Chicken, lethargic and mobility problems

[Zerex]

Recently I created a thread about Sunny (https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-mobility-problems-lethargic-need-help.1446727/) but I think creating another will garner more attention as she needs further help and I'm not sure what I can do for her at this point. She is a seventh month old chicken and lately she was having trouble walking on one of her legs. She ate fine today, I gave her scrambled eggs mixed with crumble and she drank a lot of water, and some with Chic Saver, when I placed it next to her. She needed to scoot with her wings to get around as she is having problems standing up and walking. She then decided to fall asleep. I'm so scared that she'll die but I'm not sure what I should do as I do not know what is wrong with her. She's been having mobility problems for about a week and lost her ability to stand on that particular leg yesterday. That leg has red/purple scaling that is spreading up from her toes and feels weaker than the other. Please tell me what I can do to help her.

She was supposed to be a leghorn hen but appears to be some sort of meatbird, regardless I love her and treat her like a pet. She has never laid an egg and does not appear to be egg bound. In fact, some people think she may be a rooster but she has never developed spurs and that to me seems unlikely.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Can you provide photos of the red/purple scaling? The video is not visible to members, it is labeled private.

 

[Zerex]

Can you provide photos of the red/purple scaling? The video is not visible to members, it is labeled private.

Thank you for telling me. Should be fixed now.

Here is a video of her a few days ago:

One of the legs in the video is obviously discolored and this is her hurt leg.

@Eggcessive @Vickischics

 

[Zerex]

Is there anything at all I can do to save her? Someone please tell me.

 

[feather13]

I'm not good at diagnosing diseases, so I'm sorry I can't be of much help. I'm sorry this is happening to your chicken and hope my response bumps up your post.

Do you by any chance have an avian vet nearby? You might try calling all the vets in your area to see if they'll treat chickens because most don't post a list of the kinds of animals they treat on their website.

Could your chicken possibly have bumble foot? http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/bumblefoot It's a bacterial infection that is treatable at home (there are a bunch of YouTube videos) or in a vet office.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings Zerex,

Your bird is definitely ill. Honestly, there are numerous illnesses that can cause lameness, discoloration of skin, neck weakness or twisting, etc. Even a vet would have to start with a CBC, and x-ray. If you could take her to see a vet, that would be the very best thing to do. If not this will not be easy to diagnose.

At this point, we can assume it is not frostbite. Frostbite causes necrosis of the flesh starting on the outer most areas of exposed flesh, the comb, wattles and the toes. Necrosis is purple, black dying flesh. She could have a slight freeze burn on her comb, which will be white tinged. But that would not explain her paralysis.

A discolored leg is a result of poor blood supply. The major blood vessel in the leg could have been injure after jumping off a high perch. It can also be injured during a break in the bone. But the fact that she does stand on that leg is most of the videos does not support a broken bone. Certain disorders can affect the blood flow to the leg. She could have been born with a vascular problem. I had a pullet like that. She died at 10 months old.


You say she is eating, drinking and pooping OK? If that is the case, those are good signs.

So, here is what should be done for your sick chicken.

• The sick chicken must be in a hospital crate, with mild warmth of 70 degrees. A heat lamp with a temperature gauge will allow you to monitor the heat.
• A fecal float test should be done immediately. Parasites can be a cause and contributor to poor health in a chicken. And often, interfere with recovery of a curable illness.
• She should have food and water available during the day.
• Administer, a good multivitamin supplement twice daily, for two weeks, to boost her immune system. Nutri-Drench is a good multivitamin that many chicken keepers keep handy. Pet-tinic is another good multivitamin, it contains iron, which is essential for treating injuries.
• Good nursing of the hen will help her on the road to recovery. This not only entails feeding, but also hygiene of the hen. Keep the vent clean of feces. A chicken diaper will save you a lot of work. A diaper eliminates the need for messy wood shavings or straw in the crate. But you will need to empty the diaper at least twice a day.
• A chicken with extreme weakness and/or paralysis does better in a small soft doggie bed cushion (use a diaper, or cover with a puppy pad or paper towels). Rolled towels placed around the chicken, can also be used as bolsters to steady the chicken while sitting.
• A sling/wheelchair is helpful. The chicken can be placed in the sling/wheelchair for a few hours each day to improve blood flow and mobility.

Simple tub/box sling

This sounds like a lot of work but it is part of caring for chickens. Once you have a regimen set up it will go smoothly. All animals get sick at one time or another. If we don't have a vet, we keepers need to educate ourselves in the proper care of the sick animal. Of course there are some things we cannot do like a trained vet. For instance, x-rays, and other tests are beyond our ability. So then, we must do a good examination of the chicken, and list what we see. Look in the chickens mouth and throat for lesions, lumps, growths. Take notice of any unusual or foul odors in the mouth or body. The condition of the poop will be one of the most helpful diagnostic tools for the keeper. What is the texture, Is it watery, bulky, or greasy? What is the color, is it grayish green, neon green, yellow, brown, white, black? What about the urates (the white part on the poop). What color is it, white, cream, light yellow or dark yellow. Also note whether the chicken is releasing a lot of urine when pooping. Yes, chickens release urine.


These are my thoughts on your hens illness. I hope I have been helpful.

God Bless you and your flock.

 

[Zerex]

I'm not good at diagnosing diseases, so I'm sorry I can't be of much help. I'm sorry this is happening to your chicken and hope my response bumps up your post.

Do you by any chance have an avian vet nearby? You might try calling all the vets in your area to see if they'll treat chickens because most don't post a list of the kinds of animals they treat on their website.

Could your chicken possibly have bumble foot? http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/bumblefoot It's a bacterial infection that is treatable at home (there are a bunch of YouTube videos) or in a vet office.

Sunny has no signs of bumblefoot. I checked yesterday. Unfortunately I live in a very small town and the closest vet that treats bird is two hours away. That is why I am using this website but I don't know if I can save her, unfortunately. I don't know what I'm doing and that leg looks dead to me and as if it is hurting her. I don't know how to amputate, though, or even if that's something that I should be doing. She is a meat bird and likely won't be able to support her weight without that leg.

 

[Zerex]

Greetings Zerex,

Your bird is definitely ill. Honestly, there are numerous illnesses that can cause lameness, discoloration of skin, neck weakness or twisting, etc. Even a vet would have to start with a CBC, and x-ray. If you could take her to see a vet, that would be the very best thing to do. If not this will not be easy to diagnose.

At this point, we can assume it is not frostbite. Frostbite causes necrosis of the flesh starting on the outer most areas of exposed flesh, the comb, wattles and the toes. Necrosis is purple, black dying flesh. She could have a slight freeze burn on her comb, which will be white tinged. But that would not explain her paralysis.

A discolored leg is a result of poor blood supply. The major blood vessel in the leg could have been injure after jumping off a high perch. It can also be injured during a break in the bone. But the fact that she does stand on that leg is most of the videos does not support a broken bone. Certain disorders can affect the blood flow to the leg. She could have been born with a vascular problem. I had a pullet like that. She died at 10 months old.


You say she is eating, drinking and pooping OK? If that is the case, those are good signs.

So, here is what should be done for your sick chicken.

• The sick chicken must be in a hospital crate, with mild warmth of 70 degrees. A heat lamp with a temperature gauge will allow you to monitor the heat.
• A fecal float test should be done immediately. Parasites can be a cause and contributor to poor health in a chicken. And often, interfere with recovery of a curable illness.
• She should have food and water available during the day.
• Administer, a good multivitamin supplement twice daily, for two weeks, to boost her immune system. Nutri-Drench is a good multivitamin that many chicken keepers keep handy. Pet-tinic is another good multivitamin, it contains iron, which is essential for treating injuries.
• Good nursing of the hen will help her on the road to recovery. This not only entails feeding, but also hygiene of the hen. Keep the vent clean of feces. A chicken diaper will save you a lot of work. A diaper eliminates the need for messy wood shavings or straw in the crate. But you will need to empty the diaper at least twice a day.
• A chicken with extreme weakness and/or paralysis does better in a small soft doggie bed cushion (use a diaper, or cover with a puppy pad or paper towels). Rolled towels placed around the chicken, can also be used as bolsters to steady the chicken while sitting.
• A sling/wheelchair is helpful. The chicken can be placed in the sling/wheelchair for a few hours each day to improve blood flow and mobility.

Simple tub/box sling
View attachment 2543411
This sounds like a lot of work but it is part of caring for chickens. Once you have a regimen set up it will go smoothly. All animals get sick at one time or another. If we don't have a vet, we keepers need to educate ourselves in the proper care of the sick animal. Of course there are some things we cannot do like a trained vet. For instance, x-rays, and other tests are beyond our ability. So then, we must do a good examination of the chicken, and list what we see. Look in the chickens mouth and throat for lesions, lumps, growths. Take notice of any unusual or foul odors in the mouth or body. The condition of the poop will be one of the most helpful diagnostic tools for the keeper. What is the texture, Is it watery, bulky, or greasy? What is the color, is it grayish green, neon green, yellow, brown, white, black? What about the urates (the white part on the poop). What color is it, white, cream, light yellow or dark yellow. Also note whether the chicken is releasing a lot of urine when pooping. Yes, chickens release urine.


These are my thoughts on your hens illness. I hope I have been helpful.

God Bless you and your flock.

Thank you, this is extremely helpful. I'm not sure how to make that sling, though it does look helpful. I think she had diarrhea a few days ago and I'm not sure right now whether or not she still does. I'm not too hopeful that I can help her but I love her and I will do my best. It appears to me as if her leg is badly damaged. I am not sure why it is making her lethargic.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings Zerex,

At this point you should concentrate on giving supportive care to the sick chicken and nursing it. A sick chicken's recovery will depend largely on the amount of nursing and supportive care you can give.

You can have the best medications available, but if the sick bird must survive harsh temperatures, and struggle to compete for food, the chances are they will not make it. No one is suggesting that you do any kind of surgery, either. That is for a vet to do.

Try and make the chicken more comfortable first. Observe her and note any symptoms. Write them down. Is she off feed? That is important to know, too. She needs to eat to recover. If you are feeding supplemental meals, what do they consist of. A supplemental meal should have carbohydrates (Cooked brown rice, wheat berries, oat groats, potato, etc.), protein (egg, cooked minced meats, cooked fish, tofu, etc.), Vegetable matter (chopped greens, cooked frozen vegies, cucumber, tomato), fruit (diced grapes, apple, melon, tomato etc.), and fats (butter, coconut oil, peanut butter) use these to cook with or drizzle on food.

Because the hen is drinking water on her own, she may not need electrolytes. But, you may add them in the water if you have some. Do it for 3 days.

Next, I would like you to feel the good leg. Note if the temperature is warm. Then, feel the bad leg. Is it cool or cold? Report your findings.

We've all been there. Frustrated and fearful that we cannot save our beloved chicken. It's part of having animals of any kind. Step away when you need to. And except that not all things can be fixed. Do you best, and do it with kindness and compassion. Then, if it's not enough, it will be more than millions of precious chickens get throughout the world.


God's blessings and peace to you.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

If she did damage her leg, she may have a hairline fracture. That is just as painful as a full fracture. A severe injury will cause illness like symptoms.

Administer:
Baby Aspirin or low dose aspirin, .40 mg. for pain (this may be given up to 3 times a day)

If there is a break she'll need a sling.

Here is a simple sling. Use a large plastic tub. Be sure to make the leg holes big enough so that her feet go through easily.