing.

Therefore, chickens can amaze us by swallowing things that we think would choke them, large pills included. But they actually have no problem. Slip the pill into the beak and you'll see it disappear like magic. Unless you don't get it far enough back on the tongue. Chickens can rival dogs and cats at firing a pill across the room like a guided missile, but it's not because they aren't able to swallow it easily.

 

[MrsYnd]

Update: despite the vitamins she’s only getting worse, she now has trouble even staying sitted and keeps falling onto her side, I even put her on totally level ground with the same result, her other leg doesn’t seem injured but I don’t know what to do, is this a sign that it’s non recoverable and requires euthanasia?

She has been using her head to help her balance by pressing it into the ground as well

 

[azygous]

Not encouraging. Having recently had such symptoms in my flock and had it confirmed the birds exhibiting the symptoms had lymphoid leucosis, I take no pleasure in telling you that this is what it appears your girl may have.

What is your location? We can help you find a state lab to do a necropsy on her if you choose to euthanize. Actually, if the lab is within driving distance, you can take her in and they will euthanize as well as do the testing. It's important to know if this virus is in your flock as it may affect more chickens.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Im so sorry this happened. I know how you feel, its not hard at all to tell how much you love them just by this post alone.
Im not trying to bring you down by saying this, because by all means she could get better. But just remember that if it comes to her having to be put down, or this is prolonged, think of this “Can it be reversed?” and “Is she living the life i want her to live?” I had one with a similar problem, and thinking i could help her, it went on for about a month, just know you aren’t giving up on her by putting her down, i felt sad at first, but i knew the damage that was done simply couldn’t be fixed and putting her down in my case was the better option for her, i was keeping her alive just because i didn’t want to let go.

And im not saying to put her down, just something to keep in mind incase it might come down to that. Best of luck for you and your bird.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about the worsening illness. This link below has a list of all state vets. You can call them now and get some detaails on price, if they require you to put the chicken down, how to keep the body chilled and price. Usually there is a basic price where they open the body and look at organs. If something requires more testing that may cost extra. Since it is coming up a holiday, today or tomorrow would be best to take the body in. Some will send a prepaid label for overnight shipping, but Friday might be your last day to get one over the holidays. Just ask them:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

 

[MrsYnd]

Thank you everyone for the kind responses and suggestions, unfortunately after a very emotional day of thinking I have decided to have her put down as I noticed her body getting worse, the last straw that convinced me was that her wing was stuck in an uncomfortable position and she didn't even bother moving it, she also made no attempt to even sit herself back upright, only to kick her legs and squawk, she seemed to be in pain or fear just attempting to get off her side.

I had suspected she was beginning to develop more paralysis throughout her body due to her using her head/neck to regain balance.
She had not began suffering as I kept her warm and well fed, but she had definately began to physically deteriorate, going from being able to walk on two legs, to barely able to stand on one, to sitting, to not even being able to sit herself up.
I can only hope that her final days were pleasant, I feel terrible putting her down when i can't tell if shes in pain but I hate even more prolonging her life if shes only going to continue to deteriorate to the point of suffering.

My flock at the moment is only 4 other birds who sleep directly connected to each other, so I don't think I will have a necropsy performed as if it were contagious, it almost certainly has already spread, I can only hope it wasn't.

I am heartbroken and wanted to avoid this possibility at all costs but seeing her worsen significantly over the course of 8 days left me with very little hope that she would recover. I truly hope I made the right decision.

Thanks again all, love this website and I just wish this had a happier outcome.

 

[azygous]

You made the right decision. Not an easy one, to be sure, but the best one for you and your chicken.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you everyone for the kind responses and suggestions, unfortunately after a very emotional day of thinking I have decided to have her put down as I noticed her body getting worse, the last straw that convinced me was that her wing was stuck in an uncomfortable position and she didn't even bother moving it, she also made no attempt to even sit herself back upright, only to kick her legs and squawk, she seemed to be in pain or fear just attempting to get off her side.

I had suspected she was beginning to develop more paralysis throughout her body due to her using her head/neck to regain balance.
She had not began suffering as I kept her warm and well fed, but she had definately began to physically deteriorate, going from being able to walk on two legs, to barely able to stand on one, to sitting, to not even being able to sit herself up.
I can only hope that her final days were pleasant, I feel terrible putting her down when i can't tell if shes in pain but I hate even more prolonging her life if shes only going to continue to deteriorate to the point of suffering.

My flock at the moment is only 4 other birds who sleep directly connected to each other, so I don't think I will have a necropsy performed as if it were contagious, it almost certainly has already spread, I can only hope it wasn't.

I am heartbroken and wanted to avoid this possibility at all costs but seeing her worsen significantly over the course of 8 days left me with very little hope that she would recover. I truly hope I made the right decision.

Thanks again all, love this website and I just wish this had a happier outcome.

 

[LaFleche]

Thank you everyone for the kind responses and suggestions, unfortunately after a very emotional day of thinking I have decided to have her put down as I noticed her body getting worse, the last straw that convinced me was that her wing was stuck in an uncomfortable position and she didn't even bother moving it, she also made no attempt to even sit herself back upright, only to kick her legs and squawk, she seemed to be in pain or fear just attempting to get off her side.

I had suspected she was beginning to develop more paralysis throughout her body due to her using her head/neck to regain balance.
She had not began suffering as I kept her warm and well fed, but she had definately began to physically deteriorate, going from being able to walk on two legs, to barely able to stand on one, to sitting, to not even being able to sit herself up.
I can only hope that her final days were pleasant, I feel terrible putting her down when i can't tell if shes in pain but I hate even more prolonging her life if shes only going to continue to deteriorate to the point of suffering.

My flock at the moment is only 4 other birds who sleep directly connected to each other, so I don't think I will have a necropsy performed as if it were contagious, it almost certainly has already spread, I can only hope it wasn't.

I am heartbroken and wanted to avoid this possibility at all costs but seeing her worsen significantly over the course of 8 days left me with very little hope that she would recover. I truly hope I made the right decision.

Thanks again all, love this website and I just wish this had a happier outcome.

I m sorry about the way things have turned out, but you sure made the right decision. It is never easy to let them go, and even worse if we have to actively put and end to their life.
But I hope you will find some solace in knowing that you prevented more useless suffering in doing so.