Chicken loosing feathers and walking sideways

[EggWalrus]

I would definitely give her the vitamins to see if that helps.
Hard to tell if it's the angle of the photo/the way she's holding the foot, but is her left foot swollen a bit? Is she walking sideways favoring that side?
I know my molting gals don't like to be handled much, but can you carefully get her and check out the foot?
View attachment 1936181

Good catch! I was wondering about it myself.

 

[Soto Hobby Farm]

I would definitely give her the vitamins to see if that helps.
Hard to tell if it's the angle of the photo/the way she's holding the foot, but is her left foot swollen a bit? Is she walking sideways favoring that side?
I know my molting gals don't like to be handled much, but can you carefully get her and check out the foot?
View attachment 1936181

I just went out to see how she walks this morning without her apron on and still the same. But I’m looking at both feet neither seems to be swollen. When she walks it’s a whole side body thing... almost from her hip down. But when my son went in to take off her apron last night she was sleeping in the nesting box which she would have had to jump up in. So I don’t think she’s avoiding any activities that hurt her leg/foot/hip. She is definitely not herself though. She doesn’t come to me like she used to... I know that could be her molting... if I was going though a moly like her I’d probably be a wreck too lol!

 

[Soto Hobby Farm]

This is her without her apron on his morning.

 

[EggWalrus]

This is her without her apron on his morning.

View attachment 1936266 View attachment 1936267

Now if only she'll grow some feathers to cover up that big butt!

 

[Soto Hobby Farm]

Now if only she'll grow some feathers to cover up that big butt!

Just wanted to second the vitamins. I have a hen that is having a hard molt and I came outside one morning and she was walking sideways. She was one that literally did a feather explosion leaving a giant pile under her roost. I gave her nutri-drench for a couple of days and it resolved. I suspect that she hasn't been eating well since the molt is making her feel lousy and uncomfortable. If the nutri-drench hadn't helped I was going to do vitamin E and the B's specifically at higher doses. Molt can have some unexpected effects sometimes, hard to predict how hard it is on their bodies.

oh I really hope this is what it is! Thanks for adding tour experience it makes me feel better. I will definitely go get her some vitamins today

 

[EggWalrus]

Get some NutriDrench or Rooster Booster in her, and hopefully, she'll be as good as new.
Now to work on growing those feathers!

 

[glassdragonfly]

Aw poor girl! She's embarrassed!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Just wanted to second the vitamins. I have a hen that is having a hard molt and I came outside one morning and she was walking sideways. She was one that literally did a feather explosion leaving a giant pile under her roost. I gave her nutri-drench for a couple of days and it resolved. I suspect that she hasn't been eating well since the molt is making her feel lousy and uncomfortable. If the nutri-drench hadn't helped I was going to do vitamin E and the B's specifically at higher doses. Molt can have some unexpected effects sometimes, hard to predict how hard it is on their bodies.

I have one that occassionally ducks down low when she walks - only when in molt. It's very odd almost like she's ducking under something for just a few steps, then she straightens for pretty much the rest of the day. Every year the same thing with her. She really has a hard time with molting. Poultry Cell seems to make a difference, I usually direct dose her every 2 days or so.

 

[MotherHen75]

The walking sideways thing may be a side effect to an impacted crop. I might be wrong but still good to check.

 

[Soto Hobby Farm]

So update, I gave all the chickens the vitamin water tonight. It was already dusk by the time I went out but she did come out for a second to take some. She looked so much better! Since we took her apron off she’s spent time fluffing all her new feathers. She wasn’t around long enough to let me monitor her waking but I’ll check in her tomorrow. Thank you to everyone for all your help