Hen Cannot Walk or Stand

[WendyTestaburger]

Wondering if anyone has any advice. I have a 15 month old Speckled Sussex who I found in our run yesterday unable to walk. She can sort of get around using her wings to balance her but it's obviously uncomfortable. I've had her in the garage in a dog crate since last night at about 5:30pm. It's now 1:45pm the next day and she has not pooped. I've been able to get her to sip drops of water off my finger and will eat treats and oatmeal. I got her to eat some vitamin b Complex mixed in with oatmeal about an hour ago and she was dozing off, she seems exhausted. Should I do anything else? Is there anything I can look for? I can't see any injuries, no bumblefoot that I can tell, she does grip my finger when I push on the bottom of her bad foot.


We have an an avian vet I can take her to but they aren't open until tomorrow.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Sounds like she could be eggbound. Do you have a picture of her? When's the last time she laid an egg?

 

[WendyTestaburger]

Sounds like she could be eggbound. Do you have a picture of her? When's the last time she laid an egg?

I'm not sure when she last laid an egg, she is molting right now so they're super sporadic. I have 6 girls and maybe get one/two a day. Can egg bound cause difficulties walking?

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

Yes, an egg bound hen can have trouble walking if the blockage is pressing on nerve. Does her vent look normal? Gently, and I mean gently, feel her abdomen to see if it feels hard. (If she is egg bound you want to make sure you don't accidentally break the egg inside her.) Not pooping for a whole day is an emergency and can occur with egg binding. A vet is best at this point, but if you can't get her there you can try giving her a calcium supplement (tums or whatever you have on hand) and a warm bath (with epsom salt if you have it). You can check for egg binding by inserting a gloved and lubricated finger into her vent to (gently!!!) feel for an egg and help lubricate the passage.

 

[WendyTestaburger]

Yes, an egg bound hen can have trouble walking if the blockage is pressing on nerve. Does her vent look normal? Gently, and I mean gently, feel her abdomen to see if it feels hard. (If she is egg bound you want to make sure you don't accidentally break the egg inside her.) Not pooping for a whole day is an emergency and can occur with egg binding. A vet is best at this point, but if you can't get her there you can try giving her a calcium supplement (tums or whatever you have on hand) and a warm bath (with epsom salt if you have it). You can check for egg binding by inserting a gloved and lubricated finger into her vent to (gently!!!) feel for an egg and help lubricate the passage.

Ok I'll do all this right now and report back

 

[WendyTestaburger]

Do I give a full tums? 1000mg? How to I get her to eat it?

 

[WendyTestaburger]

Yes, an egg bound hen can have trouble walking if the blockage is pressing on nerve. Does her vent look normal? Gently, and I mean gently, feel her abdomen to see if it feels hard. (If she is egg bound you want to make sure you don't accidentally break the egg inside her.) Not pooping for a whole day is an emergency and can occur with egg binding. A vet is best at this point, but if you can't get her there you can try giving her a calcium supplement (tums or whatever you have on hand) and a warm bath (with epsom salt if you have it). You can check for egg binding by inserting a gloved and lubricated finger into her vent to (gently!!!) feel for an egg and help lubricate the passage.

Sorry my other comments I forgot to hit reply. Do you know how much tums I can give her and how?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Give her a whole tums I think. If you have calcium citrate it absorbs better from what I understand. But not sure why she would be eggbound if she's molting. Let us know what your inspection turns up.

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

Sorry my other comments I forgot to hit reply. Do you know how much tums I can give her and how?

I use 500 mg calcium tablets so maybe use half a tums. you can break it into small pieces and see if she'll eat or let you put it in her mouth to swallow or you can crush it up and put it in some feed if she's still eating

 

[WendyTestaburger]

Give her a whole tums I think. If you have calcium citrate it absorbs better from what I understand. But not sure why she would be eggbound if she's molting. Let us know what your inspection turns up.

I have target pickup for the calcium citrate, some applesauce and yogurt. Do you think it's okay to wait and use that instead?