Hen limping and slowing down

[Cinnamon11]

My normal very goofy active hen started slowing down about a week ago and not acting like herself, the last few days she’s gotten a bad limp and she mostly lays down all day. She still gets up to eat, drink, and lay but is quite thin. She’s had problems in the past where she’s layed even when it took a huge toll on her body and I’m wondering if that’s happening again. Im giving her rooster booster, daily epsom salt feet baths and massages, cooked eggs with the shell, and they always have free choice calcium. I don’t see or feel anything wrong or different about her feet. Is there anything else I could do? Or any ideas what’s causing this?

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

How old is she? Is her poop normal?

If she's getting on in years, unfortunately it may be a reproductive disorder which good layers like leghorns are more prone to. Limping could be a sign of an egg, cyst or tumor pressing on her nerves.

If you think she might have just hurt herself jumping down from a roost or something, you could try keeping her in crate with food and water for a week or so to force her to rest her legs.

 

[Cinnamon11]

How old is she? Is her poop normal?

If she's getting on in years, unfortunately it may be a reproductive disorder which good layers like leghorns are more prone to. Limping could be a sign of an egg, cyst or tumor pressing on her nerves.

If you think she might have just hurt herself jumping down from a roost or something, you could try keeping her in crate with food and water for a week or so to force her to rest her legs.

She just turned 3, poop looks normal, she is the kind of hen to jump up and down on things she’d shouldn’t so could be either of those! I can try separating her but I do notice her best friend (they grew up together) has been very close with her and protective so I would hate to separate them but can!

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

She just turned 3, poop looks normal, she is the kind of hen to jump up and down on things she’d shouldn’t so could be either of those! I can try separating her but I do notice her best friend (they grew up together) has been very close with her and protective so I would hate to separate them but can!

You can keep her in a crate in the coop with the other chickens so she is confined but not really alone... I really hope it's just an injury, but 3 yrs old is exactly when I start expecting a certain number of girls to develop issues, so be prepared that there might not be much you can do for her.

 

[Cinnamon11]

You can keep her in a crate in the coop with the other chickens so she is confined but not really alone... I really hope it's just an injury, but 3 yrs old is exactly when I start expecting a certain number of girls to develop issues, so be prepared that there might not be much you can do for her.

Me too! Thank you for the help!

 

[Cinnamon11]

Lunas gotten quite a bit worse these past days. I put her in a small pen in the coop and she just lays down all day. I went and got her up yesterday and she drank a ton of water but isn’t eating much, just some here and there, so her poop is watery.

 

[Cinnamon11]

Luna just lays down all day lately. She won’t get up to eat, drink, or come out of the coop but will when I help her. Her limp is a lot worse. Is there anything I can do for her?