HELP!!!! Wobbling Hen

[iluvpeeps]

My hen, Mohawk, is about a year old and she just went through her first molt. Her comb, earlobes, and wattle got pale and today when I was watching her I saw that she couldn't stand up right! She falls when she stands up and trips when she runs. She was just standing still and in 30 seconds she had to pick herself up 3 times.HELP!!!

 

[Shadowgrass]

Check the bottoms of her feet. Any sign of bumblefoot? Have you checked her over completely?
I would try increasing her protein from a layer mix (16%) to a chick starter (21%) to see if that helps recover from molt. Perhaps some vitamin/electrolyte water solutions as well.

 

[iluvpeeps]

I've just recently began giving them water with vitamins in it and a new chick just hatched so they can share the chick starter feet. What is bumblefoot?

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

Bumblefoot happens when a chicken gets cut on their feet or toes and the cut gets infected. It forms a very sore hard black scab that will need to be removed, preferably by a vet, especially if there is a cheesy core (if there is one it will be hard and warm to the touch). The cheesy core is where the infection is harboring. It is a very common poultry ailment. It can make a chicken walk funny, especially if it is quite large.

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

On a side note, I have a goose with a nervous disorder who stumbles when he walks and becomes so uncoordinated that he just falls over and sometimes has trouble getting back up. He still eats and drinks normally though. The vet said as long as he keeps doing that, he should be fine. I tried changing his food, giving him vitamins in his water, etc. but nothing helped. He had it as a baby though so since he was born with it, it can't be fixed but he is loved just the same. Some birds just get it. Sad to watch them stumble about, I know. It may not even be what it is or she would have probably shown symptoms by now. Have you looked into Marek's Disease? It is also common with chickens. If they were vaccinated for it though that shouldn't be what it is. Early symptoms of Marek's is incoordination & loss of movement followed by paralysis and loss of appetite. If she is eating and laying then it may not be too serious.

 

[iluvpeeps]

Ok Thanks. Tonight I checked her feet and I don't see any scabs and I put her down on the floor to see if she was still stumbling and she didn't fall this time but she still didn't seem normal. Lately she has been the last one out of the coop in the mornings. I'll have to check on her again in the morning.

 

[iluvpeeps]

Her crop has been full every time I have checked on her and her wobbling getting better but she is the last one to leave the coop in the morning. She stays in there for a minute or two and then she comes out unless I take her out myself. Today when I picked her up I noticed that she Is really thin. I could feel her bones. She's always been a skinny chicken but not this skinny

I might post a few pictures later.