Help, before its too late!

[BigBlueHen53]

She will swallow mealworms when we shove them into her mouth I put some mealworms up to her and she didnt seem interested.

Her vent is clean and healthy, and she does have some dandruff but I'm pretty sure it's not lice.

Does smell odd around face - honestly, she just smells like every sick chicken we've had. Sour and a bit like droppings


So far she hasn't used the restroom that we can she but I got some dried poo of her vent feathers and it seems normal.

Couldn't feel a crop.

I will answer any unanswered questions in the morning light.

Also, we very recently had a chicken acting like her but this chicken was spinning around and had no balance.
Could these two correlate?
Sunny is still normal Sunny - feisty. I think if her legs were okay she would be back to normal. She seems like she cannot put strength into her legs at all. I set her down and she doesn't even attempt to stand, she just topples onto a wing for balance.

Thank you for your answers. If you can't feel a crop that means it's empty, she's not eating. I will tag a couple of Educators and see if they can make sense of this.
@Wyorp Rock
@Eggcessive
@coach723

 

[coach723]

Do you know when she last laid? Has she always laid normally, ever any issues? I would not splint the leg unless you feel a fracture. First thing I would do is get her on a b complex or super b complex tablet or capsule, once a day. Human ones, any brand. Just put in her beak and push it back, she'll swallow it. I would continue to watch for droppings and get a look to see if they are normal or not. I would crate her on puppy pads or clean bath towels to make it easier, and to keep her safe until you can figure out whats going on with her. If you think she's egg bound or having trouble passing one, then start her on calcium, a calcium citrate +D (citracal or generic equivalent) aim for 600-800 mg once a day, give the same as the B. This is safe to do since this is a short term treatment to help her pass anything. Egg binding or a slow egg can sometimes press on nerves and cause leg paralysis or weakness. If she's not pooping, then that can also be an indication of egg binding. The calcium will help with contractions to help her pass it. I would also get fluids in her. Slightly warmed plain fresh water, and you can alternate with electrolites or gatorade or pedialite. I would give her as much as you can get her to take each time. If she will not drink then you may need to tube fluids.

When I tube fluids, I start with 3% of their body weight and increase to 5%.

3% of 1.353 kg = ~41 ml
5% of 1.353 kg = ~68 ml

And I do that at least once a day.

Instructions on how to tube here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/go-team-tube-feeding-updated-12-29-2019.805728/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Our three yr old easter egger hen was sitting on her butt outside our coop, and she was wobbling a bit. I nudged her, and she stumbled around for me to discover her right foot was limp and curled; she wasn't using it at all.
Of course, right after that our rooster tried to mate her (maybe it's a mating injury??)
He honestly could have been flowing with the pecking order, not mating, though she is usually alpha hen.

she's actually trying to move when I set her down (more like squawk and flap her wings) and she tries to get away from my hands which makes me think it's not a disease, and more like some injury.

So far she hasn't used the restroom that we can she but I got some dried poo of her vent feathers and it seems normal.

Also, we very recently had a chicken acting like her but this chicken was spinning around and had no balance.

I'd follow the suggestions made by @coach723 in post #12.

In addition to that, inspect her more carefully for any wounds, abrasions or bruising. The rooster getting on her after she's fallen over is not a good thing. She does have some type of place on her left wing, probably just a broken feather, but it would be good to look at that. Also under the wings and along the sides for any cuts or scrapes, etc.
She's of course leaning, but the right wing is being held off, this may be to brace herself, but you may want to gently open it up and see if there's anything going on there too.

While you're at it, look for any lice/mites.

 

[chickengirls16]

Do you know when she last laid? Has she always laid normally, ever any issues? I would not splint the leg unless you feel a fracture. First thing I would do is get her on a b complex or super b complex tablet or capsule, once a day. Human ones, any brand. Just put in her beak and push it back, she'll swallow it. I would continue to watch for droppings and get a look to see if they are normal or not. I would crate her on puppy pads or clean bath towels to make it easier, and to keep her safe until you can figure out whats going on with her. If you think she's egg bound or having trouble passing one, then start her on calcium, a calcium citrate +D (citracal or generic equivalent) aim for 600-800 mg once a day, give the same as the B. This is safe to do since this is a short term treatment to help her pass anything. Egg binding or a slow egg can sometimes press on nerves and cause leg paralysis or weakness. If she's not pooping, then that can also be an indication of egg binding. The calcium will help with contractions to help her pass it. I would also get fluids in her. Slightly warmed plain fresh water, and you can alternate with electrolites or gatorade or pedialite. I would give her as much as you can get her to take each time. If she will not drink then you may need to tube fluids.

Instructions on how to tube here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/go-team-tube-feeding-updated-12-29-2019.805728/

Found a squashed poo when I lifted her up this morning

Will work on a clean box for her and I'm going to add water to a bowl of food so she can swallow it easier.

Is there anything else that could get her vitamin b? It's not a big deal but I wasn't expecting a run to the store.

 

[chickengirls16]

Do you know when she last laid? Has she always laid normally, ever any issues? I would not splint the leg unless you feel a fracture. First thing I would do is get her on a b complex or super b complex tablet or capsule, once a day. Human ones, any brand. Just put in her beak and push it back, she'll swallow it. I would continue to watch for droppings and get a look to see if they are normal or not. I would crate her on puppy pads or clean bath towels to make it easier, and to keep her safe until you can figure out whats going on with her. If you think she's egg bound or having trouble passing one, then start her on calcium, a calcium citrate +D (citracal or generic equivalent) aim for 600-800 mg once a day, give the same as the B. This is safe to do since this is a short term treatment to help her pass anything. Egg binding or a slow egg can sometimes press on nerves and cause leg paralysis or weakness. If she's not pooping, then that can also be an indication of egg binding. The calcium will help with contractions to help her pass it. I would also get fluids in her. Slightly warmed plain fresh water, and you can alternate with electrolites or gatorade or pedialite. I would give her as much as you can get her to take each time. If she will not drink then you may need to tube fluids.

Instructions on how to tube here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/go-team-tube-feeding-updated-12-29-2019.805728/

Can I give her oyster shells for calcium?

 

[chickengirls16]

Just gave her Buff Clucks' wormstop in her food and Buff Clucks aquaboost (electrolytes and probiotics) in her water. She drank a little bit when I dipped her beak in.
Still won't take to food unless shoved into her mouth, and even then she doesn't always take it.

Should I mix the wormstop Into some cottage cheese for her?

 

[chickengirls16]

I'd follow the suggestions made by @coach723 in post #12.

In addition to that, inspect her more carefully for any wounds, abrasions or bruising. The rooster getting on her after she's fallen over is not a good thing. She does have some type of place on her left wing, probably just a broken feather, but it would be good to look at that. Also under the wings and along the sides for any cuts or scrapes, etc.
She's of course leaning, but the right wing is being held off, this may be to brace herself, but you may want to gently open it up and see if there's anything going on there too.

While you're at it, look for any lice/mites.

View attachment 4317102

The patch on her left wing is just a large area of broken and new feathers. I checked under both wings, on one of the wing feathers I saw a tiny yellowish thing. I picked at it, but it wouldn't come off. It might be dried in poo. I'm not sure.
I can post a picture if needed.

 

[coach723]

The dropping looks fairly normal, a bit dry. So definitely get fluids in her. I would work on getting her well hydrated before worrying about getting her to eat. You can try offering some scrambled egg or cooked chopped egg to see if she will eat that. Some birds will eat canned tuna. There are some poultry supplements that have some B vitamins in them, like poultry cell if you have that. When they get deficient, which is not uncommon, the higher levels in supplements are needed to get the levels back up. Once they are back to normal, in most cases they can then maintain them with their feed if they are eating normally and there is no underlying illness. Same with calcium if they are egg bound, the higher levels in the supplements are needed to get their levels up. Riboflavin and thiamine are the most common deficiencies that can cause neuro-muscular symptoms, so whatever you give should have those in it. The complexes cover all the B's and it's just easier. The B's are very safe and extra will be excreted.
How is her body weight, is her breast well muscled or is the breast bone very prominent? Where does this hen fall in the pecking order, is she one of the top hens or one that is lower in the pecking order?
And a question about the other bird you mentioned, that was spinning around and had no balance... did that bird recover, die, did you identify a cause? How long ago was that one?

 

[chickengirls16]

The dropping looks fairly normal, a bit dry. So definitely get fluids in her. I would work on getting her well hydrated before worrying about getting her to eat. You can try offering some scrambled egg or cooked chopped egg to see if she will eat that. Some birds will eat canned tuna. There are some poultry supplements that have some B vitamins in them, like poultry cell if you have that. When they get deficient, which is not uncommon, the higher levels in supplements are needed to get the levels back up. Once they are back to normal, in most cases they can then maintain them with their feed if they are eating normally and there is no underlying illness. Same with calcium if they are egg bound, the higher levels in the supplements are needed to get their levels up. Riboflavin and thiamine are the most common deficiencies that can cause neuro-muscular symptoms, so whatever you give should have those in it. The complexes cover all the B's and it's just easier. The B's are very safe and extra will be excreted.
How is her body weight, is her breast well muscled or is the breast bone very prominent? Where does this hen fall in the pecking order, is she one of the top hens or one that is lower in the pecking order?
And a question about the other bird you mentioned, that was spinning around and had no balance... did that bird recover, die, did you identify a cause? How long ago was that one?

I will definitely get her fluids, and like I said, I put aquaboost in there too.

I will try making a scrambled egg. That actually perfect because I dropped one when taking photos for the natural egg photo contest.

She is alpha or beta hen. Very high in pecking order.

For the bird that was spinning, we made quick work of putting her in a box and out in the fields next to another chicken with mareks. (It was the morning of a vacation) this was about two weeks ago.

Not sure which one is the breastbone but her bones are prominent.

 

[coach723]

Breast bone is the long, thin keel bone below the crop, see image below.
If she's very thin then something has likely been going on with her for a while. Do you know when she last laid?
You said you lost a bird to Marek's disease, do you have that confirmed in your flock?
If that is the case, then it has to be a suspect. It can kill on it's own or leave them vulnerable to other illnesses to take hold as well. Slowly wasting can be from Marek's or Lymphoid Leukosis commonly, or from simple things like not enough feeders, crop impaction, or parasites.
I've lost birds that were obviously Marek's, and others not so obvious but it's always suspect when it's not something obvious, if you have it confirmed in your flock. It has settled down in my flock and I only have occasional losses, not like it was at the beginning.
Breast bone labeled sternum in the image below, if it's very prominent that generally means low weight and poor body condition, though some breeds will be naturally leaner than others: