My barred rock hen who is about 7 months old couldn't stand up the other day. That was one night, then the next day she was fine. A couple of days later she couldn't stand up again and has been laying on her side since. I tried to get her to stand up but she couldn't support any weight on her legs and immediately fell down. She can move her legs and wings but doesn't do so very often. I brought her in the house to get her away from the others and so I could keep a closer eye on her. She eats and drinks well and seems alert. She has diarrhea that really stinks. What could this be and what do I do about it?
She could possibly be eggbound, maybe egg impacted. Soak her in a container filled with warm water up to her sides. Then gently massage her underside front to rear for about 20 minutes while she's soaking. The warm water will relax her and expand her innards. The massaging will help her move the egg along, if that's what it is. Repeat as necessary. The smelly diarrhea is cecal poop, it normally occurs about every 8-10 droppings. Visually inspect her for lice/mites also.
I tried soaking her in warm water for a while and massaged her like you suggested. No egg appeared and I couldn't feel any egg-like lumps in her. Should I be able to if this were the problem? I also checked for lice and mites and didn't find any. It also seems to me that she may not have much use of her wings. She never really moved them all the time I was handling her. Could that mean something? Any other ideas, anyone?
This could be poisoning/intoxification, as the result of yellow jasmine, the toxins from algae or botulism, aflotoxin, etc. Giving Apple Cider Vinegar at the rate of four teaspoons to the gallon (but not in galvanized metals) will help, most esp. if your bird's gotten into decaying matter, or the maggots that feed on it. Give it to all your birds, as it won't harm a single feather, and helps them to expel excess mucus and remove coatings in the mouths, throats and intestines, which also improves the uptake of nutrients/vitamins, and any meds, and boosts their immune systems (just in case it's somethin' contagious). As to the egg-binding dawg53 suggested, review the following article: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/07/chicken-egg-binding-causes-symptoms.html To go along w/ that? There's an excellent presentation on the anatomy of the chicken >>peck here<< to open it's introduction in a new window.
