Hen can't stand but eating & drinking!

[Hayden Farms]

I just don't understand. She was fine Sunday night however yesterday morning, Monday, she was shoved in a corner of their 12x14 stall with her feet out in front of her. I've only had her & 5 matching others (1 roo & 4 hens) for a month- everyone else is fine! I picked up 9 eggs (in 48hrs) from them when everyone else is saying theirs aren't laying. I believe she's 2 or 3 years old, her ex owner says it's a vitamin deficiency because I feed scratch. I actually feed 2 bags of Purina layer feed & 1 bag of scratch mixed together. I have read that corn can help keep them warmer in the winter ( the ex owner says that's a myth). They apparently don't like it better than the layer feed as most of the Corn is all over the ground. I was also told that polish and silkies have a higher need for vitamins and minerals than regular chickens? I am new to all of this (about 6 months in) :-( I have driven 30 miles away to find this Nutri drench at TS. I gave it to her last night and this morning. She is eating the baby chick feed that I gave her (because I have chicks in a brooder at my house) and drinking a lot & grooming herself. Her poop is brown & mostly solid. She has no drainage from her face & is very alert. Her feet are warm & she can wrap her toes around my finger so she's not paralyzed however when I stand her up she kicks her legs out in front like she's walking backwards & falls over. I'm at a loss! Shes been so sweet & calm through all of this handling- I cannot lose her! I feel I'm letting her ex owner & her roommates down with my lack of knowledge.... however we have plenty of love to share
Any and all help is appreciated.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I've only had her & 5 matching others (1 roo & 4 hens) for a month

I believe she's 2 or 3 years old, her ex owner says it's a vitamin deficiency because I feed scratch

They are lovely!
I would get the Nutri-Drench into her at 1cc per 3lbs of weight.
She might benefit from B-Complex as well. For her age, I would give her 1/2 tablet a day for a week.

Check her crop to make sure it's empty in the mornings before she eats/drinks.
It would also be a good idea to feel her abdomen for any bloat/swelling or fluid. Has she laid any eggs since she's been like this?

I'm not a fan of mixing anything in with my feed. A lot of people do, that's up to you-do some research. Anything that is fed "extra" can dilute the nutritional content the chickens get. If you feed a standard layer feed say 16% protein, then adding corn that has around 8% - you can see that brings the protein % down.
I do give scratch (they have to have a goody!) but it's given as a treat, thrown in the bedding to promote activity.

The chick starter is just fine, so I would continue with that!

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree with not feeding scratch mixed in your feed. Chickens feed has most of those ingredients already, but layer feed has more protein and all the balanced nutrient , vitamins, and minerals. It is ground and each bites has equal amounts of what they need. It won’t hurt to give them a handful as a treat a couple of times a week.

With the symptoms you are describing, it could be Mareks disease, injury, or something internal pressing on her leg nerves. With Mareks, there is not always paralysis. They may have leg strength, but no balance. Each case is different, and Mareks can have many different symptoms and presentation. Vitamins including B’s are important to give in case of riboflavin deficiency. Since NutriDrench does not have riboflavin, I would use some of the B complex as well, and grind a 1/4 tablet into some egg or cottage cheese daily.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are some good articles to read about Mareks disease:
https://extension.psu.edu/mareks-disease-in-chickens

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[Hayden Farms]

I pick her up several times a day to keep her circulation going and again she's so sweet! She feels slightly heavy in weight however bony and thin underneath (this group are the eldest we have so our other 34 teenagers are light weights) . It's hard for me to tell as this is really the 1st times I've held her so much. Someone else told me to give her half a baby aspirin melted and use a syringe down her throat. I'm giving her Nutri Drench morning and night at just under a half a cc because I doubt she's even close to 3 lb. She has not laid any eggs since she's been in lockdown at my house.

And thank you they are beautiful polish tolbunts, the rooster is so incredibly sweet however he's too much of a gentleman with the ladies. 19 of his eggs have not been fertile so far :-( however red, the sex linked in one of the pictures, has had 5 fertile eggs and he is the only one she is locked up with. The more I read, type, think and hear I'm getting so confused! Thank you for your information please continue if you find anything else.

 

[Eggcessive]

When you have a chicken exhibiting these symptoms, all you can do is try vitamins, make sure they are getting enough to eat and drink, and watch for other symptoms. With a vitamin deficiency, there could be an improvement within days. I am watching one now who is 8 and would be my first case of Mareks if she has the virus. Using the aspirin would be okay and might help. I would think about using a chicken sling if she will tolerate it, to get her upright, in front of food and water, and to keep her cleaner. You can let her out to stretch and move around, and to sleep at night. Here are some examples:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/