Hen w/weak legs, sleepy

[Catalinda8]

I have a 2 1/2 yr. old black minorca hen who started acting sleepy around the 4th of July. She always came out of the coop in the morning full of energy, but then I'd see her sleeping around the yard. (I have seven hens kept on about 1/4 acre fenced in.) Her appetite was good and if I called her, she'd get up and come running, but I noticed a certain stiffness in her legs. I took her to the bird vet last Tuesday and he got her on Baytril 2x a day. She has not improved on the Baytril. Although she continues to eat and drink, her legs seem to be weaker. She can walk around, but her gait is stiff and deliberate. I started adding bird vitamins to her food last night, on the odd chance it's a vitamin deficiency of some sort. They get layer crumbles, leftovers and whatever bugs and seeds are in the yard. Her poops are normal (and the vet checked for worms and mites - none).
Of course, this happens to be my favorite hen, so I'm quite desperate for help and advice! None of the other hens seems to be affected. I've been keeping Penguin, the minorca, in the house at night but letting her out during the day.
Any advice??
Linda

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I know she is still young but I wonder if perhaps it's arthritis? Try giving her poly-vi-sol drops...1 drop three times a day...along side her beak. Perhaps it's a B vitamin deficiency.

 

[Catalinda8]

Thank you for replying! Do you think the Poly-Vi-Sol drops would be more effective than bird vitamins?
Linda

 

[sammi]

she might need some calcium supplement and Vitamin D..
check the Poly-vi-sol for vit D..

you can mix up some water cooked oatmeal, plain yogurt, layer feed, cooked egg yolk..
if she has rickets,(calcium deficiency) this mixture along with vitamins could help..
sometimes hens need more calcium in hot weather.
is she laying?
do you have oyster shell available?

you might consider trying to get some Avia Charge from Mcmurray hatchery or Stromberg's.
it's a mineral supplement.

Poly-vi-sol has good Vitamin B complex..

I'd also try giving her some aspirin..PLAIN REGULAR aspirin..5 (325mg) pills crushed into 1 gallon water..

watch for any other problems with movement.

 

[Catalinda8]

I do usually have oyster shells available, but I don't know if she's been eating them. She's not a real consistent layer. I felt her abdomen and near her vent but she's not swollen or acting egg bound. She seems perkier this morning and ate her oatmeal and vitamins this morning, and she'd eaten her oatmeal and vits last night before bed, as well. Hopefully she's on the mend. I will try the cooked egg yolk and go get some more oyster shells. I'll also look into the Avia Charge.
Thanks!
Linda

 

[eggchel]

Also check thru the links on this page:

http://www.msstate.edu/dept/poultry/diagext.htm


chel

 

[Catalinda8]

She seems a bit perkier today. Still sitting around quite a bit, but she did run around for a while and her appetite, as I mentioned, is stellar, and in every other way, she's quite alert. She was in the coop attempting an egg today, but I've got three setting Cochins, so if she did lay one, it has been scooped into the pile *sigh*. I'm very grateful for all the input! I'm trying vitamins and extra calcium and lots of TLC.
Linda