Hen Less Than A Year Old Won't Walk

[genaGC]

Yesterday my hen was laying by the ramp up to the hen house and wouldn't get up. Another chicken was pecking at her, so I moved the downed hen to the garden so she wouldn't be attacked. After researching and asking my chicken friends, I came up with a lot of different theories. But then, this morning I took her out of my quick makeshift house, she immediately pooped and stood up!!!!! We have seen her stand up a few times, but is mostly just sitting.

Yesterday I tried putting her in the nesting box, but she immediately flopped out and hit the ground where the door is. she didn't even try to stand. What on earth? My neighbor said she was either broody or wanted a rooster. But, we don't have a rooster and she is going to be pecked to death while waiting!

The facts:

she's making happy chirpy sounds
she scoots around mainly, but has stood a few times
she's in isolation
she has been a good egg layer
her poop looks normal despite being a little watery, but she didn't poop all night, just first thing when I let her out
she's eating normally
drinking normally
she's already at the bottom of the pecking order, but the other hens usually leave her alone
no visible problems
she lets me pick her up
no clucking as if she's broody
won't stay in the nesting box
just wants to sit!

I don't think anything is wrong with her, but if you do, PLEASE make your suggestions. My main thing is that I don't know what to do with her. Keeping her secluded is saving her from being pecked, but I'm not sure that the flock will ever welcome her back in when she's better, if she is?

Also, we have 2 month old chicks and they were getting out in the garden before now. I'm assuming they need to still stay away from her?

 

[Eggcessive]

It doesn't sound like she is broody, and the suggestion that she was wanting a rooster is not true. It sounds like she is having trouble standing, which may be due to an injury that she has suffered, but I would try to rule out a vitamin deficiency, and possibly Mareks disease as other causes. Start her on poultry vitamins in her water, such as Vitamins With Lactobacillus, Durvet or other brands. Poultry Cell 2-3 ml given orally each day would be another your could try instead, but not NutriDrench since it does not contain riboflavin. Is she having any curling under of her toes, and is she able to move both legs? Was she vaccinated as a chick for Mareks? Let's hope it is just an injury or deficiency, and make sure that she is near food and water. For that I would place her in a crate, and keeping her in view of the other hens would be good for her. A chicken sling with her feet touching the floor may be good to put her in for a few hours a day with breaks in between, and take her out at night to sleep on the floor. Here are some sling pictures:

 

[genaGC]

Thank you!

She does stand up sometimes, but 99% of the time she just sits there and also scoots around. She seems perfectly content to just sit there. I'll start adding vitamins, thanks for the suggestion.

I'm wondering if somehow she fell off the ramp since that's where I found her, but it's not higher than she's jumped before, but maybe she landed wrong?

 

[Eggcessive]

Injuries are very common. I am always reluctant to suggest Mareks as a possibility, but that can cause weakness progressing to paralysis in one or both legs or wings, from little tumors on the nerves. Vitamin/mineral deficiencies are also common in poultry, plus leg bone deformities, which can get worse as a chixken grows. Let us know how she gets along.

 

[genaGC]

Injuries are very common. I am always reluctant to suggest Mareks as a possibility, but that can cause weakness progressing to paralysis in one or both legs or wings, from little tumors on the nerves. Vitamin/mineral deficiencies are also common in poultry, plus leg bone deformities, which can get worse as a chixken grows. Let us know how she gets along.

Thank you! Sweet girl is still limping and it's definitely a limp. I've been giving her vitamins and just monitoring her. She's laid two eggs since her injury and seems quite content alone in the garden. Plus, she's not eating my plants which I was worried about, so that's a plus. That's just the only place we can keep her away from her friends.

Thanks for your advice...hopefully she will be okay.