Chicken seems sick!

[Wildpines]

Hello! New chicken owner here! I have a chicken who is sick and I have researched everything I can to no avail. Please let me know if you have any suggestions.

Monday morning I opened the coop and she was standing there kind of lopsided, her comb was floppy and she was waddling. I immediately thought “egg bound” soaked her, supplied her vitamin C and got her to lay on Monday night. Fast forward to Thursday night she has not laid another egg since the one on Monday and she is still showing similar behavior. However she is eating drinking and pooping like a champ. She finally laid another egg on Thursday night. Today, Friday morning she still seems “lame” I have her secluded in a kennel. Sometimes she seems completely normal, but then she will go lame again and be wobbly and use her wings to balance and just lay down. Her comb is bright red but floppy. She is eating drinking and has healthy poop. Any ideas on what it might be?

Thank you in advance, I just want this sweet girl to feel better!

 

[Beloved Turkey]

I hate a chicken with a case like this, I soaked her a few times even though she wasn’t egg bound, with Epsom salt and gave her vet rx. Eventually she got better I had no idea what was wrong I was just trying my best to get her better and are for her. I don’t know if this will help but I hope you chicken gets better

 

[coach723]

How old is your chicken? If she's pooping then she's not egg bound.

 

[Wildpines]

How old is your chicken? If she's pooping then she's not egg bound.

She is 8 months old. My initial thought was egg bound but after research I realized that was not the case since she is pooping.

 

[Wildpines]

I hate a chicken with a case like this, I soaked her a few times even though she wasn’t egg bound, with Epsom salt and gave her vet rx. Eventually she got better I had no idea what was wrong I was just trying my best to get her better and are for her. I don’t know if this will help but I hope you chicken gets better

I hate a chicken with a case like this, I soaked her a few times even though she wasn’t egg bound, with Epsom salt and gave her vet rx. Eventually she got better I had no idea what was wrong I was just trying my best to get her better and are for her. I don’t know if this will help but I hope you chicken gets better

Ughh it is frustrating for sure only thing that seems wrong is floppy comb and acting “lame” with lack of balance. Everything else is fine. Just wish I knew how to help her. Will likely take her to a vet if I don’t see improvement soon. Glad to hear yours got better!

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you post any pictures? Is she standing tall, or sitting or walking on her hocks? Do you feed a layer feed and provide crushed oyster shell free choice? Videos of her walking may be up loaded to YouTube and a link posted here. Floppy combs can be normal in some breeds, or there could be some dehydration or illness.

 

[coach723]

How long has she been laying eggs? Have they been normal and regular up to now?
A couple of thoughts, first, anytime I have a bird that seems off balance or lame with nothing to explain it I will give them a super B complex tablet or capsule once daily (human ones, you can get them anywhere vitamins are sold). Very safe, extra will be excreted. Vitamin deficiencies are not uncommon and can cause weird symptoms sometimes.
If this seems to only happen when she's getting ready to lay, then the passage of the egg may be putting pressure on the sciatic nerve, which could cause the lameness. If she is a new layer, then it may work itself out with some time, if she's been laying for a while and this just started, then possibly her eggs getting larger (that is common, small when they start laying and gradually getting larger) that may be the cause. Does she have access to oyster shell for calcium? Even if you are feeding a layer feed, some birds may need more. A video so we can see what she's doing, might be helpful.

 

[Wildpines]

I will post pictures and videos here in a bit when I take her outside for some fresh air. Yes to the layer feed and crushed oyster shells on the side.

How long has she been laying eggs? Have they been normal and regular up to now?
A couple of thoughts, first, anytime I have a bird that seems off balance or lame with nothing to explain it I will give them a super B complex tablet or capsule once daily (human ones, you can get them anywhere vitamins are sold). Very safe, extra will be excreted. Vitamin deficiencies are not uncommon and can cause weird symptoms sometimes.
If this seems to only happen when she's getting ready to lay, then the passage of the egg may be putting pressure on the sciatic nerve, which could cause the lameness. If she is a new layer, then it may work itself out with some time, if she's been laying for a while and this just started, then possibly her eggs getting larger (that is common, small when they start laying and gradually getting larger) that may be the cause. Does she have access to oyster shell for calcium? Even if you are feeding a layer feed, some birds may need more. A video so we can see what she's doing, might be helpful

She was one of the last of my chickens to lay an egg and has only been laying for I would say 2-3 weeks. Her eggs are normal size/on the small side. I will definitely go get her some super B complex. She is very inconsistent in how she acts, sometimes she is standing tall and tail is up then a few minutes later she will be lame again with tail down and struggling to balance. This morning she has almost a limp. She laid an egg Monday night and Thursday night and acted strange the whole time she almost seems worse this morning.I do have oyster shells available for her and I added a probiotic powder to her water as well. I will post photos and videos soon! Thank you!

 

[Wildpines]

Can you post any pictures? Is she standing tall, or sitting or walking on her hocks? Do you feed a layer feed and provide crushed oyster shell free choice? Videos of her walking may be up loaded to YouTube and a link posted here. Floppy combs can be normal in some breeds, or there could be some dehydration or illness.

Here are some photos, and links to a few videos I can post more if needed. I have 4 other Rhode Island Reds that have tall combs, hers just went floppy this week.

I will post pictures and videos here in a bit when I take her outside for some fresh air. Yes to the layer feed and crushed oyster shells on the side.

She was one of the last of my chickens to lay an egg and has only been laying for I would say 2-3 weeks. Her eggs are normal size/on the small side. I will definitely go get her some super B complex. She is very inconsistent in how she acts, sometimes she is standing tall and tail is up then a few minutes later she will be lame again with tail down and struggling to balance. This morning she has almost a limp. She laid an egg Monday night and Thursday night and acted strange the whole time she almost seems worse this morning.I do have oyster shells available for her and I added a probiotic powder to her water as well. I will post photos and videos soon! Thank you!

Here are photos and links to videos let me know if you need to see more.

 

[coach723]

Have you checked the bottom of her feet for any signs of bumblefoot? From what I can see she seems to be favoring the left leg/foot more, so maybe even injury. Sometimes they tweak things jumping up and down from things, so even possible it's a sprain or strain. I would continue to crate her to let it rest, give her the vitamins, monitor eating, drinking, laying, pooping. See if the vitamins give you any improvement. If something changes or she gets worse, let us know.