Chicken walking in a crouch??

[AltamontBee]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]I have a 1 year old chicken who will walk normally for a bit, then kind of walk in a crouch close to the ground like she can't straighten her legs to stand upright. She is still scratching around, and was on her perch last night. It's been going on for a few days now, and seems to be getting worse.

I looked at her feet and legs, and couldn't see anything obvious.

Any ideas?[/FONT] Thanks!!!

Jennifer

 

[realsis]

has she been laying normally? have you checked her to see if she might be egg bound? does it look like she's straining from her back side when she crouches? I know my bird crouches when I come near her but she does not walk that way. does she only do it when your around? or when your not close to her also. I would examine her vent very carefully and see if perhaps she has an egg she is not passing. feel her belly see if it feels normal. crouching is a normal behavior hens do when they are sexually mature but usually they only do it for a rooster or there owner and I've not seen them walk crouching. not usually. let us know what you find with her exam. sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[AltamontBee]

Thanks - she doesn't seem to be egg bound. Some of them crouch down and put there wings out when I come near them to pick them up, and it isn't like that. It's more like she's walking normally, and then just kind of sinks down into this strange "crouch-walking", like she can't straighten her legs or hold up her weight. Very weird.