Help please ...hen can't stand or walk well

[lizzy14]

My ~20 week old BLR Wyandotte hen seems to be sick. She hasn't started laying yet. We are new to this chicken-keeping. This started four-five days ago when she started hanging in the coop all day nestled into the bedding. It seems very difficult for her to put weight on her legs. I need to go down and get ahold of her for a better inspection. I was just observing her and gave her some black-oiled sunflower seeds, which she gobbled up. Now I want to go try to get her to drink some water. Any thoughts?

 

[chicmom]

She could possibly have a spinal cord injury......Especially if she appears to want to eat and drink......This could correct itself if she gets plenty of rest, but it could be a permanent thing......So hard to tell with problems like this. A vet would probably give her a steroid shot, but truly, most people don't take chickens to vets. (Unless you've got plenty of money.)

Alot of the times, you just have to wait and see when it comes to problems like this.....I personlly would isolate her, making sure she's comfortable, so none of the other chickens can pick on her. And I would make sure she had food and water right close to her so she can eat and drink.....See if she gets better day by day, and if she doesn't, well, you may have to put her down.

Good luck and keep us posted,

Sharon

 

[peterlund]

Quote:
I have had a few of my birds bang themselves up pretty good when they get spooked in the coop and try to fly about etc.... If there is no external injuries that you can figure out, and she is eating... then let her be for a bit. THey are pretty tough birds... As for water. just hold a small dish up to touch her beak, if she is thirsty she will get the idea.
Good luck. I will bet you never thought you would be wearing an official chicken nurse hat!

 

[lilchick]

Sometimes just keeping them isolated, warm and quiet will help them recover from unknown injuries. It is possible she has coccidious and could benefit from Corid. Chicks will show bloody poop but older birds sometimes just appear listless and not interested in eating or drinking... Corid or Amprollium is drug used in medicated chick feed. Even with medicated feed chicks can still get it...

Wet feed with bites of chopped up cooked egg on top is enticing to most. Add some sugar to her water to help perk her up.

I give mine 1/2 baby aspirin to help with discomfort. Good Luck!

 

[lizzy14]

Thanks everyone, I feel like I'm doing what I should but I wish she would just get better. She seems quite alert, I'm going to try some sugar in the water tomorrow and perhaps some aspirin, though I'm not sure if I have the baby stuff so maybe I should avoid that. I quarantined her this a.m. in our shed and in our large cat carrier. I'm a little worried about her being alone during the night, but she wasn't really roosting with the others anyways and it is 40 degrees out.

 

[froggiesheins]

Try bringing her in the house to warm her up. Poly-vi-sol W/O iron / high energy foods like BOSS / mealworms / eggs etc..
Check her for mites/lice [at this time of year I doubt it-but check anyhow].....Sometimes with obscure symptoms just warming them up and getting some energy foods in them is all it takes.....IF that doesn't work, then start to look more in depth....hope that helps...

 

[lizzy14]

Thought I'd update you all: this hen is doing better. The weather has been a bit warmer, so perhaps that helped. It is amazing how the other chickens, mostly the roosters, seem to "take care" of her. When she could barely get around and they roosted at night, it seemed like they herded her to the center of the pile. Up until the past couple of days, she stayed in the coop all the time, but has continually been improving in mobility. She was the first one at the food trough yesterday and ventured out into the run for treats with everyone else. She holds her feet funny still at times, which makes me think it is a leg/claw injury, or spinal injury as someone mentioned (but I hope not cause that sounds scary!) I did get a vitamin supplement and we've been giving BOSS and dried mealworms for snacks.
Thanks for all your input!

 

[BamaSilkies]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=371501&p=8