Help, my chicken can no longer stand and she sits on her belly and vent, with her legs pointed out straight from under her

[Ultimatevillan]

It started over a week ago. She started limping, then lost complete control over her left leg, then the right leg. Other than this, eggs, drinks coos, everything else literally normal…

 

[RoyalChick]

How old is she, and can you feel any injury in her leg?
Two things spring to mind: Vitamin B deficiency (you can give her supplements from the pharmacy - it takes a week or more to take effect) or Marek’s (which sadly you can’t do much about).
No harm in trying vitamin B treatment.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She eats, drinks, very alert, tries to shuffle her feet to stand, etc etc. Could her spine be injured?

It started over a week ago. She started limping, then lost complete control over her left leg, then the right leg. Other than this, eggs, drinks coos, everything else literally normal…

Welcome To BYC

What do you feed, including treats?

I'm sorry she's not doing well.

Marek's disease comes to mind unless you can find physical signs of bruising/scrapes/cuts.

I agree, I'd start her on B-Complex, give 1/4 tablet daily. See that she's eating a nutritionally balanced poultry feed.

If you happen to lose her and want to find out what was causing her decline, you can send the body to your state lab for analysis.
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

 

[Eggcessive]

If you’re not feeding a balanced layer or all flock feed as the most of her diet, then it could be a vitamin or mineral deficiency. Mareks or an injury would be suspected as well. Chickens should not receive corn or scratch, except as an occasional treat. A balanced feed such as the egg layer crumbles is the best for her. They will prefer the corn or the scratch because it is like candy to them, so take those and the scraps away, and only give a small bit occasionally as a treat. Try the B complex vitamins for a couple of weeks. Hopefully, it is not Mareks disease. Do you have a rooster who may have hurt her?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would make sure that she is getting fed and watered a few times a day. I had a hen once who lost her balance and could not stay upright for about 5 weeks. Eventually though, after feeding her mushy wet food, egg, tuna, and cat food, she was back to normal. Human B complex 1/2 tablet daily can be crushed into her food.

 

[Ultimatevillan]

She eats, drinks, very alert, tries to shuffle her feet to stand, etc etc. Could her spine be injured?

 

[Ultimatevillan]

No, our roosters are gents. But I did recall three larger hens like her, charge through their run door and knocked into each other at full big girl speed. On the positive side of things, though it’s been a rough 3 weeks, she is hanging touch and someone back to herself. She doesn’t have her legs stretched out completely in front of her which is promising to me! She is very lively, eating and drinking just fine and can sit in a typical roosting position and tries to stand on her own now. It’s worth every second of my time to help and and watch her improve.

 

[TillyPeeps]

No, our roosters are gents. But I did recall three larger hens like her, charge through their run door and knocked into each other at full big girl speed. On the positive side of things, though it’s been a rough 3 weeks, she is hanging touch and someone back to herself. She doesn’t have her legs stretched out completely in front of her which is promising to me! She is very lively, eating and drinking just fine and can sit in a typical roosting position and tries to stand on her own now. It’s worth every second of my time to help and and watch her improve.

This doesn't look like Marek's. When my chickens were paralyzed from Marek's, they already had been sick for a while and wouldn't want to eat too much. It's more possible that she has vitamin deficiency or injury. Giving her vitamin B and E could help.

 

[Ultimatevillan]

How old is she, and can you feel any injury in her leg?
Two things spring to mind: Vitamin B deficiency (you can give her supplements from the pharmacy - it takes a week or more to take effect) or Marek’s (which sadly you can’t do much about).
No harm in trying vitamin B treatment.

How old is she, and can you feel any injury in her leg?
Two things spring to mind: Vitamin B deficiency (you can give her supplements from the pharmacy - it takes a week or more to take effect) or Marek’s (which sadly you can’t do much about).
No harm in trying vitamin B treatment.

She’s is about 1.5. Her traditional diet is corn crumbles, egg layer crumbles, scratch grains mixed equally. When eggs are in a surplus, scrambled eggs and shells are given back to entire flock. Sometimes I catch her eating a earth worm or too. And any scraps we have from veggies and left overs.

 

[Ultimatevillan]

Welcome To BYC

What do you feed, including treats?

I'm sorry she's not doing well.

Marek's disease comes to mind unless you can find physical signs of bruising/scrapes/cuts.

I agree, I'd start her on B-Complex, give 1/4 tablet daily. See that she's eating a nutritionally balanced poultry feed.

If you happen to lose her and want to find out what was causing her decline, you can send the body to your state lab for analysis.
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

Thank you. I hope it won’t come to that, but if it does.