How long does it take hen to recover?

[Kalthia]

So I am on day three of being worried about my hen - trying to get calcium into her anyway I can. She is eating and drinking - but won't stand or walk. Her right leg is weak. Took her to the vet yesterday they gave her a Vit B shot and said give her calcium. I gave her oyster shell and some tums, but right now that is all I have access to. She refuses to eat cottage cheese, spaghetti and green beans with tums on it.
I put her out (separated) in the coop today hoping that being near the flock would encourage her to get up and move above - she has been out 3 hours now and is still in the same spot in the run. This set up separates my others from the nesting box and they are not real happy about the situation.
I'm getting more concerned that she won't recover. When I brought her in it was the night before last - we anticipated egg bound, but that was not the case (she laid while we were at the vets). We gave her some calcium then, but not enough according to the Vet. I am going to try some corn mashed with tums in it next... any other suggestions?

 

[nuthatched]

Why did your vet suggest calcium for partial paralysis? Has she laid recently? What's her diet? Any heat or swelling coming from the joint?

 

[samanthaoverton]

Does she have any discharge on her bum area? Could it possibly be something else, I mean if she layed an egg. If you want to get a tums in her..you can crush it up add a little water and use one of those little puppy medicine plungers..just give a little at a time.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

So I am on day three of being worried about my hen - trying to get calcium into her anyway I can. She is eating and drinking - but won't stand or walk. Her right leg is weak. Took her to the vet yesterday they gave her a Vit B shot and said give her calcium. I gave her oyster shell and some tums, but right now that is all I have access to. She refuses to eat cottage cheese, spaghetti and green beans with tums on it.

What is her usual feed routine including treats and supplements?

Sounds like possible vitamin deficiency or maybe even Marek's. Did the vet discuss that with you? What is her age? Do you know if she was vaccinated? What B was it that he gave, did he say anything about vitamin E?

Have you checked her crop function? Is it water baloony, empty and flat, or empty with something hard stuck in? Is she drinking?

Egg binding and calcium are clearly NOT the issue here. Also egg bound hens tend to mostly recover back to normal walking and eating behavior right away as soon as the problem is resolved.

 

[Kalthia]

Why did your vet suggest calcium for partial paralysis? Has she laid recently? What's her diet? Any heat or swelling coming from the joint?

She isn't paralyzed, just weak on right side.
She laid while we were at the vet, the vet checked for egg bound right before.
She is on Henhouse Reserve from Kalmbach Feeds out of Ohio.
No, the leg looks good, a minor bruise was noted by the vet but nothing other than that.

 

[Kalthia]

Does she have any discharge on her bum area? Could it possibly be something else, I mean if she layed an egg. If you want to get a tums in her..you can crush it up add a little water and use one of those little puppy medicine plungers..just give a little at a time.

She is refusing tums at ever turn (in food), but the syringe/water idea is smart, we will do that, thank you!

No discharge, she did have diarrhea after I gave her melon yesterday - which didn't surprise me.

 

[Kalthia]

What is her usual feed routine including treats and supplements?

Sounds like possible vitamin deficiency or maybe even Marek's. Did the vet discuss that with you? What is her age? Do you know if she was vaccinated? What B was it that he gave, did he say anything about vitamin E?

Have you checked her crop function? Is it water baloony, empty and flat, or empty with something hard stuck in? Is she drinking?

Egg binding and calcium are clearly NOT the issue here. Also egg bound hens tend to mostly recover back to normal walking and eating behavior right away as soon as the problem is resolved.

Vet said the crop was small, but normal. She just started laying in the last 30 days... I have five so not sure exactly when. She came as a chick vaccinated. the vet did not give vitamin e. She mentioned which b's but I can't remember.
Her eggs are the largest (of the five) , but the vet felt it was a normal egg.


I missed your first question - I free feed the Kalmbach Hen Feed. I give them table scraps which are mainly leftovers from my salad every day. Melon was the first time this week - I gave the five of them 1/4 a day over the week. I also give them scrambled eggs if one is broken. They get meal worms. When I pull weeds I take them to them.
Sometimes I worry that I feed them too much.. and maybe that is the issue, they are not getting enough of their feed?

I also have started giving them fermented food - but that has only been 1 or 2 times so far.