Hen having trouble walking

[HorseGirlAbby]

Hi everyone. I have an eight year old EE hen who’s been having a lot of trouble walking. She can take a couple steps, then rocks back and forth, flaps her wings, and almost falls over. She’s been almost using her wings as crutches. She’s eating, drinking, trying her best to groom herself, and acting pretty normal otherwise. I know she’s been struggling with internal laying and possibly EYP, but I’ve had other hens with that and none of them had issues like this. A month or two ago I had an even older hen die from what I figured was just old age, but she had a lot of the same symptoms. She was off balance a lot and her wings were always drooping to help her walk.

I’m not sure if these two hens’ symptoms are even related, but I’m pretty suspicious of it at this point. I got some new chicks last spring and added them to the flock probably about July last year, but no new birds since then. Nobody else is showing these symptoms.

I’m wondering if it’s a possible vitamin deficiency? I feed Payback all purpose poultry feed, and have for years with no issues. They don’t free range because of predators, but I do sometimes let them out for a bit in the evenings. No pesticides have been used near their coop, no fertilizers either.

I don’t have a video of her walking, but I can get one if it would help.

Thanks in advance

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like she is nearing the end of her life. Reproductive disorders, especially salpingitis, may make them waddle or have trouble walking, making them prefer to lie around. Sorry about your hen. I would make it easier for her to reach food and water. If she starts to suffer I would consider putting her down. It can be a good learning experience to have a look at the abdominal contents and organs after death. If you do that, you are welcome to post pictures. Also most state vets will perform a thorough necropsy.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Thank you, that's what I was afraid of. I have a little area I can separate her in with food and water close by, but she seems happy with the other hens right now. She's got a good friend she's been sitting next to a lot, and I don't want to take that from her.

 

[BobDBirdDog]

Okay... I will say what others are avoiding, so don't hate on me. Its getting close to the time for the old KFC, Grandmas secret recipe OR Chicken and Dumplings for tough old birds... Less pull on any morning nest Eggs!

This is just the cycle of the chicken no matter how close you are to them. (It wasn't productive to care for them and prolong the inevitable unless it was the last few alive). "Obviously NOT"!

It has been going on for decades/centuries, and even I grew up with this knowledge and experience as a kid in the 60-70s,,, "Reality More Modernized and unspoken today".
But When CC sailed the Ocean Blue and ended on Plymouth Rock... its one of the means that they needed to survive... (Just one of the means of survival).
Keep in mind, Everyone hunted, grew or raised their own food for a purpose. There was no local Walmart or restaurants.
Some stock just proved to serve more than others. Chickens also helped keep insects populations down. Morning breakfast (Eggs and ham/bacon/sausage/what-evers) and when CHICKEN KAPUT occurred... Open flame roasted Chicken or cast iron kettle pot Dumplings with the ground corn flour/bread.

There was not a Refrigerator, so chickens was a day of meal. Left overs (if any) were shared, Not garbage can scrap. Maybe dog food bones. However they stretched it more than a rubber band. Feathers made good winter warmth and soft pillows or bedding's, etc.