Chicken keeps falling over! Help!

[ANiceKaren]

Hi everyone! I had so much luck with my last sick girl I came back for a new issue! My 8-9 month old Buff Orpington woke this morning not being able to walk without falling over. She is standing but cannot walk without falling. She was totally fine yesterday! Her comb is bright red.. drinking but not eating. She seems alert and normal, pupils are very dilated but maybe because she is in the house. She is eating a bit too if I put food up high so she doesn’t have to bend. She seems totally fine outside of the fact that she cannot walk. Could she be egg bound? Everyone in flock is fine... only changes.. been cold and snowy.. I added a hay bale to run yesterday... from feed store. Could it be poison? That may sound silly.. just so worried. Any help would be appreciated please! So worried about my Gertrude!

 

[City farm]

Have you checked for mites? Spread open her feather by her vent to see the eggs by the skin/feathers. Look up some photos so you know what your looking for. You can use permethrin dust powder with no egg withdrawal

 

[ANiceKaren]

Have you checked for mites? Spread open her feather by her vent to see the eggs by the skin/feathers. Look up some photos so you know what your looking for. You can use permethrin dust powder with no egg withdrawal

Her vent area is totally clean... no eggs or mites as far as I can tell ... feet seem normal as well.

 

[City farm]

oh, huh yeah maybe she ate something, or a spider/scorpion? It’s a guessing game. How is she now? Is she egg bound?

 

[ANiceKaren]

oh, huh yeah maybe she ate something, or a spider/scorpion? It’s a guessing game. How is she now? Is she egg bound?

No scorpions here...not sure if she ate something.. she is the same. Egg bound could be the issue. Going to do a bath soon for her and I have her some calcium a little bit ago...

 

[City farm]

No scorpions here...not sure if she ate something.. she is the same. Egg bound could be the issue. Going to do a bath soon for her and I have her some calcium a little bit ago...

Your doing great, keep us posted.

 

[azygous]

Is she holding her tail down low? Is she pecking at her legs, thighs or shanks or feet? That would indicate pain.

But from your narrative, it sounds like weakness. The first step of ruling out weakness would be to give her some sugar water with a pinch of salt and baking soda or have her drink some tepid Gatoraid. Then see if she snaps out of it.

Have you been following my thread on a pullet I have that has been paralyzed by a mysterious illness? Three out of four pullets have been affected. One died, one completely recovered within a couple weeks, and the third is just now recovering the use of her legs. It began like your hen, a slight weakness in one leg, pecking at her thigh indicating it hurt, then it quickly went into full paralysis. She was also so sick at one point, she wouldn't or couldn't eat due to being flat out prone. She's recovered with vitamin E and B-6. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...update-now-another-pullet-going-lame.1432738/

 

[ANiceKaren]

Your doing great, keep us posted.

Still can’t walk normally but eating up a storm and drinking water... she did poop and it was a total normal chicken poop... if she were egg bound I don’t think that would happen right? Does anyone know if I can give her Vitamin B?

 

[City farm]

Still can’t walk normally but eating up a storm and drinking water... she did poop and it was a total normal chicken poop... if she were egg bound I don’t think that would happen right? Does anyone know if I can give her Vitamin B?

Look in the egg bound category on here.

 

[ANiceKaren]

Is she holding her tail down low? Is she pecking at her legs, thighs or shanks or feet? That would indicate pain.

But from your narrative, it sounds like weakness. The first step of ruling out weakness would be to give her some sugar water with a pinch of salt and baking soda or have her drink some tepid Gatoraid. Then see if she snaps out of it.

Have you been following my thread on a pullet I have that has been paralyzed by a mysterious illness? Three out of four pullets have been affected. One died, one completely recovered within a couple weeks, and the third is just now recovering the use of her legs. It began like your hen, a slight weakness in one leg, pecking at her thigh indicating it hurt, then it quickly went into full paralysis. She was also so sick at one point, she wouldn't or couldn't eat due to being flat out prone. She's recovered with vitamin E and B-6. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...update-now-another-pullet-going-lame.1432738/

Hi again... I cannot thank you enough for responding... I’m sick over my poor girl.. just when Margaret is doing better! She isn’t picking at her legs or feet but tail is down... mostly because of the way she has to stand to hold herself up. I have her calcium today.. vet Rx and an Epsom bath but still the same. She does seem alert and eating.. actually gave her some sugar water as well before bed. Praying for a miracle... it’s so hard to see her try and walk but just fall. She can stand but very wobbly. She is pooping completely normal too! I will read your thread you sent! Thank you! So have a recommendation on how to give them vitamin e and b 6? here are a few pics of her