Hen picks up legs to her chest to walk

[Hengirl22]

Hello!
My almost 5-year-old Buff Orpington is picking her legs all the way up to her chest to take a step. She's not walking often and spends most of her time on the roost. She is eating when she comes down and I usually take her down from the roost in the morning. She will start pacing the top roost, but she looks unsure about jumping off. Other than her walking she seems to be in a good mood and healthy. My only thought is arthritis?
Thank you!

 

[500Chickens]

maybe a sprain or something is lodged in her foot.

 

[LaFleche]

She might be suffering from crop impaction.
Check her crop early in the morning before she had something to eat to see if it empties properly overnight.

Let us know what you find.

To help older or heavier birds to get down from the roost you can install a ladder using a board with little rungs screwed to it. This will reduce the risk of them getting hurt by jumping down.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I have a brahma hen that was doing this, it ended up being pendulous crop and I had to get her a crop bra. Can you post pics of your hen? How high is your top roost?

 

[Hengirl22]

Ok, thank you all! How do I properly check her crop and what am I feeling for? I've tried before with other hens and I didn't really know what it should feel like. I will post pictures too.

 

[LaFleche]

Ok, thank you all! How do I properly check her crop and what am I feeling for? I've tried before with other hens and I didn't really know what it should feel like. I will post pictures too.

You can feel the bulge on their breast in the evening to see if it is well filled.
Then gently feel again in the morning, it should be flat as normally all the content would have been passed on and digested by then.

 

[theoldchick]

Can you show a video of what she is doing?

 

[LaFleche]

 

[Hengirl22]

Here is a picture of her that shows how she’s walking and the roost

 

[Hengirl22]

You can feel the bulge on their breast in the evening to see if it is well filled.
Then gently feel again in the morning, it should be flat as normally all the content would have been passed on and digested by then.

Ok! Thank you!