Chicken walking slowly and kind of wobbly

[Katcynth]

Last night I noticed one of the chickens not on the roost but down on the floor, then today I've noticed she's been laying around and not walking much. She did come out when I gave them scrambled eggs and ate some but then laid down again...I had 6 out of 6 eggs yesterday tho one was a soft shell, and today I've gotten only 5 of the usual 6... could she just be tight laying and when should I worry about her being bound up if that's what it could be? Nice xmas gift, a sick chick they are about 9 months old... Thanks!

 

[Katcynth]

fyi~ she's not lethargic or anything... she was quite irritated when I checked her feet for bumble foot and when I tried to feel and look to see if she was bound up she was pecking very angrily at me.... lol... I guess it's a good sign she's still in a pissy mood?? She's just laying around basically... can they get tummy aches? Could she have eaten something that didn't sit well/? She's one of my more aggressive hens so she gets her share.....

 

[pwand]

Have you checked to see if you can feel an egg? You could give her a Calcium tablet to see if she passes an egg. This apparently works.

 

[pwand]

fyi~ she's not lethargic or anything... she was quite irritated when I checked her feet for bumble foot and when I tried to feel and look to see if she was bound up she was pecking very angrily at me.... lol... I guess it's a good sign she's still in a pissy mood?? She's just laying around basically... can they get tummy aches? Could she have eaten something that didn't sit well/? She's one of my more aggressive hens so she gets her share.....

Definitely try the calcium tablet first. Here is good info about egg bound.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/07/chicken-egg-binding-causes-symptoms.html

 

[Katcynth]

Have you checked to see if you can feel an egg? You could give her a Calcium tablet to see if she passes an egg. This apparently works.

Yes, checked and didn't feel anything.... not a whole or broken egg... I gave her some kombucha water too hoping some probiotics would help..

 

[Eggcessive]

Could she be broody? I would check her vent with a rubber glove for an egg, and also feel her lower belly. Look around her vent and all over for mites next to the skin. She might be due for worming, Check the crop in the morning to see that it is empty, and not sour or impacted.

 

[Katcynth]

she was better this morning, laid an egg just fine but she's still kinda limping... I looked at her foot and no cuts or anything.... But she's up and about today so far...eating, haven't seen her drink but there is water and water with kombucha there for them... Her poop looks ok and the food I had in the dog crate last night was about half gone... Worried about the limping and slow moving but if she didn't feel well I'll watch her and see what she does the next couple of days...

 

[Eggcessive]

Maybe she has injured the leg? Can you use some poultry vitamins in the water or just multi B vitamins. If she is too active you can make her rest it in a crate, and keep her from roosting. Limping and sitting around can also be a sign of other problems like mycoplasma synoviae, Maraks disease, and viral arthritis.

 

[Katcynth]

Maybe she has injured the leg?  Can you use some poultry vitamins in the water or just  multi B vitamins.  If she is too active you can make her rest it in a crate, and keep her from roosting.  Limping and sitting around can also be a sign of other problems like mycoplasma synoviae, Maraks disease, and viral arthritis.

She's doing much better, I think that's what she did was hurt herself. I had put her in the crate that first night and the next day she was up and about more. I've been watching her the last week and she seems completely better now... thank goodness! She's the one farthest in the pic... I let them out of the enclosed back yard and they love wandering through our 2 acres of woods... I try to let them out for a couple hours a day when I can... otherwise they have our fenced back yard of 130 ft by 130 ft. So they are always out and about getting into stuff... I can only imagine what she did... she's my aggressive girl and she's always into everything... thanks everyone for your ideas and comments! I appreciate it!

 

[Eggcessive]

Great to hear that she is back to normal wandering around your 2 acres to forage. Hope she stays healthy.