Hen tipping over

[CochinFancy]

I have a hen that keeps tipping over. Only to one side. She can stand and walk some but if she tips over its hard for her to get upright again. It’s sort of like she can’t get her foot up under her.

I right away thought the worst and started checking for symptoms of merek’s. She does not have any raised feathers or skin, her eye is normal, she is eating and drinking and when I put her down to forage, she seemed very interested, though she was limping. Comb normal. Her status of merek’s vaccine is unknown, however she is kept with 4 other birds, one of which is her brother that she shares a flat bottom cage with. The others are caged separately. None of the others are sick. I am aware of the vaccination status of 3 of the other 4, they are not vaccinated.

After checking for merek’s, I checked her leg for injuries, and she was still moving it on her own, I couldn’t see any visible wounds. She is currently in her own little hospital cage.

Her name is Tabitha, she’s a 2 year old bantam cochin hen. It is possible she may be inbred, it was not disclosed to me the pair I bought was brother and sister until a year later when I had already hatched eggs from them. She is a show bird and went to her last show last October. Since then, no birds have left my flock but I did purchase 3 babies from the feed store 2 days ago. They are in the same area.

My main concern is that this is early merek’s and she’s just not showing any of the other symptoms yet. I also realize that might not make sense because none of the others are sick and it is highly contagious.

I just noticed all of this about a half hour ago. Does anyone have any insight about what this could be? Should I isolate her?

 

[CochinFancy]

Update for today. She is still eating, still drinking. Leg situation is not any better and I believe she’s sitting more. I fed her some egg yolk and I am planning to try worming her and and giving vitamins.

Eyes are the same color wise, but maybe a little droopy today. Color is still good. None of the others are showing symptoms still.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

she is kept with 4 other birds, one of which is her brother that she shares a flat bottom cage with. The others are caged separately.

Photos of the hen, housing and her poop?
What do you feed?
Where are you located in the world?

Stumbling, imbalance and the symptoms you describe can be from a number of things, from Marek's to dehydration.

Look her over for lice/mites, make sure her crop is emptying, see that she's eating her nutritionally balance poultry feed and drinking, you can offer poultry vitamins for a few days to see if this makes a difference.

 

[CochinFancy]

She’s currently in a cat carrier in my garage.

That is her foot on the paper plate. She is sort of trembling she wasn’t doing that about a half hour ago when I gave her the vitamins.
I feed “country spirit” cracked corn and layer feed. I am located in Michigan, USA. I have inspected for mites, and stay on top of preventative mite care. She is drinking. I just dosed her with a vitamin drench and wormed her. I can’t see where she’s used the bathroom.

 

[CochinFancy]

After posting the last update, I took her outside. She is now unable to stand and just “spins’ flapping her wings. I did not let her do this very long. She’s used the bathroom once and it was very small but solid, no visible worms, and her crop is empty. I palpated her abdominal for a stuck egg, couldn’t find one. Did not stick my finger inside the vent, she’s too small.

I am planning to humanely put her to sleep this evening as she is going downhill very fast.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry

 

[Lor]

Maybe she pulled a muscle? Sprained something?
I'm sorry to hear she is going down hill.

 

[Myrshine]

If she ends up passing, I would suggest sending her to your State of Agriculture or your state’s extension to get a necropsy performed and checked for Marek’s Disease Virus or Avian Leukosis Virus (ALV) as they are pretty common.

To me and seeing her going downhill, it could be one of the diseases that I mentioned above, but hens that are currently laying and become egg bound, can act similarly to a disease. A vitamin E or B-12 deficiency can also cause these symptoms. I’d try giving her some vitamins and see how it goes.

 

[CochinFancy]

So, I did not end up putting her down.

I am thinking this could be a vitamin issue also. I ended up giving her a product called “power punch” which is given to goats after giving birth. I deluded it enough for her weight. I tried giving it in her mouth but she wouldn’t swallow it, so I put it in her water.

She’s still doing something funny with her neck, but she stood up. She seems to be able to get her foot back up under it. It started as just sitting up straight, and now she’s standing. Her poops are much healthier and she’s getting babied, I’ve fed her cottage cheese for calcium and egg as well as the vitamins still in the water.

I do not think she is out of the woods yet but I have never seen a bird with merek’s stand back up. Usually paralysis progresses. I am however going to look into merek’s vaccines for any more home bred birds.

 

[cheer10]

Hope your chicken has a quick recovery.