Hen in Distress - injured, but no sign of outward injury

[aj_matt]

I have a hen (1.5 years old) that I noticed was lethargic in the tractor. I isolated her in a separate tub for the night as it was late and I didn't see any specific injuries - so, first line was to isolate her from flock. I did notice that one of her eyes was closed, but the other is alert and she can see and does react when I wave my hand in front of her working eye.

This morning, I ran to tractor supply and bought some vitamin solution and syringes and was able to give her a couple cc's of vitamins. She shot up, but couldn't stay up and that's when I noticed that her leg was lame. Different side than the eye - so, right eye is shut and remains shut and left leg is lame. Other side of both is working. No visible wounds. I splayed out both wings and checked for injury there and fanned out the lame claw and it isn't broken, but fists up under her.

I've been making sure she gets water via the syringe and she takes the water. I tried to feed her and she's not taking food. She's clearly stressed as she is huddled and is taking deep shallow breaths.

Her vent is opening and closing, but nothing is coming out and she has pasty butt. I gave her an epsom salt bath, but it almost looks like it made her worse and not better as she's more lethargic.

The flock appears in good health.

 

[Backyardhomestead921]

I have a hen (1.5 years old) that I noticed was lethargic in the tractor. I isolated her in a separate tub for the night as it was late and I didn't see any specific injuries - so, first line was to isolate her from flock. I did notice that one of her eyes was closed, but the other is alert and she can see and does react when I wave my hand in front of her working eye.

This morning, I ran to tractor supply and bought some vitamin solution and syringes and was able to give her a couple cc's of vitamins. She shot up, but couldn't stay up and that's when I noticed that her leg was lame. Different side than the eye - so, right eye is shut and remains shut and left leg is lame. Other side of both is working. No visible wounds. I splayed out both wings and checked for injury there and fanned out the lame claw and it isn't broken, but fists up under her.

I've been making sure she gets water via the syringe and she takes the water. I tried to feed her and she's not taking food. She's clearly stressed as she is huddled and is taking deep shallow breaths.

Her vent is opening and closing, but nothing is coming out and she has pasty butt. I gave her an epsom salt bath, but it almost looks like it made her worse and not better as she's more lethargic.

The flock appears in good health.

It does not necessarily sound like it, but i would check for her being egg bound ( my chicken had weird symptoms when egg bound) But no matter what it is, i would keep her on probiotics and try giving her egg yolk through a syringe.

 

[aj_matt]

I did give her an epsom salt bath in case she is egg bound. It’s only been an hour - I read that you should repeat the bath until the egg passes. But, I don’t want to stress her out more than she already is.

Are the egg yolks and probiotics also for being egg bound?

 

[nuthatched]

Are the egg yolks and probiotics also for being egg bound?

Egg yolk are for energy though probiotics might not help here

 

[Birds of a Feather]

Does she have one leg pointed forward and the other splayed behind her?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a hen (1.5 years old) that I noticed was lethargic in the tractor. I isolated her in a separate tub for the night as it was late and I didn't see any specific injuries - so, first line was to isolate her from flock. I did notice that one of her eyes was closed, but the other is alert and she can see and does react when I wave my hand in front of her working eye.

This morning, I ran to tractor supply and bought some vitamin solution and syringes and was able to give her a couple cc's of vitamins. She shot up, but couldn't stay up and that's when I noticed that her leg was lame. Different side than the eye - so, right eye is shut and remains shut and left leg is lame. Other side of both is working. No visible wounds. I splayed out both wings and checked for injury there and fanned out the lame claw and it isn't broken, but fists up under her.

I've been making sure she gets water via the syringe and she takes the water. I tried to feed her and she's not taking food. She's clearly stressed as she is huddled and is taking deep shallow breaths.

Her vent is opening and closing, but nothing is coming out and she has pasty butt. I gave her an epsom salt bath, but it almost looks like it made her worse and not better as she's more lethargic.

The flock appears in good health.

I did give her an epsom salt bath in case she is egg bound. It’s only been an hour - I read that you should repeat the bath until the egg passes. But, I don’t want to stress her out more than she already is.

Are the egg yolks and probiotics also for being egg bound?

Is giving her a bath is stressful, I would not soak her anymore.

Insert a gloved lubricated finger inside her vent about 1-2" and feel for an egg.

Is she pooping? What's that like?

Can you open her eye and check to see if there's anything in it?

I'd work on hydration first. If she normally lays eggs and hasn't, then get some extra calcium into her asap. Calcium Citrate with D3 can be found at Walmart, CVS, etc. Look for 600mg and give her 1 tablet daily. Just pop it into her beak and let her swallow.

Could she have suffered heat stroke/stress? If that's possible, then get fluids into her - electrolytes or a little sugar water.

 

[aj_matt]

Regarding the leg, it was completely non-functioning. Not going in a direction, but just hanging there and she wasn't engaging the claw like the other leg, which was able to grasp on my hand. Part of me thinks this was an internal injury or internal infection since there was no outside injury.

I really appreciate the help everyone provided. I was able to give her 2 more epsom salt baths and she was very comfortable in them, even closing both eyes and soaking a bit as the water was warm. There wasn't an egg in the tract, but that doesn't rule out egg yolk peritonitis. I think the baths helped with any pain she was having. We're in a northern climate and haven't had extreme heat this year, so it wasn't heat stroke. In fact, the last few days were perfect weather wise. The chicken tractor has access to fresh water daily, grit, calcium grit, and food pellets along with fresh grass as I move it daily - so, I'd be surprised if there was a nutritional issue as the remainder of the flock is doing well in the tractor now.

I was getting liquids in her and liquid vitamins that include additional calcium and then egg yolks. I opened the closed eye and there was nothing bad in it and it appeared to be tracking, so the eye thing may have been due to pain. Towards the evening she started refusing liquids.

She passed over night. I've been a wreck all morning. We're really sad and don't know exactly what happened to make her injured or sick, but I am glad I was able to give her some comfort at the end of her time.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Regarding the leg, it was completely non-functioning. Not going in a direction, but just hanging there and she wasn't engaging the claw like the other leg, which was able to grasp on my hand. Part of me thinks this was an internal injury or internal infection since there was no outside injury.

I really appreciate the help everyone provided. I was able to give her 2 more epsom salt baths and she was very comfortable in them, even closing both eyes and soaking a bit as the water was warm. There wasn't an egg in the tract, but that doesn't rule out egg yolk peritonitis. I think the baths helped with any pain she was having. We're in a northern climate and haven't had extreme heat this year, so it wasn't heat stroke. In fact, the last few days were perfect weather wise. The chicken tractor has access to fresh water daily, grit, calcium grit, and food pellets along with fresh grass as I move it daily - so, I'd be surprised if there was a nutritional issue as the remainder of the flock is doing well in the tractor now.

I was getting liquids in her and liquid vitamins that include additional calcium and then egg yolks. I opened the closed eye and there was nothing bad in it and it appeared to be tracking, so the eye thing may have been due to pain. Towards the evening she started refusing liquids.

She passed over night. I've been a wreck all morning. We're really sad and don't know exactly what happened to make her injured or sick, but I am glad I was able to give her some comfort at the end of her time.

I'm sorry to hear she died

Often we don't know why one declines so quickly.
Getting a necropsy would give more information. If you lose another in a short period of time, then it would be a good to send the body to your state lab for diagnostics. https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html