ill chicken need advice

[calciumrich]

Hello,

Three days ago, when feeding and watering my hens, I noticed one of my white leghorns laying on her side. What caught my attention, was that she was not going nuts for food and water like the rest. She was lethargic and not moving much. I tried to stand her and she could not bear weight on her feet. Since bringing her inside in a box, she has pretty much sprung back to herself but still cannot stand. She is eating and drinking fine when I provide water and feed pellets. I soaked her in warm water and manually checked for egg impaction but found none. She is pooping fine, although some of it is fairly solid and not watery. She seems happy and content but again, cannot bear weight. I stood her up this morning and she stood on the left leg but not the right. She plops right back down on the right side. Not really sure what's wrong with her. We have eight chickens total and feed them simple corn pellets from the tractor supply store. The others don't seem to have similar symptoms and are healthy. Not sure what is going on with my little hen but she is two years old and has otherwise been healthy up to this point. She has not laid any eggs the last three days.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome to BYC.

Can you post some photos or a video of her actions?
Do they free range?
What are simple corn pellets?
Do you provide any poultry feed like layer feed or an all flock type feed, if not describe their diet?
Do you know if she was vaccinated for Marek's?
How old is she?

Provide her with some poultry vitamins that can be found at your TSC, something like Poutlry Nutri-Drench or Poultry Cell.

 

[calciumrich]

Hi and thank you for your help. I have my girls eating Dumor 16% layer pellets. We often times throw nuts, berries and mealworms in for a treat. My little sick hen has pretty much sprung back to herself, eating drinking and laying eggs, although the eggs are very very soft with no hardness to them. We bath her daily in our sink which she enjoys, but she cannot bear weight to her right leg/side and leans on that right side as in the picture. My girls were never given any shots or treatments that I am aware of fore mericks. I was wondering if I should possibly try a calcium supplement.
She doesn't try to leave her box but she moves her legs and flaps her wings, so again, I don't believe it's any physical injury.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi and thank you for your help. I have my girls eating Dumor 16% layer pellets. We often times throw nuts, berries and mealworms in for a treat. My little sick hen has pretty much sprung back to herself, eating drinking and laying eggs, although the eggs are very very soft with no hardness to them. We bath her daily in our sink which she enjoys, but she cannot bear weight to her right leg/side and leans on that right side as in the picture. My girls were never given any shots or treatments that I am aware of fore mericks. I was wondering if I should possibly try a calcium supplement.
She doesn't try to leave her box but she moves her legs and flaps her wings, so again, I don't believe it's any physical injury.

I'm sorry, I don't see a photo.

Soft shell or shell-less eggs can be due to some diseases or more commonly nutritional deficiency, usually lack of calcium and vitamins E, B12 and D as well as phosphorous and selenium. Offer oyster shell free choice to help boost calcium, also add some poultry vitamins to her water.

If you can't find a poultry vitamin that has the B vitamins, you can crush a human B-complex Vitamin (no iron) and add it to her food daily.
(Tilly's Nest link below has vitamin info, as well as foods that contain the vitamins). You may want to add some extra protein as well, hard boiled egg, tuna, mackerel or meat are a good addition to her layer feed.

Are you bathing her daily because she is dirty? Or are you just cleaning up her bum, because she is not moving around well and is getting a poopy bottom?

The unbalance/not using the legs (paralysis?) and flapping wings, sounds similar to Marek's, but also could possibly be a B2 (Riboflavin) deficiency.

Here's more info on egg shell quality, Marek's (includes videos) and vitamin/foods.
EGG QUALITY
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/common-egg-quality-problems

MAREK'S INFO (1st link includes vitamin deficiencies/illnesses that mimic Marek's)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/90/mareks-disease/

MAREK'S VIDEO

VITAMINS
http://www.tillysnest.com/2014/03/vitamin-deficiencies-in-backyard-chicks-html/
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency/
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/3508/importance-of-vitamins-in-poultry-production/