Chicken can't walk. Please help! Any advice helps!

[kris1990]

Hey,guys! We have 2 separate groups of chicken. That don't mix. 2-3 days ago my husband found one of the hens in one of the enclosures laying on the floor. She can't stand up. I checked her legs and they both are responsive and moving. It's just that she can't stand up. Today he found another hen in the same enclosure with the same problem. 2 days ago one of our roosters from the other enclosure had kinda the same problem,he would stand up make 2-3 steps and lay down,he died few hours after we found him doing that. The 2 girls are still alive. Does anyone know what might be going on? We want to protect the rest of the flock.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry you are having trouble.

Looking back at your previous posts and threads, the best thing you can do is send one or two birds for testing and necropsy. This will give you good information on what you are dealing with and what the best course of treatment would be.

Contact your state lab or your local agricultural extension agent, they will be able to assist you in getting your birds tested.

Necropsy and State labs
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm
http://www.usaha.org/Portals/6/StateAnimalHealthOfficials.pdf

 

[kris1990]

I did already. The rooster that died. And they didn't find anything. They said that there was nothing abnormal and he seemed healthy. They didn't find Merek's either. They sent his tissue to be looked up under microscope but won't have results till probably Monday. The 2 hens that can't walk don't have the same symptoms like him tho. And didn't have any contact with him either.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I did already. The rooster that died. And they didn't find anything. They said that there was nothing abnormal and he seemed healthy. They didn't find Merek's either. They sent his tissue to be looked up under microscope but won't have results till probably Monday. The 2 hens that can't walk don't have the same symptoms like him tho. And didn't have any contact with him either.

OK.
Check your feed/feeders for mold or any areas they have ranged for moldy/rotten matter. Also think about anything that may have changed in the last little while, new bedding, new chickens, new feed/treats etc., any poisons/sprays used.

There are a few respiratory illnesses that can cause lameness/not getting up too.

How old are the ones that are sick? Any chance it can be Cocci. Are they "new" to your property?

 

[kris1990]

Where the water source is they spill all the time and the pine shavings soaked it but it stays wet all the time. Can it be that? Rather than that everything else is clean and dry. And the feed they eat super fast so it's always fresh. They go through 50 lb bag in about a week or so.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Where the water source is they spill all the time and the pine shavings soaked it but it stays wet all the time. Can it be that? Rather than that everything else is clean and dry. And the feed they eat super fast so it's always fresh. They go through 50 lb bag in about a week or so.

Tell me some more about them.
How old are they?
What exactly are the symptoms you are seeing - lethargy, can't walk (are legs paralyzed), any swelling of joints/hocks, any symptoms of respiratory illness (coughing, wheezing, sneezing, mucous from nose/eyes), are they eating/drinking, what is the poop like?
How many have become ill and were all symptoms similar?
How many have died?

Check under the pine shavings where the water is to make sure they are not moldy.

 

[kris1990]

The 2 hens that can't walk are about 8 months old. 1 of them is a Bantam and we got her from tractor supply the other one we got from a different local breeder. It's really just that they can't stand on their feet. The feet themselves are active- they can move them,they can hold my finger,there is no swelling. They just stretch their feet forward and push their bodies backwards. As a summary they are pretty active and strong. They eat and drink on their own and I give them some vitamins. No sneezing and no coughing. In the enclosure they usually live some of the chicken did have respiratory diseases few months back and we lost quite a few of them. These specific 2 hens weren't sick before. We treated them with a different antibiotics and I took one to the vet and he gave a medication that stopped the disease. No chicken from the same enclosure has died now,since the leg problems started and only 2 have shown problems with their legs and they are both in the house.

 

[kris1990]

We have another enclosure with chicken that we free range. Our alfa rooster died on Thursday. He wasn't really showing any symptoms. The day before I saw him laying around in the sand,he was still active and tuning. The next day my husband found him laying in the coop next to the door. And as everyone else was going out they were stepping on him because he wouldn't stand up. So he pick the rooster and called me. And we separated him. I gave him food and water and he would still stand up,make few steps and lay back down. By the end of the day he was gone. I took him to the lab for necropcy (even tho I felt bad doing that) and the necropcy showed nothing wrong with him. Still waiting on the tissue results tho. He was year and a half old. The day he died he was gasping a little and I heard him sneezing one time.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you post a photo of how the hens are lying down?

Are the legs under them, to the side or splayed?

They only push backwards or can they move forward with movement of wings?

 

[kris1990]

They only go backwards and sideways. One of them lays sideways and the other one is putting them on the front.