hen walking like a penguin

[nettifer]

hatty my hen is walking like a penguin! weve seperated her from the others she has been like this for 3wks, ive had stool samples anylised at the vet, nothing sinister ! been wormed, treated for coccidiotis, now treating for respitory disease,tummy little swollen , not laying , but is eating, drinking acting normal except the walk

vet said lab results were very healthy , so weve let her roam with the others daytime but she goes back to her own pen at night, her choice! maybe she cant walk up to the coop with the others! they are free range! anyone else experienced this?

 

[Fentressfarmer]

I had an old hen that did that but she didn't move around much. Does she look like she's standing up straight when she tries to walk?

 

[debid]

Do some reading about internal laying (egg peritonitis). Not laying plus swollen abdomen sounds like the yolks may be accumulating.

 

[nettifer]

yes she stands up a lot, but vet said no to peritinitus! said it would show in stool sample ! infection etc! plus if it was she would be dead by now! vet recons nothing sinister

but just wish i knew what it was

 

[scooterward]

I read that this posture means she's egg bound! And since it's been three weeks, you should really seek medical attention.

Hope she's going to be ok. Good luck!

 

[nettifer]

hi, tried that, warm baths ! checked for an egg none! very strange!

ive tried and treated for everything

shes happy, eating , comb lovely and red, she had a dust bath yesterday so shes not ill ,its cost me a fortune in trying to find out what is wrong

 

[SobbaChickens]

Sounds like you have done everything that you can. Best of luck! I hope it ends up being nothing

-Katie

 

[debid]

The vet is the expert -- if she was given a clean bill of heath after a thorough exam and battery of tests, then there is nothing to do but wait and see if she resumes laying and walking normally. I thought most cases of egg peritonitis were diagnosed by necroscopy because it doesn't necessarily have outward symptoms other than irregular laying. (shrug)

 

[nettifer]

im not sure! i was just asked for a fresh stool sample to rule out any major issues

shes quite happy in her self, doing everything a hen would so except walking straight or laying! she is a warren, i got them at point of lay 12mths ago, shes a lot more mobile than she was

and her vent is nice and clean no discharge or redness, and we are 3 wks along! ive built up a real good chicken medicine box

there isnt much else i can treat her for !

 

[Eggcessive]

Why are you treating for a respiratory disease? Does she have symptoms? Walking like a penguin does sound like she is eggbound. I wouldn't put too much faith in a regular vet. My daughter is a vet, and my own vet doesn't know all that much about chickens. Unless they own chickens or specialize in avian medicine, I would probably read as much as I could about eggbound, or internal laying.