Chicken unsteady on feet, collapses and sits a lot

[shetan83]

Hello everyone,

I have a chicken that otherwise looks healthy, bright eyed, eating with an appetite, but for some reason can't seem to stay on its feet. The chicken will get up to hobble a few steps in order to get to food or water, but then seems to have trouble supporting its weight while eating/drinking. It doesn't seem like a leg injury because it's not exactly limping, or taking weight off one leg. It's more that the whole chicken can't seem to support it's own weight. It's not overweight either.

I've read that it might be a vitamin deficiency, but that's really head-scratching because it eats a lot, and eats what the other chickens eat, and none of the other chickens have problems. The chicken is about 4 months old now.

-edit-
It seems to have a balance problem rather than a leg injury. It can run, though awkwardly. If it's tipped on its side, it has a lot of difficulty in righting itself again.

Does anyone know what this problem might be?

If you need any other information, please let me know.

 

[bigmommasilkie]

Hi, did you ever figure out what was wrong with your chicken? I have one exhibiting the same symptons...any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you

 

[chicks4kids]

I would definitely try to give it some extra vitamins. Even though it eats the same as the others, it's body may just need a little boost. I have chicks hatch out and every once in a while, one will have a vitamin deficiency. It won't be able to hold it's head up, walk, eat or drink. They eat the same, and just as much as everyone else, but something in it's body just needs something a bit more.

I go to my local pharmacy and get the PolyVitamin Drops for Infants, without iron-WITHOUT IRON. And you have to ask for that from your pharmacist. It's not prescription, but they do keep it behind the counter for around $10. That is a necessity for a chicken first aid kit in my book. It usually takes a good 24 hours to see results, but it works. I usually take a dropper full of vitamins and dilute it with a dropper ful of water. Mix and dispense a dropperful of diluted solution into it's mouth at least 3 times a day.

Hope that helps.

 

[shetan83]

We force fed him extra vitamins (holding the beak until he swallowed) for quite a long period of time, maybe a few weeks, but eventually he recovered from whatever it was that ailed him and he could walk and run around just like the other chickens. He was always the runt of the flock though. During that time period, he would also stink like whoa because he'd be dragging himself through all the chicken poop.

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

Glad to hear he is better now

 

[bigmommasilkie]

Hi again, Im glad your chicken better, Im sorry to butt into this thread, but as I said above Im going through something similiar with my 1 year old brahma. She has been exhibiting these symptons for 3 days now. I have checked her legs and they seem fine, she has mobility in them, she will grasp my arm when i hold her. The problem is when she attempts to walk, it almost appears as if she is drunk. I have been giving her vitamin B complex as I have heard this could cause it. I have also been keeping her under a heat lamp seperated from the others. Would the Poly vitamins be a more complete solution rather than just the B vitamins. I am seeing no improvement and am getting really worried...is there anything else I can do for her?

 

[shetan83]

It took a really, really long time for our roo to recover. For that entire time, he seemed mentally alert, and not really in any sort of discomfort (aside from drunk-like walking). We gave him Vitamin B complex (no iron) that we got from our local pharmacy. I don't recall that we gave him anything else. We kept him separate from the other chickens for a while, and made sure that he always had food and water within reach. My mother would sometimes hold him up while he ate.

Good luck with your chicken!

 

[bigmommasilkie]

Thank you so much for your reply...I will continue doing what I am doing I guess...hopefully I get a similiar outcome as you!

 

[PoultryPedia]

Marek's might be a possibility?
Skimming over some of the leg problems on the Poultry Podiatry page on the site linked in my sig may bring up another possibility or two, though I'm not having a particular one come to mind right now.

 

[bigmommasilkie]

Thank you for the link...I did consider Mericks...but she doesnt seem to be exhibiting the normal symptons..her legs are not paralyzed..she was getting up and trying to walk just very unsteady. I have now treated with vitamins and tylan 50...Still no improvement. She actually seems worse, unable to stand up and move at all now. I am wondering if its time to put her down, unless someone out there has any more ideas...I hate to give up on her, but I dont know if she is suffering.