Chicken can't stand or walk, paralyzed??

[Wyorp Rock]

Is that what she's doing? When she sticks her head up in the air and opens her mouth real wide? We always feel her crop before feeding her to make sure that it's empty and it always is and she is still pooping a good bit.

That's what it looks like to me, adjusting the crop.
She also "preened" her neck/toward the crop right after an adjustment, so I wonder if it's turning sour or she has some thrush and it's itchy. I've had hens with sour crop that would make a preening action right at the crop and of course the adjustment motion as well.

There's no lesions or white/yellow pasty or mucousy material inside the beak or throat right?
Her breath smells o.k. - no bad or offensive odors?

Now, if she's suffering something neurological or has Marek's then it's possible the actions could be related to those, but ime, it's something to do with the digestive system.

 

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

It's so amazing how when an animal needs you for more than just regular daily care, how easy it is to get attached to them so quickly. And tonight, Ethel gave back to me when I needed her. I was so distraught after coming home from a doctor appt to find out that my uncle, who lives next door, his dog, Great Pyrenees, killed one of my senior cats who was outside in her own yard in her own fenced area. Ethel helped to comfort me in a way I would've never expected. And then tonight after I had gone to bed, she started eating scratch for the first time on her own. I hope this is a good sign that perhaps things are headed in the right direction for her.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8KK9WPs2Uv7HpiWx8

 

[mrskenmore]

It's so amazing how when an animal needs you for more than just regular daily care, how easy it is to get attached to them so quickly. And tonight, Ethel gave back to me when I needed her. I was so distraught after coming home from a doctor appt to find out that my uncle, who lives next door, his dog, Great Pyrenees, killed one of my senior cats who was outside in her own yard in her own fenced area. Ethel helped to comfort me in a way I would've never expected. And then tonight after I had gone to bed, she started eating scratch for the first time on her own. I hope this is a good sign that perhaps things are headed in the right direction for her.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8KK9WPs2Uv7HpiWx8

I am so sorry to hear about your cat. That is just awful. Sending you love and hugs. Congrats on the milestone of Ethel eating on her own! That is a big step!

 

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

So now that Ethel is eating on her own, the next thing I need to know is if she can eat too much. We put a bowl down overnight that had maybe 1/2 cup of scratch and when my husband got up she had eaten it all so he put another bowl down that had the rest of the scratch we had brought up to the house to see if she would eat and she drove right into that bowl and continued eating. She had not finished that bowl which had probably at least one cup or more of scratch in it when my husband put down some bird seed to see if she would eat that and she switched over and started eating the bird seed. I told him to take both bowls up and put a bowl of water down to make sure she's drinking on her own and to make sure she isn't eating too much. I guess I'm concerned because she's been off her feed for so long. If eating too much might upset things. She did poop several times throughout the night. I guess now it's time to start learning what her different actions mean, such as what was mentioned earlier about her crop adjusting when she would raise her head and open her beak real wide. I am thinking that I will put the automatic waterer that we picked up the other day out for her since she won't be able to knock that over hopefully. But I'll hold off on putting the automatic feeder out so she doesn't overeat and doesn't have to stick her head in the hole to get the food until she's able to do that better. Your thoughts on any of this is as always, greatly appreciated. As you can see in the second video she was drinking from the little water bowl. After he took the food away. I didn't see her put her head up to swallow like I was expecting to see and then her just miscellaneously pecking around at nothing also? Also, should I stop tube feeding her now but somehow still get her the vitamins we've been giving her and the nutri-drench?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/h14UycHKWYctd5wW6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/iXSYuDhyScQpLkBN8

 

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

Ethel was wanting to eat scratch again tonight since she's eating on her own now. So is it okay to let her eat as much as she wants? And is it okay to stop the tube feeding?

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I'm really sorry about your cat. But not at all surprised that Ethel noticed your grief and comforted you. Feel free to say what she did, if/when you wish.

SO glad that she has begun to eat on her own. She won't overeat on regular chicken feed, but could overeat scratch grains, bird seed, etc. if offered free-choice. Which could cause her to become overweight, and you Definitely don't want that. Plus, scratch and birdseed don't provide proper nutrition that a chicken needs. In the video where she put her beak in the water bowl but didn't lift her head, and when she was pecking the floor around her, I think she was hoping to find more delicious bird seed morsels! Overall, she looks more animated with every video you post, which is Great to see.

What were you offering her as far as food that she wouldn't eat on her own? The best long-term feed for her going forward is All-Flock chicken feed. (Or maybe non-medicated Starter/Grower chick feed.) Both come in crumbles form, which she will likely find more enticing than pellets. If you add enough water to the crumbles to make them clump but not become mushy, that will usually entice a chicken to eat. The way I do it to get their attention is set the food bowl in front of them, make sure they are looking at bowl, pour water in bowl (which also gets their attention), then push the mixture into clumps with my finger, which will usually entice them to eat. It's ok to mix some scratch or bird seeds into the wet chicken feed if she won't eat the crumbles by itself, but asap try to get her eating regular chicken feed.

Is she still frequently adjusting her crop that @Wyorp Rock commented on? It crossed my mind that possibly the plastic tubing had somehow irritated her crop. Tube-feeding is usually only needed short-term, so if she will eat on her own that is best, but she still needs her vitamins.

I'm tagging @azygous @Wyorp Rock @coach723 to address your questions plus add anything else they think you should know. I'm pretty certain she won't overfill her crop in one meal, so until you hear from others let her eat a fair amount. The main issue is the scratch doesn't provide proper nutrition that she needs. But in addition to all-flock chicken feed, i think she also needs her vitamins. You should hear from a tagged someone soon.

 

[Painted Calls]

Instead of scratch, I'd offer a "just past damp" mash using her balanced feed. Get it wet enough that it just sticks together. Start with a small amount.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

@Gotalotofpetstoo , any time you have questions, especially if you need a quick answer, never hesitate to tag someone(s) directly. This forum is very busy with continual new posts, and it's very easy for someone's post/thread to quickly disappear way down the line. All those who have helped you here are more than willing to advise again (many others are willing to advise too), but it's good to tag them to ensure they see your question(s).

Additionally, I for one can't remember what vitamins you are giving Ethel besides poultry drench and E, and Bcomplex. Ethel's thread is now quite long (a good thing cause it means she's still here!), but it will help to ask your exact questions in each new post. For example, "Does Ethel still need her vitamins, and if so, how do I give her vitamins E, B, poultry drench, etc. when she no longer needs a feeding tube?" Fyi Giving a chicken a pill is easy and I and others can tell you how, but I tagged some medical experts in case there's something else they think you should know.

 

[Gotalotofpetstoo]

I'm really sorry about your cat. But not at all surprised that Ethel noticed your grief and comforted you. Feel free to say what she did, if/when you wish.

SO glad that she has begun to eat on her own. She won't overeat on regular chicken feed, but could overeat scratch grains, bird seed, etc. if offered free-choice. Which could cause her to become overweight, and you Definitely don't want that. Plus, scratch and birdseed don't provide proper nutrition that a chicken needs. In the video where she put her beak in the water bowl but didn't lift her head, and when she was pecking the floor around her, I think she was hoping to find more delicious bird seed morsels! Overall, she looks more animated with every video you post, which is Great to see.

What were you offering her as far as food that she wouldn't eat on her own? The best long-term feed for her going forward is All-Flock chicken feed. (Or maybe non-medicated Starter/Grower chick feed.) Both come in crumbles form, which she will likely find more enticing than pellets. If you add enough water to the crumbles to make them clump but not become mushy, that will usually entice a chicken to eat. The way I do it to get their attention is set the food bowl in front of them, make sure they are looking at bowl, pour water in bowl (which also gets their attention), then push the mixture into clumps with my finger, which will usually entice them to eat. It's ok to mix some scratch or bird seeds into the wet chicken feed if she won't eat the crumbles by itself, but asap try to get her eating regular chicken feed.

Is she still frequently adjusting her crop that @Wyorp Rock commented on? It crossed my mind that possibly the plastic tubing had somehow irritated her crop. Tube-feeding is usually only needed short-term, so if she will eat on her own that is best, but she still needs her vitamins.

I'm tagging @azygous @Wyorp Rock @coach723 to address your questions plus add anything else they think you should know. I'm pretty certain she won't overfill her crop in one meal, so until you hear from others let her eat a fair amount. The main issue is the scratch doesn't provide proper nutrition that she needs. But in addition to all-flock chicken feed, i think she also needs her vitamins. You should hear from a tagged someone soon.

So we were offering her what is pictured below, maybe that isn't scratch, that just I've always heard chicken feed called. We were also offering her dried grub worms, bird seed, horse food since she used to always go down and pick up what the horse is dropped and we tried the scrambled egg and the egg yolk alone. The only thing she ever touched was the egg yolk and she only pecked it a few times if we put it up to her beak.
The vitamins we were giving her are vitamin E 678 mg/ 1000 IU three times a day, vitamin b100 complex with B2, b6, b12 in it and we were grinding that up into powder and adding it to her formula one time per day, a tiny sliver of selenium at each feeding and the Nutri drench, 1 dropper full in each feeding.
As far as the feed that is pictured below, which is what my mother always said them so I brought some up here, I don't know the brand name or exactly what it's called but I'll get a picture of it tonight when I go down to Mom's. I looked online and found that tractor supply sells the DuMore 17% All Flock chicken feed, but will she want pellets? They do have a Nature's Best Organic All Flock crumble, if that brand and organic is ok? The Nature's Best Organic is about $10 more per bag and a 10# smaller bag and has a min of 20% protein, but considering I'd only be feeding one chicken up here, 40 lb would last a long time.
So after she has eaten what she has eaten today, which was maybe close to a 1/2 - 1 cup of what's in the picture below along with a very small amount of bird seed and a dozen or so grub worms, her crop feels quite full and hard. I'm hoping the hard is because she's eating solid food now and not liquid?
I think that has covered about everything for today. Anyway. And thank you for your suggestion about tagging somebody individually. I guess that kind of crossed my mind, but I hate to bother anybody and just hope that somebody might come across it evenly since my posts do tend to be long for the most part. I'm just so thrilled that she has come as far as she has come and hope she hangs out with us for a while longer.

 

[azygous]

That's so tragic about your cat. I know the bond you can have with a cat, I've had it, and I understand it can be as painful losing your cat as losing a human member of the family. And when the manner of death is so violent, it can be especially hard to deal with.

You now have a similar bond with Ethel. I've seen it a lot on this forum where the human caretaker has developed a strong bond with the sick or injured chicken, and it's mutual and very strong. It's known that a dog or cat will bond with the human that saves its life but so do chickens.

Since it's been a month Ethel had been on the B-complex without recovering her motility, it's my hunch she was injured and has either a permanent spinal injury or a serious injury that requires more time and more vitamin E. I would stop the B-complex and continue with the E for a while longer.

I also suggest you cut out all the extra sources of food as they are not formulated with the special minerals and vitamins a chicken needs. Chickens, being such small animals, are sensitive to vitamin and mineral deficiencies and the best way to assure they get all they need is to restrict the diet to 99% commercial chicken crumbles or pellets. Horse feed may be tasty to chickens as are cat and dog food, but they lack the mineral and vitamins a chicken needs.

I don't know if this will improve her recovery or not, but it's important regardless.