Hen not standing, only taking a few steps

[LLvida]

Hello Group – I went to check on my girls before roosting and found what I thought was a hen laying on the floor of our coop.

Once I tended to the rest of the girls I noticed that she had moved locations but there was no egg and she looked uncomfortable. I picked her up and was petting her and put her back down again and she kind of took a few steps and then sat down again. I looked her all over and found no injuries however her crop was empty and something seemed off.

I brought her inside and she gobbled up all the food I offered her and was happily drinking from the water bowl, however unless I support her body she’s not interested in taking any steps. She was totally fine yesterday and no one else has any symptoms.

I feed pellets and the girls free range in the yard. They are almost 1 year old.

What should I do next? We are headed to bed but I will start early tomorrow with care.

Vent check? Epsin bath? Vitamins? I just read a bit on Mareks but don’t know really how to rule it out.

Thank you!

 

[LLvida]

I made a little video to see if that would help.

 

[ChickyMudder]

Hello Group – I went to check on my girls before roosting and found what I thought was a hen laying on the floor of our coop.

Once I tended to the rest of the girls I noticed that she had moved locations but there was no egg and she looked uncomfortable. I picked her up and was petting her and put her back down again and she kind of took a few steps and then sat down again. I looked her all over and found no injuries however her crop was empty and something seemed off.

I brought her inside and she gobbled up all the food I offered her and was happily drinking from the water bowl, however unless I support her body she’s not interested in taking any steps. She was totally fine yesterday and no one else has any symptoms.

I feed pellets and the girls free range in the yard. They are almost 1 year old.

What should I do next? We are headed to bed but I will start early tomorrow with care.

Vent check? Epsin bath? Vitamins? I just read a bit on Mareks but don’t know really how to rule it out.

Thank ppl

Have you checked to see if she slipped a tendon? Lots of research on it. I just learned of it.

 

[Firsttimehens1234]

I made a little video to see if that would help.

Have you checked to see if she is egg bound, mine couldn’t walk when she was egg bound

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is your sweet hen? Has she been laying eggs recently? Does she have an enlarged lower belly between her legs, and if so, is it firm or spongy? That can be a sign of ascites (water belly) or egg masses inside the belly. With her tail down position, and reluctance to walk, she might have being laying internally or possibly egg bound (if she has been laying.) Human calcium citrate with D3 given orally into her beak to swallow, can help if she is egg bound. Have you checked her legs for any swelling, green bruising, or redness? How long has she been reluctant to walk?

 

[LLvida]

Thank you Friend’s. She is still sitting on the bottom of the coup. I will research slipped tendon- any helpful links?

Just back from the store with Epson salt. Will soak her and check her vent. I gave her electrolytes with some liquid vit D and crushed up cal-mag vitamins.

Don’t know what else to do…she looks so normal!

 

[LLvida]

she is almost 1, still haven’t confirmed which eggs are hers…I have 6 hens and don’t get 6 eggs a day and I’m still trying to track down which lays which!

 

[Eggcessive]

I would aim for giving 600 mg of calcium plus D per day until she lays or seems better. You may want to make a chicken sling chair for her which would get her up and in front of food and water. Here are some examples especially post 5, 11, and 12:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[LLvida]

She is up in her sling. Seems more willing to walk a bit today and her shuffle is a bit more of a limp…still can’t find anything wrong with either leg. She is panting today and most of her poops are pretty watery with green and white and clear.

Only odd thing I can find is a little flesh nubbin that has a few tufts of feather tips in it above where her tail feathers are. Kind of shown in picture number 1.

 

[Eggcessive]

The flesh nubbin may be the preen gland at the base of the tale. The green poop is probably due to not eating enough. Has she been able to eat for you?