Help.....my beautiful cochin hen is ailing.

[Hkerr]

I have a 2 year old large (heavy) fluffy cochin hen who keeps falling over. She falls and can't get up. She is weak on her legs, slightly more her right than her left, but it is hard to tell. She is getting worse. She started slowing down a few weeks ago, and has slowly gone down hill. She started to slow down, then wasn't able to roost, then she couldn't hop up the ramp to get back into the coop. Now she is falling over. She is eating and drinking. She doesn't seem sick, but more hurt. Once she falls she can't get back up and flails around pitifully. The other hens then pick on her. I have her separated but I don't know what to do. I have looked her over, checked for a blocked egg, checked for parasites, sprains or breaks and I can't find anything.We live in a rural area and have no vet available, or I would have brought her in. A raven did attack my hens about two months ago and got one of them, but no others seemed injured. I wonder if this one could have been hurt and I can't find see where? Any suggestions would be very appreciated. I love my chickens very much. They are really pets rather than poultry.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Is your bird thin? I would find a vet to look at her. Generally when they start going downhill it isn't good.

 

[Hkerr]

Is your bird thin? I would find a vet to look at her. Generally when they start going downhill it isn't good.

She is not thin at all. We live in a rural area and have no vet. I could bring her into town, and I might. Last time I did this, the vet made us come after hours and sanitize everything because we were bringing in poultry. It was very expensive.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Have you tried vitamin (specifically, E and B) supplements?

This sounds like either a neural disorder or Marek's.

@casportpony @Wyorp Rock @rebrascora @Eggcessive?

 

[Eggcessive]

It could be an number of things wrong, anything from an injury, a reproductive disorder, crop problem, to something neurological such as Mareks disease. Try to get her drinking some water with electrolytes or gatorade, holding a cup up to her beak or dripping some into her beak. Offer chopped scrambled egg, wet chick feed, or dry food.

Does she normally lay eggs? Is she able to move both wings and legs normally? Can you feel of her crop and tell us if it is full, hard, soft, puffy, or empty? In the early morning before she eats check it again. If you stand her up does she lose her balance, use her wings to balance, or move both legs to try and get away? Feel of her lower abdomen down between her legs to check for enlargement, or if it is spongy or tight. Look at her skin parting feathers for any small lice or mites moving around. Let us know what you find.

 

[Hkerr]

It could be an number of things wrong, anything from an injury, a reproductive disorder, crop problem, to something neurological such as Mareks disease. Try to get her drinking some water with electrolytes or gatorade, holding a cup up to her beak or dripping some into her beak. Offer chopped scrambled egg, wet chick feed, or dry food.

Does she normally lay eggs? Is she able to move both wings and legs normally? Can you feel of her crop and tell us if it is full, hard, soft, puffy, or empty? In the early morning before she eats check it again. If you stand her up does she lose her balance, use her wings to balance, or move both legs to try and get away? Feel of her lower abdomen down between her legs to check for enlargement, or if it is spongy or tight. Look at her skin parting feathers for any small lice or mites moving around. Let us know what you find.

Thanks, I will try all of the above and get back to you.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

2 year old large (heavy) fluffy cochin hen who keeps falling over. She falls and can't get up. She is weak on her legs, slightly more her right than her left, but it is hard to tell. She is getting worse. She started slowing down a few weeks ago, and has slowly gone down hill.

She doesn't seem sick, but more hurt. Once she falls she can't get back up and flails around pitifully.

I have looked her over, checked for a blocked egg, checked for parasites, sprains or breaks and I can't find anything.

She is not thin at all.

Can you take a video of her actions? Upload it to youtube, provide us a link.
If you have no video, photos of your hen and her poop please.

Have you added any birds to your flock in the last 30days?
What do you feed?

You checked for egg binding and felt nothing, but did her abdomen feel bloated or fluid filled? When was her last egg?
Is her crop empty in the mornings?

If she is getting picked on, separate her within the coop/run if possible - a large dog kennel works well for this. If not bring her in so you can monitor her more closely.
I would get her hydrated first. Poultry vitamins that contain E, B1 and B2 would be good to start also.

With chickens, it's very hard sometimes to know what's going on with them. The symptoms you describe do sound neurological, but it would be a good idea to re-examine her for lice/mites, crop empty in the morning and get a fecal float to check for worms.

 

[Hkerr]

I tried to upload a video but the file was too large. It seems to be her left leg is giving out, and then she topples over. I did a thorough examination and couldn’t find anything obviously wrong with her. No mites, no lies, no open wounds. I have her separated in a dog crate for now with food and fluids.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I tried to upload a video but the file was too large. It seems to be her left leg is giving out, and then she topples over. I did a thorough examination and couldn’t find anything obviously wrong with her. No mites, no lies, no open wounds. I have her separated in a dog crate for now with food and fluids.

I'm sorry!
Nothing on the bottom of the foot like scabs or cuts and no swollen joints.

When did she last lay an egg? Any swelling of the abdomen?