HELP!!!!! paralyzed chicken

maco5

In the Brooder
11 Years
Jun 16, 2008
73
0
39
San Jose, CA
hi
today I put one of my chickens that I have been slowly introducing to the flock in her scratch pen which is inside the run with the other chickens.
the one in question is all black with a red comb, and bigger than a bantam, yet smaller than a standard.
I don't know her breed however.
So she is in the pen, and I was in the run raking, and saw one of the standards harassing her through the wire, and grab her by the head, which caused some bleeding on her comb. Very little bleeding though>
I saw the black hen jump up, and then saw her standing on the ground one minute, and the next she was laying down in that weird position they do when a predator is near.
I thought she was faking an injury but she couldn't get up!
I brought her back in the house to her pen thinking maybe she was stressed because of the others.
This was at about 3pm today, and it is now 9:30pm, and she still isn't standing!
She can"t seem to know her feet are under her, and her toes curl under when I try to stand her up.
I know in furred animals this is usually signs of a back injury.
She also doesn't seem to have feeling in her toes if pinched.
I have her in the bottom of a box that has about 1" sides, and shavings in the box for softness, and a cloth diaper under her keel so there is less pressure on that area.
She did eat a little, and I got her to take some water from a syringe.
I also put a heat lamp on top for heat in case she is shocky.
But I cannot figure out how she could have hurt herself so bad!
can they break their backs that easily?
Anyone have any ideas?
Is it possible she is egg bound and acting like this?
She did lay an egg yesterday.
She also has not pooped since this happened.
I don't know what to do PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!
thanks!
 
Sorry to say but I think you might have saw what could have injured her. Head and neck injuries can happen pretty easily in chickens. All you can really do now is let her rest, stay warm, fed, water available and see if she recoveres.
 
She ate a little corn earlier, and will take water from a syringe.
I forgot to mention that she also wags her tail every once in awhile like she is attempting to poo or lay an egg. I have no idea.
I was just reading a post about someone else who had a chicken that wasn't standing either.
Someone reccomended a sling......maybe I should do that to keep weight off her legs and breast area???
It all happened so quickly, and didn't seem like there could have been serious injury from it!
Could she have been pecked so hard it caused head injury?
 
Well, I am in the same boat. My hasn't moved in about a week. I think my dog stepped on her while he was running through the yard not paying attention. I have mine in the coop but in a cage so she cant be bothered. I have a heat lamp on her and I give her an 81mg asprin with 2 cups of water each day. I give it to her through a syringe. I also have been giving her soft foods like mash, canned veggies, yogurt. She seems to be eating fine just wont use her leg. Hopefully one of us finds the answer and can help the other one. Good Luck
 

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