Chicken having problems standing up and walking.

[eep123]

Hi. I'm new to owning chickens and so far I love them. However, one of mine recently started having problems walking. She eats fine and drinks plenty but she can't stand up properly. She seems to have something really heavy pulling her chest down. I have researched some stuff and I can't find anything like this. She seems happy enough. There is no problem with her legs. She tries to stand and can get her back side up but has to balance herself on her beak to stay up. She's my favorite and I really want her to get better. Please help!!

 

[sammi]

how old is the hen?
is she laying eggs?

do you know how to check the crop?
does she have a pendulous crop?
is she actually eating, or just pecking and look like she's eating?

what all do you feed?
do you have oyster shell available?

has she been wormed?
if so, when and what was used?
describe droppings...color and consistency..
has she been treated for mites?

is she thin?

 

[eep123]

she is about 16 weeks. no she's not laying eggs yet.
no i don't know how to check the crop. what is pendulous crop?
yes, she is definitely eating. i feed her layer ration and grit.
i don't know if she's been wormed or treated for mites, but she doesn't look like she has mites. her droppings are brown in color with white caps on the end and are not runny. no, she is not thin, she's about the same size as my other chickens

 

[eep123]

Someone help please!!!!!

 

[kiya4jah]

I had a hen that was unable to walk. It was like her legs turned to rubber and her toes eventually curled under. She would use her beak and wings to scramble around. She had rickets and we treated her with yogurt with poly-vi-sol vitamine drops. I used 4 drops in a 1/4 cup of plain yogurt every day for 1 week then I gave it to her every other day for a week then twice and week for a week then once in a while. Sammi, another poster, gave me a great recipie as well that had cooked oats,egg yolk,yogurt and ground shell. It took several months for her to walk again and gain weight, but you can't tell she was ever sick or crippled now. You may want to try it and see if it solves her problem.

 

[arlee453]

What KIND of hen?

Could it be a Cornish X (very large white chicken)?

Can you post a picture of her stance? That might help get some more specific answers.

 

[jenjscott]

What breed is she, this sounds like my cornish x or bb turkeys, they are so big they can't hold up their front half. They even sit down next to the feeder to eat. The crop should be a reasonable size. but I don't know how to describe it. Look at pics of chickens from the side or post a pic of yours from the side, If hers is really big she could have so much food in it she can't move right. Feel her crop, don't squeeze it. put her in a crate without food for a while and it should decrease in size as the food is digested.

 

[eep123]

This is a picture of her. Also, her comb doesn't stand up like it should.

 

[eep123]

Anyone??????????

 

[freerange freaks]

I'm pretty sure you have a cornish X rooster.