HELP! MY hen cannot stand up or walk!!!

[chickenhouse32]

I have 2 rescue hens from a factory farm and while one is perfectly fine and healthy, suddenly yesterday night I went to check on my girls and one was sitting on her bum/hocks. she cannot stand and seems to have no function of her legs! she can only shuffle around backward on her hocks . She was fine in the morning and later that night was like this! She is still eating and drinking well, and does not have any injuries that I can see. PLEASE HELP

 

[ChickenChaser9]

Could be a vitamin deficiency.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would place her in a basket or dog crate within reach of food and water. Put chick vitamins/electrolytes in the water. Feed her some chopped egg, canned tuna, or some meat leftovers along with her feed, just to see if she will eat. Most cases of lameness are from sprains from jumping or other injury, but it can occur with some vitamin deficiencies and also with a virus such as Mareks disease. Mold in feed, botulism toxin from eating dead animal carcasses, and dehydration can be other causes.

 

[chickenhouse32]

I would place her in a basket or dog crate within reach of food and water. Put chick vitamins/electrolytes in the water. Feed her some chopped egg, canned tuna, or some meat leftovers along with her feed, just to see if she will eat. Most cases of lameness are from sprains from jumping or other injury, but it can occur with some vitamin deficiencies and also with a virus such as Mareks disease. Mold in feed, botulism toxin from eating dead animal carcasses, and dehydration can be other causes.

She still drinks and has a great appitite, but she has no balance and can barley stand. I have been giving her extra vitimins as well as antibiotics.

 

[Eggcessive]

That can be related to internal laying if she is older, but Mareks disease or an injury could be possible. Mareks is in the environment worldwide, and although it usually affects younger chickens, it can still be a problem for an unvaccinated chicken 3 or more weeks after exposure to a carrier. If you lose her, it may benefit you to get a necropsy by your state vet or poultry lab. Does she have any swelling of her leg joints or scabs on the foot pads?

 

[chickenhouse32]

That can be related to internal laying if she is older, but Mareks disease or an injury could be possible. Mareks is in the environment worldwide, and although it usually affects younger chickens, it can still be a problem for an unvaccinated chicken 3 or more weeks after exposure to a carrier. If you lose her, it may benefit you to get a necropsy by your state vet or poultry lab. Does she have any swelling of her leg joints or scabs on the foot pads?

She isn't old, she was rescued from a meat bird factory farm so I would assume she's maybe a year? She has no swelling or scabs, but a little function in her legs and cannot stand. And her balance is going

 

[wittman]

If you rescued her from a meat factory, she might not be able to walk because of her size, since they are meant to grow fast to be slaughtered early. If they don't get killed before they get too big, a lot of times they can't walk because their legs are far apart and they can't support themselves