I have a flock of about 35 hens and this morning one of the birds was outside the coop (but right nearby it) before the door opened, meaning she didn't make it inside last night. She was laying down on her side, and didn't put up a fight when I picked her up (my flock is pretty feral. They'll come right up to me but won't let me pick them up). She was unable to stand. I brought her inside and found that she had poop and an egg stuck to her feathers outside of her vent, I have to assume this happened because she couldn't move. Got her washed and wrapped up in a towel, and got some electrolytes in her, and offered her some scrambled egg + fresh water. She ate the egg, and is drinking the water, but sticks her whole head in the little container of water, as though she has poor coordination. She is strong, flappy, and WANTS to stand up, but is struggling to stay upright, she keeps tipping forward and to the right a bit. The whole flock was vaccinated for mareks as chicks in the hatchery. I've given her some vitamin E and selenium gel, not sure what my best course of action is. She doesn't appear to be in pain or distress outside of wanting to stand and struggling to do so.
It seems from my research the likely culprits are some sort of vitamin deficiency, mareks, or an injury (though she doesn't appear injured - i did find her where i fed the flock some leftover rice last night, so maybe she got injured in the fray?) What is my move from here? Supportive care and see if she improves? If she's not getting better after a couple of days, I assume that's the time we call it? I'm happy to care for her if there's a chance of her improving and living a normal life but I don't want to prolong the inevitable if she's not likely to come back from this.
Edit: Details in case they're pertinent. Whole flock was hatched in mid February, she's an olive egger production mutt from hillside hatchery. The flock is free ranged from a mobile chicken coop that gets hauled around our farm. Lately we've been having issues with hawk attacks, we've lost 5 birds over the last couple of weeks, but I haven't seen evidence of any of the hens getting attacked and then left alone, the hawks generally eat til they're full or get interrupted, then fly away. Birds are getting an organic all flock 20% crumble with oyster shell free choice. They also get kitchen scraps and stuff from the garden, plus anything they can find free ranging.
It seems from my research the likely culprits are some sort of vitamin deficiency, mareks, or an injury (though she doesn't appear injured - i did find her where i fed the flock some leftover rice last night, so maybe she got injured in the fray?) What is my move from here? Supportive care and see if she improves? If she's not getting better after a couple of days, I assume that's the time we call it? I'm happy to care for her if there's a chance of her improving and living a normal life but I don't want to prolong the inevitable if she's not likely to come back from this.
Edit: Details in case they're pertinent. Whole flock was hatched in mid February, she's an olive egger production mutt from hillside hatchery. The flock is free ranged from a mobile chicken coop that gets hauled around our farm. Lately we've been having issues with hawk attacks, we've lost 5 birds over the last couple of weeks, but I haven't seen evidence of any of the hens getting attacked and then left alone, the hawks generally eat til they're full or get interrupted, then fly away. Birds are getting an organic all flock 20% crumble with oyster shell free choice. They also get kitchen scraps and stuff from the garden, plus anything they can find free ranging.
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